Restoran WK Restoran WK

Dreaming
of a green
Christmas
p
Shah Alam:
Capital
since 1978
4
p
11 – 16
Fest brings
villagers, artists
together
p
18 & 19
December 16 — 18, 2011/ issue 53
community
Villagers unconvinced
by TNB promise
By Gan Pei Ling
RAWANG: A concession by
Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to
consider an alternative route for
power lines away from Kampung
Sungai Terentang is being met
with scepticism by villagers.
The route proposed by an independent consultant hired by the
state could amicably break the
longstanding deadlock between
the villagers and TNB. But villagers who said they
have been let down by top political leaders’ and TNB’s broken
promises in the past six years are
looking for assurance from the
prime minister.
“Unless (Datuk Seri) Najib
(Razak) himself guarantees that
TNB will not be allowed to take
away our land to make way for the
high-tension cable, our minds will
never be at peace,” said village chief
Goh Ah Kow.
The 54-year-old said former Energy, Water and Communication
Minister Datuk Seri Lim Keng
Yaik had announced in 2007 that
TNB would relocate the 275kV
transmission lines if the state government provided land for the alternative route.
“But when the current state
government agreed to provide the
land, TNB remained adamant at
building the power lines through
our village,” said Goh.
Villagers have protested vehemently against the project as a primary school, a maternity and child
clinic, and a kindergarten expected
to be completed next January are
located only 20-25 metres from
TNB’s proposed transmission line.
Pregnant women, infants and
children are the groups most vulnerable to magnetic fields from
high-voltage transmission lines,
according to the International
Health Research Association.
In addition, at least 51 homes in
• Turn to page 2
SULTAN Sharafuddin Idris Shah greeting children at the Raja Tun
Uda library in Section U13 Shah Alam, accompanied by Crown
Prince Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (blue
tie, right), while Selangor Public Library Board director Mastura
Muhamad (second right) and State Assembly Speaker Datuk Teng
Chang Khim (background) look on. The Selangor Sultan officially
opened the library last Friday in conjunction with his birthday, and
donated some 1,200 first-edition books from the United Kingdom.
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news
December 16 — 18, 2011
No state bailout for Cityliner
By Gan Pei Ling
SHAH ALAM: Konsortium
Transnasional Bhd’s (KTB) move
to seek state funds in order to continue providing rural bus services
was described as “blackmail” by
Teresa Kok yesterday.
“SPAD (Land and Public Transport Commission) is the regulatory body, not the state government.
Why did KTB write to the Menteri
Besar? It's close to blackmail,” said
the state executive councillor.
On Tuesday, KTB stopped providing services for 21 unprofitable
routes in Selangor, particularly in
rural areas such as Banting, Tanjong Karang, Sekinchan and Sabak
Bernam, leaving 80,000 commuters stranded and scrambling to
look for alternative transport.
KTB executive director Tengku
Hasmadi Tengku Hashim said the
company requested Selangor’s help
because its Cityliner bus fleet had
suffered financial losses due to low
bus fares fixed by Putrajaya. However, Selangor had declined
to subsidise the bus operator as it is
uncomfortable with the idea.
“Even if we were to give [subsidy coupons], we would give directly to SPAD since it is the regulatory body,” said Kok.
She was speaking to the press after the Selangor Economic Action
Council met with SPAD representatives to discuss solutions for the
issue for the first time yesterday. Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid
Ibrahim had announced on Tuesday that it would not subsidise
KTB because the company is supposed to use income derived from
its profitable routes to finance the
non-profitable ones.
“That’s the basic agreement
Khalid also said companies cannot always expect the government
to provide profit-guarantee contracts, and yet expect the government to use taxpayers’ money to
bail them out when these businesses are hit by losses.
“The government must stop this
practice under the privatisation
scheme that only benefits selected
individuals,” said Khalid.
Worried about potential health impact
• From page One
the Chinese New Village would have to be demolished if TNB is
allowed to proceed with the original route for the 59km Central
Area Reinforcement (CAR) project to reinforce power supply to
Kuala Lumpur.
Tee Keot Cheong, 62, is one of the families that have been
living with the fear of being relocated since 2005.
“We’re not interested in monetary compensation. I have been
living in this village for more than 30 years, this is where I want
to stay,” Tee told Selangor Times.
TNB general manager (asset development department delivery unit)
Selangor WEATHER
Faezah Ahmed had claimed on Dec
1 that the stalled project must be
Friday Saturday Sunday
completed as soon as possible to prevent major blackouts in Peninsular
Malaysia. Morning
However, TNB had finally agreed
to study an alternative route proposed by independent consultant
Aecom Australian Pty Ltd after a
Afternoon
meeting with the Selangor government last Friday.
Aecom had suggested aligning the
power lines along the 40-metre-wide
Night
Rawang Highway using existing road
reserves. This route is estimated to
cost RM17.5 million, a million
Source: Malaysian meteorological department
cheaper than the RM18.6 million for
TNB’s original proposed route.
TNB had also promised not to resume construction at the village for a
month until its representatives carried
out a detailed study on the alternative
phone (603) 5510 4566
route with Aecom, the Selayang Mufax (603) 5523 1188
email [email protected]
nicipal Council, Gombak Land Office, and state representatives.
EDITORIAL
Its previous attempts to carry out
CHIEF EDITOR KL Chan
construction work at the Chinese
COMMUNITY EDITOR Neville Spykerman
New Village, most recently on Dec
WRITERS Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling,
1, had resulted in standoffs with vilBasil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Ch’ng
lagers.
COPY EDITORS Nick Choo, James Ang
Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei
DESIGNERS Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man Yen
Nei said the joint survey on the alterADVERTISING Timothy Loh, Ivan Looi, Tony Kee
native route is expected to be comADVISORS Faekah Husin, Arfa’eza Abdul Aziz
pleted and presented at the Selangor
Economic Action Council two
BEST BRAND IN
PEST MANAGEMENT
when the licence was granted to
KTB. It’s unfair that now the company is only willing to continue the
routes that make money and stop
those that are causing losses,” said
Khalid.
He cited the example of developers who are compelled to build
low-cost housing as part of development project even though lowcost housing is not profitable.
SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Independent owner and operator of
Chang and his wife in front of their house and now-defunct kindergarten.
They have been living in fear of being relocated for the past six years.
weeks from now.
Gan noted that this issue would
not have arisen at all in advanced
countries like Australia, where hightension cables are strictly prohibited
from passing through highly populated areas, including residential areas,
and school and hospital zones.
Villager Chang Ping Chow, 73,
hopes TNB will heed the people’s
concerns and reroute the 275kV transmission lines.
Chang used to operate the only
kindergarten in the village with his
daughter. However, the number of
children enrolling has declined over
the years due to the debacle over the
high-tension cable. They closed the
pre-school last year.
“We used to have over 200 students
… The people are worried about the
potential health impact of living near
the high-tension cables.
“We’re not against development or
trying to be difficult. We just want to
be able to live healthily,” said Chang.
Houses around this temporary
transmission pole would have to
be demolished if TNB is allowed
to proceed with its Central Area
Reinforcement project.
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SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ December 16 – 18, 2011 ⁄ 3
4
news
DECEMber 16 — 18, 2011
Events
Journalism training in Mexico
The School of Authentic Journalism invites media makers,
journalists, bloggers and activists to attend a seminar on the
relationship between media and civil resistance movements
in Mexico from March 21-31. Those who are interested in
acquiring additional journalism skills are also invited. Email
[email protected] for applications, which
must be submitted by Wednesday (Dec 28). For details, visit
www.narconews.com/Issue67/article4534.html.
MPK’s New Year celebration
Join the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) in ushering in the
New Year on Dec 30 and 31 (Friday and Saturday) at Dataran
Seni Klang. Among the highlights will be colouring and
street dance competitions, a karaoke contest for children,
and fireworks. For more information, call MPK coordinating
officer Roshayati Abd Rahim at 03-33716044 ext 1234/1015.
Meeting Santa
Visit Santa Claus at his North Pole hideout at Sungei Wang
Plaza on Dec 17,18, 24 and 25 at 4pm. He will be meeting
and greeting children at the concourse level of the mall. For
details, visit www.sungeiwang.com, www.facebook.com/
sungeiwangplaza or call 03-21170288.
Calendars on sale
Shelter Home for Children is having its annual sale of
colourful desk calendars for RM10 each. All calendars are
painted, coloured and designed by the children. For details,
call 03-79550663 (Edwin or Brian).
Renewal of licences
The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) is opening its
doors to premises owners in the area to renew their 2012
licences from now until Dec 31. Renewals can be made at the
MPSJ headquarters in USJ5 or other MPSJ branch offices
in Bandar Puteri Puchong and Serdang. Call the Licensing
Department at 03-80263176, 03-80263177, 03-80264321 or
visit www.mpsj.gov.my for details.
Dreaming of a
green Christmas
By Gan Pei Ling
PETALING JAYA: A Christmas tree lit by pedal power
was the highlight of the state’s festive celebrations at 1
Utama Shopping Centre last Saturday.
Young and old alike took turns to cycle on four
stationary bikes, wired up to light up the energy-efficient
Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on the tree.
“This is amazing,” said 10-year-old R Muniandy from
Damansara Utama, after witnessing the tree light up from
his labour.
Thousands thronged the state’s Christmas celebration
at 1 Utama to partake of the festivities last Saturday.
The sounds and lights for the night’s performances –
which featured singers Francissca Peters and Reshmonu,
the Selangor Philharmonic Choir, Deafbeat, and the third
KL Boys’ Brigade Company – were powered by biodiesel
produced from used cooking oil.
Long queues formed at the food stalls serving up 5,000
free burgers to the crowd from 6pm to 11pm.
Vendors were encouraged to use recycled and
biodegradable utensils and packaging, while their used
cooking oil was collected to be recycled into biodiesel.
Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim launched the
celebration with Selangor Speaker Datuk Teng Chang
Khim, and executive councillors Dr Xavier Jayakumar and
Elizabeth Wong at around 6pm.
The state also gave out monetary contributions for
churches and charity homes in conjunction with the
Christmas celebration.
Others who were later spotted at the dinner included
Council of Churches Malaysia general secretary Reverend
Dr Hermen Shastri; Gombak Member of Parliament
(MP) Azmin Ali; executive councillor Teresa Kok; Klang
Member of Parliament Charles Santiago; Kapar MP S
Members of the public lighting up the tree through
pedal power.
Manickavasagam; Subang MP R Sivarasa; Hulu Langat
MP Dr Che Rosli Che Mat; Kelana Jaya MP Loh GwoBurne ; and Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M
Manoharan.
Blood donation drive
Tropicana Medical Centre (TMC), in collaboration with the National Blood Bank, will hold a blood donation drive tomorrow
(Dec 17) from 10am-3pm on the ground floor of Tropicana
Medical Centre at 11, Jalan Teknologi, PJU5, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. All patients, visitors and
blood donors will get to enjoy a Christmas carolling session
while Santa Claus will distribute gifts at the children’s ward. Discounted books
A book sale will be held at the Petaling Jaya City Council’s
(MBPJ) Multipurpose Hall on Jalan BU 3/1 Bandar Utama,
Petaling Jaya, from Dec 23-Jan 1, 10am-9pm. Books will
be sold at a discount of up to 80%. For details, call 0361842448 or email [email protected].
Over 5,000 free burgers were served during the event.
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SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ December 16 – 18, 2011 ⁄ 5
6
NEWS
December 16 — 18, 2011
By Brenda Ch’ng
PETALING JAYA: The public
are being urged to be wary of scams
that promise huge returns for planting castor oil seeds to be sent to
China.
Ho Yaw Horng, 41, who fell
victim recently, is hoping that authorities will act against the company that promised investors
RM1,200 for each tonne of dry
castor seeds harvested.
“All they asked was for an initial
investment fee of RM30,000 and
promised me the plants will grow in
four months’ time,” said the financial planner.
Ho was told that the amount
paid in November last year was to
fund the fertiliser and enzymes
given by the company.
“I did everything they told me to
do and planted all 10kg of seeds at
my family plantation in Johor after
getting the seeds from their Kuala
Lumpur office,” he said to reporters
during a press conference yesterday.
However, only 30% of the seeds,
which were given to him for free,
grew within two weeks, but died
shortly after.
Ho made calls to the company
demanding an explanation.
“They told me I planted it
wrongly, and they gave me another
5kg of seeds to plant it their way,”
said Ho.
He was told to grow the seeds in
black plastic bags instead of scatter-
Castor seed deal
too good to be true
ing it around the land.
Despite efforts to keep the new
batch of plants alive, about 70%
didn’t grow at all, while the rest died
within a few weeks.
“When the second batch didn’t
work out, I decided to pull out from
the project as I would be losing more
money if I carried on planting new
ones,” he said.
But multiple calls and letters
made to the company were not entertained.
“I even explained my situation to
them and returned all the unused
fertiliser and enzymes, but I couldn’t
get even a portion of the money
back,” he said.
Ho filed a police report in May
this year, and another in June to the
Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (CCM), but no further action
was taken.
He then brought this matter up
to Kampung Tunku assemblyperson
Lau Weng San, who wrote another
letter to the CCM urging them to
investigate the matter to prevent
future scams.
Five kilogrammes of seedlings in black plastic bags.
“The government should take
stern action against such companies
for scamming the public and implement stricter regulations to stop
these activities,” said Lau.
He urged the public to be alert
and not get scammed by this and
other companies in the future.
With the help of Lau, CCM has
issued a notice to the company to
stop the castor-oil seed-planting
activity, and banned them from collecting investment deposits of
RM30,000.
Lau (left) with Ho showing pictures of his plantation.
Costly KLIA2 move
unnecessary: Pua
KUALA LUMPUR: A decision to
move the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) to the
present location from an earlier preapproved site has been blamed for
spiralling costs and delays.
Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua
took Malaysia Airports Holdings
Bhd (MAHB) to task for ignoring
engineering reports that indicated
that the land west of the original site
consists of soft soil unsuitable for airport terminal or runways.
“Changing the site from the north
to the west meant that portions of
the terminal and a runway would be
on peat soil,” Pua.
MAHB had ignored the consultant’s report that said construction
could only start following significant
earthworks, along with a minimum
two-year wait for the land to settle.
As a result, the company had
to spend an additional RM1.2 billion
to prepare the land for heavy construction.
The report in the 1992 KL Masterplan indicated that a car park was
the heaviest structure that could
be built there.
The KLIA2 project was projected
to cost RM2 billion when it was announced by the Transport Ministry
in 2009, but the cost has ballooned
to RM3.9 billion.
It was further scheduled to be
completed in September this year,
but has been revised to 2013.
But Pua is questioning if the airport could be even completed by
2013, since the report indicated that
the soft soil has to settle before construction could begin.
The relocation also means that the
existing control tower at KLIA will
not be able to monitor aircraft at the
new terminal, leading to MAHB
spending an additional RM500 million to build a new tower.
“We are about to be the only
modern airport in the world to have
two control towers within a two-kilometre distance from each other,”
Pua said on Wednesday.
He said the scenario could have
PETALING JAYA: Sivarasa Rasiah is
adamant that land meant for SRJK (T)
Effingham had gone to MIC leaders and
should be returned to the school.
“We have investigated the issue. We
know the issue,” said the Subang MP at
his Kota Damasara service centre here on
Wednesday.
His press conference was held in response to a statement published in a
Tamil daily last week, where MIC president G Palanivel rubbished his claims.
Effingham, a Tamil school in Bandar
Utama with about 500 students, has
called on MIC to return the adjacent plot,
which is urgently need to cater to their
space constraints.
Sivarasa said MIC should not deflect
the issue, and return the land.
The first-term lawmaker said research
into the case showed that the late MIC
been avoided if MAHB had stuck to
the original plans to build the terminal on the north site.
The new site is also further from
existing runways at KLIA, and
MAHB would have to build a third
runway for low-cost carriers that
want faster turnover times.
However, Pua said, the probable
location for the third runway is situated smack on top of the peat-soil
area. “It will take another two to
three years to even start construction
of the runway. Until then, no lowcost carrier will want to move there,”
he concluded.
MAHB in a statement on
Wednesday said the site of KLIA2
comes from a 2008 master plan,
which supersedes the one referred to
by Pua.
MAHB added that the present
site for KLIA2 was selected based on
the recommendation of the National Airport Master Plan (2008),
after a detailed and comprehensive
study involving all stakeholders including the Ministry of Transport,
Department of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home
Affairs, and all airlines.
MP urges MIC
to return
school land
State Executive Councillor Datuk K
Sivalingam had played a part in the land
transfer in 1999, when Selangor was under the administration of former Menteri
Besar Tan Sri Dr Abu Hassan Omar.
The land was transferred to former
MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu
and other party stalwarts.
Sivarasa challenged former MIC
strongman Palanivel and others to rebut
his claims in the media.
“Answer me in the press. Do they deny
that the land meant for Effingham has
been transferred to MIC members?” he
asked.
news
December 16 — 18, 2011
Residents want
school, not
stadium
May and her
children.
By Gan Pei Ling
SHAH ALAM: Plans for a mini stadium in Pandan Perdana are getting the
thumbs-down by some residents who
want the land to be used for a school.
Some 20 residents handed a memorandum to the state yesterday (Thursday), calling for the vernacular school
to be built.
One of the residents, John Lau, 52,
said there is already a Lake Club within
the residential area and a badminton
stadium on Jalan Cheras for recreational purposes.
“We need a vernacular school more
than we need a mini stadium,” said Lau,
who sends his children to SJK (C) Kuan
Cheng at Kampung Attap in Kuala
Lumpur due to the lack of a vernacular
school in the proximity.
Among local groups that have signed
the joint memorandum include 30
Chinese associations, temples and
youth groups.
The community hopes to lobby Putrajaya to allow a vernacular school to
be built in the area once the state gives
them the green light, and gazette a piece
of vacant land as school reserve.
May, a mother of two, said residents
want the vacant land on Jalan Perdana
6/2 to be gazetted as a school reserve
as the majority of the residents in the
area are Chinese.
“Most of the parents have been sending their children to vernacular schools
in Ampang or Kuala Lumpur, but most
of these schools are already congested.
We need our own vernacular school in
Pandan Perdana,” said the 28-year-old.
May has enrolled her six-year-old
daughter in SJK (C) Jalan Imbi, but she
hopes her four-year-old son can register
with a nearer primary school.
“Now I’m training my daughter to
sleep at 9pm and wake up at 6am before
school starts in January. I’m driving her
to school; if she takes the school bus she
would have to wake up even earlier,”
said the homemaker.
Another parent, Ahmad, 39, from
Taman Bukit Mewah, also showed up
to support the cause as he plans to enrol
his three remaining children in a vernacular school.
“My son is starting at SJK (C) Kampung Baru Ampang next January, but
the school is already quite congested. It
would be better if the state could allocate the vacant land at Pandan Perdana
for a new vernacular school,” he told
Selangor Times.
He added that he decided to send his
children to vernacular school instead of
national school because he wants his
children to be more disciplined and
excel in mathematics.
Norzaton Aini Mohd Kassim, private secretary to Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, accepted the memorandum from
the residents on behalf of the Menteri
Besar.
Residents with the memorandum.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ON LOT PT7, SECTION 14, BANDAR SHAH ALAM, SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN
TENDER NOTICE
Yayasan Selangor (Yayasan) is a wholly-owned Selangor State Government body in
Malaysia solely formed in November, 1970 to cater for the need of education for rural
students to bring them on par with their counterparts in the urban areas. To this end the
Yayasan has always been maximising the potentials of their properties and fixed assets
to generate income to fund the running of their educational facilities as well as the
students’ sustenance.
Yayasan owns a piece of land on Lot PT 7, Section 14, Bandar Shah Alam, Selangor
Darul Ehsan. This 1.14 acre (498,48S.F) land sits within a residential, education and
commercial area with huge potential for development within the Shah Alam city.
Yayasan realise the natural ever increasing demand for high end convention/function
halls for, inter alia, weddings, social events, conventions and seminars to serve the
various needs of the above mentioned mixed social make up of this community. A state
of the art Convention/ Multi Functions Center is the only solution.
The Yayasan is inviting creative and financially sound developers to cash in in this
practically endemic social need by bidding for financing, building and operating (BOT)
the Convention/ Multi Functions Center.
Essentially, the proposed design shall adopt the podium and a single tower block
concept; the tower block to accomodate patrons/guests of functions held as well as
sufficient car parks to match.
Bid documents shall be obtained from:
Yayasan Selangor,
Tingkat 16, Menara Yayasan Selangor,
18A, Persiaran Barat,
46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan
03 – 79551212
www.yayasanselangor.org.my
from Tuesday 22nd November, 2011. Completed Bid Documents are to be
submitted to the Yayasan Selangor Bidding Box on the 18th Floor of the Menara
Yayasan Selangor by 12.00 noon on Tuesday 3rd January 2012.
Bidders shall be charged a documentation fee of Ringgit Malaysia: Two
Thousand Five Hundred only (RM2,500.00) in the form of a banker’s draft in
favour of Yayasan Selangor which shall be non-refundable.
A Tender Briefing is to be conducted on Tuesday 29th November 2011 at 10.00
a.m. at the Yayasan Selangor Meeting Room on the 18th Floor , Menara Yayasan
Selangor.
7
8
news
december 16 — 18, 2011
MP: Restore late Chinese
educationist’s citizenship
By Gan Pei Ling
Santiago (third left) with other supporters of the late Lim Lian Geok.
KLANG: Klang Member of Parliament Charles
Santiago has urged Putrajaya to heed the Chinese
community’s long-standing plea to restore the
late Lim Lian Geok’s citizenship.
“Lim didn’t do anything wrong; his citizenship shouldn’t have been revoked in 1961,” said
Santiago, adding that Lim had merely opposed
the then Alliance government’s education policy.
Santiago said Putrajaya should also enact an
Education Equality Act to ensure equal treatment of national and vernacular schools.
The revered Chinese educationist had championed Malaysia’s diverse communities’ right to
vernacular language education regardless of their
ethnicity.
Lim, who died in 1985, had opposed the 1960
Rahman Talib Report and Education Act 1961,
which required secondary schools to teach in
Bahasa Malaysia or English in order to receive
government aid.
The government revoked Lim’s citizenship
on the grounds that he was disloyal to the
country.
However, civil society groups say that every
citizen has the right to scrutinise and criticise
any government policy and action.
In addition, Lim, who was originally from
Fujian, China, and came to Malaya in 1927, had
advocated for Chinese schools to add Malayan
perspectives into their textbooks to instil patriotism among youths.
Lim also agreed that Malay was the appropriate common language for Malaysians, but felt
that should not prevent other ethnic communities from preserving and developing their languages.
Civil society groups launched a campaign
recently to restore Lim’s citizenship and to seek
redress for the “injustice” done to Lim.
The Chinese community has also been organising an education festival every December since
his death to commemorate Lim’s struggle.
Village hall gets makeover
after 21 years
By Basil Foo
PUCHONG: The multipurpose hall in Kampung
Lembah Kinrara is now safe for use by residents after a
state-sponsored makeover.
Despite more than two decades of disrepair, villagers
had continued to use the building for recreation before
the upgrade.
“We played games like ping-pong and carrom in the
dilapidated hall. We had to make do with what we had,”
said 55-year-old villager Ibrahim Salleh.
The hall, built by hand by villagers in 1990, has new
wiring for fans and lighting, security wire netting on
the windows, and cement flooring, as well as new zinc
roofing.
The makeover was carried out by a Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ)-recommended contractor and
cost RM27,000, which was contributed by the office of
Kinrara state assemblyperson Teresa Kok.
“Renovations to this hall have been long requested
by the villagers. Hopefully it will now be more comfortable for them to run programmes here,” Kok said.
Kok attended the opening ceremony of the hall, and
also presented financial aid to representatives of two
nearby surau and a religious school on Dec 12.
Al-Siddiq surau chairperson Mohamad Taib Piti,
who received RM7,176, said they would be using the
aid to fund their programmes.
Al-Rahman surau chairperson Syed Ahmad Kamal
Syed Noordin added that he was thankful for the aid,
which would be used for maintenance of the surau.
Puchong Batu 13 primary school parent-teacher
association president Ghazali Abu Hanifah also
thanked Kok for the funds, which will be used for a new
school block.
He was also moved by how the monies were garnered
through a fundraising dinner at Puchong Indah, which
saw a turnout of multiracial guests on Nov 9.
“I was touched when I saw the hall filled with all
races to lend their support,” Ghazali said.
According to Kok, proceeds from the fundraising
dinner were distributed to the two surau and schools
based on the number of tickets sold by each body.
She said this was proof that Puchong residents were
moderate and looked past religion to lend a helping
hand as long as it was for a good cause.
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Kok (middle) with Mohamad Taib (left), Ghazali (second left), and
Syed Ahmad (second right).
Abandoned project
to be revived
RAWANG: Purchasers of a mixed development in Kundang, which
was abandoned for more than a decade, can now rest a little easier
with new moves to revive the project.
Developer Tungling Corporation and Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) have been brought in to restart the
project on the 40.87-hectare site.
“We committed a lot, about RM140,000 each, to the last developer. I hope the new developers will not make us pay more,” said
Chan Teck Lee.
The 37-year-old finance manager was speaking at a meeting between 30 buyers and the new developers at the Kundang New Village
Senior Citizen Hall on Tuesday.
Chan is among 35 buyers who bought shop lots in addition to 37
others who bought homes when the project was launched in 1997.
The development, abandoned in 2000, was supposed to include
203 offices costing between RM200,000 and RM300,000, and 205
homes comprising semi-detached houses at RM80,000 and terrace
houses at RM68,000.
“We requested for the two plots of land on which the development
sits from the Land Office in November,” said PKNS business development manager Pathooraman Abu.
He said it would take about six months for the handover, with
work expected to begin next March.
“PKNS has never had an abandoned project. We will act as a
safety net in this redevelopment,” Pathooraman added.
Shop lot purchaser Loo Chee Keong lauded PKNS’s move while
urging the state to act against the project’s former developer, who is
still operating.
At the meeting were Selayang MP William Leong Jee Keen and
Tungling Corporation chief executive officer Tan Jee Tien.
news
december 16 — 18, 2011
9
Residents fear floodlights collapse
By Brenda Ch’ng
SUBANG JAYA: New
floodlights, installed to ensure
the safety of joggers at the USJ
2/2R park here, are ironically
causing fear among residents.
“It’s not a good spot for the
floodlight as the huge tree
behind it may collapse at any
time during heavy rain [and
bring down the pole],” said a
USJ 2 resident who only wanted to be known as Sela.
The lights, mounted on a
two-storey-high pole, were
installed by the Subang Jaya
Municipal Council (MPSJ)
and funded by the office of
Subang Jaya assemblyperson Residents enjoying breakfast on the picnic table after their morning jog.
Hannah Yeoh.
Sela expressed his concerns
bulbs have to be changed as the existing ones aren’t
during a press conference between residents, MPSJ and bright enough.
Yeoh on Tuesday.
“We’ve got plans to install another floodlight next
Other residents also pointed out that the lights, year, on the other side of the park,” Yeoh added.
located near the park’s badminton court, did not look
She hopes the extra floodlight will be able to
sturdy and might collapse during thunderstorms.
brighten up the park and curb youths from drinking
MPSJ officials said the concerns of residents were there at night.
unfounded, but they could not provide any guarantees.
In addition, the park has been equipped with two
The new floodlights are also proving to be inade- new picnic tables, which were funded by the USJ resiquate, residents claim.
dents committee.
“It’s usually pitch-black when I go out at nights. The
“The two picnic tables cost the committee about
whole park is in darkness, except for the small portion RM4,500,” said committee chairperson R Rajiv.
where the new floodlight is,” said USJ2/2J resident KS
Rajiv, who is also an MPSJ councillor, said residents
Yee.
used to bring their own tables and chairs to the park.
Yee, who has been living here for over 20 years, said
MPSJ further donated 100 fruit trees, including
the existing lights around the park are always turned mango, rambutan and ciku saplings, which were
off, except for the floodlight.
planted at the park to create an educational orchard for
“The [existing] lights are faulty and cannot be turned residents.
on due to cable problems,” said a representative from
The saplings were planted recently by a private comMPSJ’s engineering department.
pany as part of their corporate social responsibility
He said all 14 lamp posts have to be rewired, and the efforts.
Klang road closure for traffic trial
KLANG: The Klang Municipal Council
(MPK) has started closing Jalan Pos Baru,
located between Plaza MPK and the old bus
station, from 5pm to 7pm on weekdays since
Monday (Dec 12).
“This is for a three-month trial to ease
traffic congestion at Bulatan Kota,” said MPK
traffic sub-committee chairperson Jamuliddin Elias (pic).
The closure follows a joint assessment
by the committee and police on the Kota
roundabout traffic flow during peak
hours.
The roundabout, which links Jalan Kapar,
Jalan Meru, Persiaran Sultan Ibrahim and
Jalan Pos Baru to Jambatan Kota, is heavily
congested in the evenings.
The congestion is caused by vehicles that
attempt to access Jambatan Kota to cross the
Klang river to reach Pandamaran, Bukit
Tinggi and Port Klang.
Jamuliddin hopes the closure of Jalan Pos
Baru will ease traffic flow by directing motorists to cross the Klang river via the old bridge
linked to Jalan Tengku Kelana.
He added that MPK enforcement officers
would work together with police to regulate
traffic flow.
MPSJ to determine bus routes
KLANG: SUBANG JAYA: The Land
Public Transport Commission (Spad) has
handed over the planning of bus routes to
Subang Jaya Municipal Council in a move to
create more accessibility around town.
Spad’s decision was conveyed to MPSJ
during its infrastructure subcommittee meeting on public transport and shuttle buses last
month.
“We’ll be the first council to design the
master plan for bus routes. Maybe after us,
Spad will engage other councils to do the
same,” said MPSJ councillor R Rajiv.
He said MPSJ would carry out a study of
all routes, the frequency of buses, and number
of buses needed before drawing up the final
plan. The study will include roads in Subang,
Seri Kembangan, Puchong, Sri Serdang,
Bandar Sunway and USJ.
“Once the study is done, we will engage
residents and other bus users to get feedback
and comments before proceeding with the
plan,” said Rajiv.
When the plan is finalised, it will be submitted to Spad for approval and contracted
out to bus operators.
Currently, there isn’t enough bus coverage
in MPSJ to plug gaps in routes which are currently not covered, especially in residential
areas.
Most buses only frequent the main roads
around town, making it hard for residents to
travel from their homes to town.
“With this collaboration with Spad, we
can now determine which areas need more
buses and also make sure buses are accessible
everywhere,” said Rajiv.
MPSJ also plans to ensure their bus routes
serve Spad’s light rail transit (LRT) and mass
rapid transit (MRT) lines.
Clinic too far for
Subang Jaya residents
SUBANG JAYA: With private healthcare being too expensive
and the nearest public clinic being in Kelana Jaya, residents here
need one built within the municipality.
“There should be one clinic to cater for residents in Subang,
USJ and Bandar Sunway so that they don’t have to travel all the
way to Kelana Jaya,” said Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah
Yeoh.
She said on Tuesday that it is an inconvenience for seniors,
single mothers, the less fortunate and the sick to travel so far.
She often receives complaints from patients about the long wait,
insufficient waiting chairs, and medicine shortages.
“We have over 8,000 residents at the Angsana low-cost flats
alone who visit the clinic. What about other less-fortunate residents in USJ, Sunway and Subang?” asked Yeoh.
With the increasing number of patients from Subang area and
Kelana Jaya, she is worried the Kelana Jaya clinic will not be able
to accommodate everyone.
Yeoh has been urging Ministry of Health to build a clinic here
since 2009, but she was told that there wasn’t a suitable site for a
clinic in Subang Jaya.
“They refused to build it and kept giving me excuses, even after
we had identified a land for them,” she said.
The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) has even written
to the Ministry of Health, giving them permission to use an
empty plot of land at USJ1/23. The 0.72-acre land is located in
Taman Subang Permai near factories and shop lots.
“There is sufficient basement parking available there and it’s a
suitable place for a clinic,” said Yeoh.
She said MPSJ has also suggested that the ministry acquire an
existing shop lot and convert it into a clinic instead of building
one.
views
10
december 16 — 18, 2011
Backing the accused
D
ear Lord Bobo, when did “carnal intercourse against
the order of nature” enter Malaysia’s Penal Code? Is
it an archaic law? @adriene, via Twitter
Interestingly, buggery laws were used by Henry VIII for
“political” reasons – executing monks and nuns and legally
taking possession of their monastery lands. His Supreme
Eminenceness wonders whether sodomy laws will ever be used
for political reasons in Malaysia.
In any case, Lord Bobo strongly believes that the Malaysian
law infringes Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution, as only
males can be convicted under that provision – which makes
it gender discriminatory! Please donate generously to LoyarBurok so we may challenge and remove the offending provisions.
Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by LoyarBurok
(www.loyarburok.com) where all your profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic, recondite, sagacious, and
other thesaurus-described
queries are answered!
THE crime of carnal intercourse against the order of nature
penetrated the Malaysian Penal Code due to the British.
It was chronicled as early as 1290 that the Common Law
in England held sodomy to be a crime punishable by being
burnt alive. This was later penalised by hanging under the
Buggery Act 1533. His Supreme Eminenceness is not making
this up – there really was a Buggery Act 1533, which incidentally was known prior to that as “An Acte for the punysshement of the vice of Buggerie”.
The Buggery Act was passed during the reign of King
Henry VIII (above), becoming England’s first civil sodomy law.
The Act really buggered those who fell foul of it, as they were
Teohlogy
patrick teoh
I
n just a couple of weeks it will be the new
year. Yes, 2012. Another year. But as with
every new year for the past decade, I would
say we Malaysians step rather tentatively into
the next 365-day period.
For those of us who are parents, we shall
spend some time empathising with what our
children will face as they enter another
school year in an education system that a lot
of us have little confidence in.
As ordinary Malaysians, we shall contemplate some of the usual things as we enter a
new year. Stuff like new clothes, school
uniforms, books… and how much money
will be left over after “essentials” to buy little
presents for the family for Christmas or to
wrap up in the ang pows for Chinese New
Year. And yes, CNY comes early this time.
But as Malaysian rakyat, we also have lots
of other stuff to think about and decide on as
we step into 2012. Will the General Election
be in March or later? This question will be on
our minds as we watch the fireworks and make
a toast accompanied with a silent prayer that
our beloved country will survive another year.
The other question is, surely, who to vote
for in the next General Election – or if you
not only sent to the hangman, but the law allowed a convicted
sodomite’s possessions to be taken by the government, as opposed to going to their next of kin. It also sent shivers down
the tailbones of priests and monks, as they could be executed
for buggery – which was harsh, seeing as they could not be
executed for murder.
The British grew a fondle more civilised when they removed
oral genital sexual acts from the definition of buggery in 1817,
which strongly indicates that oral sex was a form of buggery
prior to that. In 1861, the death penalty for buggery was formally abolished in England and Wales. In 1967, buggery laws
were repealed by the United Kingdom Parliament.
Since Malaysia was colonised by the British, despite the
claims of some silly politicians and dubious historians, we
naturally received the laws that the British practised, among
others, the outdated notion of buggery, which was formally
referred to as carnal intercourse against the order of nature.
This is unfortunate because in Malaysia, this does not simply
encompass the act of sodomy but fellatio as well, no matter
how consensual it was/is/will be.
L
ord Bobo, do our courts practise what we see in those
Hong Kong TVB courtroom dramas, where “if there’s
a benefit of doubt, it will be in favour of the accused”?
@AdrianNCF, via Twitter
TO answer the question – of course! We call this the the
concept of the “golden thread” of the
criminal justice system, and it was
first articulated by the wonderfully
named Viscount Sankey (right).
The prosecution must prove the
charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
Flowing from this, any doubt would
be in favour of the accused.
This single “golden thread” runs
throughout English criminal law,
and it also now finds itself in Hong
Kong TVB courtroom dramas as
well as in the courts of Malaysia.
Of course, Malaysia has no juries
and the sole arbiter of fact and law
are experienced professional judges,
so it’s a little less easy to create doubt. This is good and bad,
depending on whether you are guilty or innocent.
Your right, my right,
and all the ‘goreng’
have decided, then you might ponder if the
government is changed, will the new flers do
things any better?
Of late, we have been listening to and reading about a lot of things. Both from our government and also the opposition. But after a
while, all the speeches seem to sound the same.
At his party’s conference, our prime minister repeated the fear about losing this right
and that right and having the fear of one
community lording it over another. Ya, of
late there has been a lot of race-baiting and
hate politics. I also don’t know why there
has to all this “goreng” to win confidence
and votes.
As an average taxpaying Malaysian who
didn’t go to university, I think it is very
simple what. Malaysia is our country. Malays,
Chinese, Indian and everybody else who was
born and raised here. Its future is our collective responsibility.
You mean one community will screw it up
just to spite the other? Think about it la. If I
was the prime minister or any politician running for election, my whole
emphasis would be on Malaysia
and how WE all play a part in
her progress and prosperity. I am
Chinese, you are Malay, but I
will defend with my blood your
rights as a Malaysian. I am Malay
and I will give my life to protect
your well-being as a fellow citizen. If I am rich and you are
poor, I will make sure you get the
kind of assistance that will make
you realise your full potential as
a citizen of this abundantly blessed country.
We all subscribe to different religions and
beliefs. And I will defend to my last breath
your right to worship whichever God you
choose. No meh? Very simple only ma. If
Najib says that and Anwar says that and Kit
Siang and Nik say that, then it will be great.
Imagine the fun our General Election will be
then. Everybody saying the same thing. Promising the same deals. For ALL Malaysians
across the board. Then it is just up to us, the
electorate to watch, listen and decide which
one we believe la.
BN will say that they are doing good and
have done good for 50-plus years. PR will
say they are doing damn good since 2008.
Then we, as the people who are at the
receiving end of all this good, decide
la whether true or not. And then
vote accordingly. Simple isn’t
it?
Then why isn’t it like that
one? Now, after 54 years of
independence, we are still
listening to politicians who
want to protect their own
communities only ah? Waffor? We are all Malaysians
and we all know damn well
that none of us can exist and
prosper without the other.
Actually, when did we all start
thinking like we are all separate people
sharing the same room and not co-owners of
the housing estate ah? Very funny isn’t it? We
seem to be always talking about which piece of
the cake belongs to whom. That one bigger, so
it’s mine. No la it’s mine. And so on and so forth.
Then with so many mouths to feed, we
start cutting the cake into smaller and
smaller slices. Then somebody asks, “So why
don’t we build a bigger bakery ah?” Eh! You
shaddup ah! I give you small slice of the cake
you just eat quietly and be happy ok? After
all, we only let you into the bakery ma.
Hi y o h ! If
like
this sure one
day we all tak cukup
makan one. Then how? I osso
donch know la.
Happy New Year my fellow
Malaysians. I know it’s a bit in advance la. But I wish you now because not
sure la whether when the real time comes it
will still be happy or not.
SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ December 16 – 18, 2011 ⁄ 11
Capital since 1978
By Alvin Yap
S
hah Alam was envisioned,
planned and built as the
centre from which all corners
of the state would be administered.
The history of Shah Alam as the
administrative centre began in the
early 1960s when it was decided
that Kuala Lumpur, the then capital of Selangor, should be the nation’s capital, with its own territory.
The loss of Kuala Lumpur
meant that Selangor had to find a
suitable place to administer the
state, something that then prime
minister Tun Abdul Razak had
already planned for.
This new administrative centre
would be the first planned development in the country, taking in account of new town-planning ideas
garnered after the Second World War.
A search for the new administrative centre for Selangor began, and
town-planning experts zoomed in
on a rubber and palm oil estate
called Sungai Renggam as the proposed site.
The location was between the
newly opened bustling township of
Petaling Jaya and the established
royal town of Klang.
Immediately, critics began to say
that Shah Alam was too remote, that
Petaling Jaya or Klang would have
been better suited as the location of
Selangor’s administrative centre.
By 1963, the area was officially
opened up, and the next year saw a
fledgling Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) given
the immense responsibility to develop 33 square kilometres.
PKNS was given municipalitylike powers and was the predecessor to the current Shah Alam City
Council (MBSA) and the previous
Shah Alam Municipal Council
(MPSA).
PKNS had set up the Shah Alam
Town Board in 1965 to administer
the area, and continued to do so
until Dec 7, 1978, when MPSA
took over the state subsidiary’s
function as local government.
Town planners in 1965 divided
Shah Alam into North and South
portions, with the Federal Highway bisecting the township neatly
into two halves.
The northern part of Shah Alam
was reserved for the town area
along with administrative centre,
institutes of higher learning, as well
as residential land. The southern
part was primarily zoned for industrial and also residential areas.
Shah Alam was developed in
stages, as PKNS began to build
more buildings to house the vital
state agencies and departments.
One of the first state agencies with
headquarters in Shah Alam during
the mid-1960s was the Selangor
Land Office and the State Economic
Planning Unit at what is now Sec 14
and Section 7 respectively.
Still, detractors seemed to have
Birth of a capital
Sultan Alam Shah
museum, with a glimpse
of the Blue Mosque.
(Pic source: Wiki commons)
won the arguments, as around
1965, the outskirts of Shah Alam
were still jungle, rubber and oil
palm estates.
Critics were silenced in 1967,
however, when the federal government and then Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Harun Idris relocated Institut Teknologi Mara – now
known as Universiti Teknologi
Mara or UiTM – to Shah Alam.
Around 1968, more state agencies were set up in Shah Alam,
namely the Selangor Agriculture
Development Corporation and
other state subsidiaries.
The Royal Mint, which mints
coins and commemorative medals,
was also opened in Section 15 and
has won numerous awards for its
designs.
Residents who have stayed in
Shah Alam since the 1960s remember the area as a “ghost town” after
dark, when civil service staff left
their offices for home in Klang or
Petaling Jaya.
However, the first PKNS flats
and housing schemes in 1969 and
1970 meant that Shah Alam would
fast become a residential area.
The city today is the conurbation that settlers in the early 1960s
could not have imagined.
When Shah Alam was planned,
it had it only one highway connecting it with the rest of the state.
However, there are now numerous
highways into the administrative
heart of Selangor, something that
has contributed to the Shah Alam’s
transformation into the transportation and manufacturing hub of the
country.
Shah Alam reached another
milestone when the late Sultan
Salahuddin Abdul Aziz, on Dec 7,
1978, declared the Orchid City the
new state capital of Selangor.
It coincided with the then
MPSA being set up to plan and
administer the state capital territory.
Shah Alam reached another
turning point when construction
started on the 24-storey Sultan
Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Building
state secretariat building, which
houses the state government as well
as the state assembly.
Successive state governments
have eyed the iconic building at the
heart of Shah Alam to administer
Selangor.
Shah Alam, in the 33 years since
being conferred state capital of
Selangor, has since grown into a
residential and manufacturing
centre. But to many, it is still the
place where policy, power and
prestige emanate from, to all corners of Selangor.
Shah Alam’s firsts
Shah Alam’s potential as an industrial hub, as well
as it being the state’s administrative centre, proved to
be a pull factor for local and multinational companies,
along with federal agencies.
The first companies that chose Shah Alam as their
base of operations include Swedish Motor Assemblies
Sdn Bhd (Volvo) and ICI Fertilizers (M) Sdn Bhd in
the 60s and 70s.
The Royal Mint of Malaysia also opened its doors as
the first government building in the city.
Section 16 also became location of Shah Alam’s first
petrol station, the Mara Shell service and petrol station;
first clinic, Koh Dispensary; and first school, SK Shah
Alam primary school.
The Selangor State Development Corporation
(PKNS), Shah Alam’s main developer, set a target of
200,000 residents. To achieve the goal, PKNS offered
10 private developers the rights to construct 1,156 units
of various residential types in Sections 4, 6, and 11 in
Shah Alam by 1990.
Situated close to the city capital of Kuala Lumpur and
the Port Klang international trading hub, Shah Alam has
been the destination of many foreign companies.
International companies Matsushita Electric Co,
Carlsberg Brewery, and Goodyear Malaysia Bhd all have
set up shop in the increasingly vibrant city.
Various essential services have also sprung up –
including the city’s first higher education institution,
Universiti Teknologi Mara – together with an influx of
new residents.
12 ⁄ December 16 – 18, 2011 ⁄ SELANGOR TIMES
Capital since 1978
Message from
the Menteri Besar
I
would like to congratulate the Shah Alam City
Council (MBSA) on their 33rd-anniversary celebration of Shah Alam being declared as the capital
of Selangor.
The declaration of Shah Alam as the state capital
was a special moment that should be celebrated by all
Selangorians, especially those in Shah Alam.
Time flies – Shah Alam is now 33 years old since it
was declared state capital on Dec 7, 1978 by the eighth
Selangor Sultan, the late Sultan Salahuddin Abdul
Aziz Shah.
The fame and prosperity achieved by Shah Alam
during that period was very encouraging. Shah Alam,
which was once a rubber and oil palm plantation, has
now grown and developed rapidly to not only become
the administrative centre of Selangor, but also as a
catalyst for other developments like industrial, commercial, business, higher-education institutions, and
leading international art and culture centres.
The prosperity and rapid development in Shah
Alam could not be attained within the blink of an
eye, but is the result of planning, development, and
integrated and comprehensive cooperation among
all stakeholders who wish for a city that is vibrant,
harmonious, and sustainable, that can be shared by
all segments of society regardless of ethnicity, race
and religion.
MBSA has worked hard to uplift Shah Alam to a
level of excellence in terms of city planning, infrastructure development, providing public parks and fields,
beautification programs, social and community programmes, and various aspects of good governance that
can be used as a benchmark.
But this does not mean that MBSA can sit back and
stay in the “comfort zone”, for public service based on
customer satisfaction is dynamic, and MBSA needs to
be sensitive to the various changing needs of the
people.
Customer satisfaction should be given priority by
improving delivery systems and empowering the capacity of the administrative machinery to meet the needs
and changes over time, in line with the globalisation
era that is increasingly sophisticated and fast-moving.
May the outstanding achievements so far be a
springboard to provide the best service, because it will
be the people who will judge the quality of services
provided.
I pray that the city of Shah Alam will continue to
excel and move forward on par with other metropolitan cities in Malaysia and also internationally.
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim
Commemorating
Shah Alam’s
33rd Anniversary
as Selangor’s capital
from
The Management & Staff of
Tanjong Wahyu Sdn Bhd
No. 23, Ground Floor, Jalan SS17/1A,
47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Tel: +603-5635 8881 Fax: +603-5636 7805
E-mail: [email protected]
SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ december 16 – 18, 2011 ⁄ 13
Capital since 1978
Attractions
Islamic landmarks
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul
Aziz Mosque, also known as
the Blue Mosque, is the largest in the country and features a large blue and white
dome 107 metres high. It has
four minarets 140 metres tall
with Islamic khat calligraphy
in the interior and exterior
of the building. The Selangor Islamic Arts Complex
also has on display many Islamic calligraphy and relics.
Nearby is a performance
centre where exhibitions and
shows regularly take place.
I-City
Located off the Federal Highway from the
Sungai Rasau toll is the city of digital lights
– I-City. Visible to the naked eye from miles
away, the first tourism destination in Malaysia based on light decorations is a must-see.
From trees and animals made of LED lights
to rows of stalls, visitors will be entertained
for hours. The addition of a Snow Walk with
edible snowfall and temperature of -5C will
also allow families to experience snow for the
first time.
Extreme Park
The Shah Alam Extreme Park contains
one of the nation’s most varied extreme sport
facilities with a skate park, inline skate park,
bike park, climbing wall and paintball arena.
The park contains eight acres of outdoor
concrete skating surface with wooden vert
ramp and a balance of street and transition
styles. Located in Section 13 near the Shah
Alam stadium, the park also has futsal courts
and three free-standing boulder blocks.
Guests can bring their own skateboards and
bikes and refuel themselves at nearby fast
food outlets.
SkyTrex adventure
Guaranteed to hit the spot for adrenaline
junkies or even suitable for couch potatoes
wanting to get a bit of sun, SkyTrex will leave
guests breathless. Participants to this outdoor adventure will be climbing ladders,
swinging from tree to tree via flying-foxes,
and crossing obstacles – all this while being
suspended from three to 22 metres in the air.
The first of its kind in Malaysia, SkyTrex
Adventure is located at the Bukit Cahaya
Agricultural Park. Participants will be taken
on an “eco-recreational-cum-educational”
activity while appreciating the wonders of
the Malaysian tropical rainforest.
Historical sites
The Sultan Alam Shah Museum and
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah building
are a rich repository of history and culture
in Shah Alam – the former being the state
museum of Selangor and the latter containing the administrative offices of the state
government. The museum was opened in
1989 and displays many treasures and artifacts related to the history of the state. The
state administrative building was built between 1982 and 1984 with elements of traditional Bugis design – it is shaped like a
cargo ship to signify the state’s progress.
Wet World
Known as Malaysia’s largest water theme
park chain, Wet World Shah Alam offers
guests a splashing fun-filled family outing.
It faces the scenic Taman Tasik Shah Alam
and was constructed to be child-friendly
with water levels not exceeding one metre.
Filled with a range of thrilling theme rides,
restaurants and recreational facilities for all
ages, the theme park can also be booked to
celebrate parties, corporate events, and
fundraising activities. The water attractions
include the Fountain of Youth, Cascading
Waterfalls, Atlantis City, Big Splash, Water
Slide and Treasure Island.
14 ⁄ december 16 – 18,2011 ⁄ SELANGOR TIMES
Capital since 1978
The Raja Tun
Uda library.
By Alvin Yap
SHAH ALAM: Opened in July, the Raja Tun Uda state library in U13 is set to become a major landmark in Shah Alam.
The RM70 million building, next to a man-made lake, looks
like a private campus building rather than a community library
serving the city.
Tucked away in the
leaf y neighbourhood View from the atrium: five floors with racks filled with books.
next to the Sultan Abdul
Aziz Shah Golf Club,
some distance from the
city centre, the library is
proving to be popular
although the area does
not have a bus service.
With almost 6,000
visitors on weekdays, the
library has benefited
immensely from a revamp of its boring imMastura says the Shah Alam
Her task is to turn the 200,600sq ft premises into a modern
library at U13 is designed to be age, being turned into a
family- and community-friendly. place for youths to hang community library.
out.
The library in U13 replaces the old library next to Shah
“The management decided on the theme ‘My library, my Alam museum which closed down in August.
second home’,” says Perbadanan Perpustakaan Awam Selangor
In September, the library opened a six-dimensional (6D)
(PPAS) director Mastura Muhamad, 56, who took over as cinema with 18 full-motion chairs that simulate roller coaster
head librarian in Selangor in September.
rides or jet fighter combat maneuvers.
First-time visitors, she says, are surprised to know that they
“We’re the first library in the world to have the 6D cinema.
have to take off their shoes before entering the reading area.
Only cinemas in shopping malls or theme parks have them,”
The comfortable and cozy surroundings along with the says Mastura, adding that visitors pay only RM7 compared to
infrastructure and facilities at the library have proven to be a the RM17 fee at theme parks.
hit with the public.
The 3D cinema across the hall shows family-oriented mov- Each floor has some 16 desktop computers, which the
According to library records, more users arrive in the morn- ies showcasing positive moral and ethical values.
library charges RM1 per hour use.
ing and stay on until later in the afternoon.
Racks filled with magazines line the wall at the hall outside
The management has spared no expense at making the li- the cinema, and movie-goers who arrive early can be found welcomes corporate sponsors as well as private donors who
brary a conducive place for youths to gather and read.
reading there.
wish to donate either cash or books.
The initiative to attract the public, especially youths, inLibrarians, security and cleaning staff there have been
During the opening ceremony last Friday, chain bookstore
cludes installing plush leather sofas with cushions to rival that briefed to provide “personalised” service to members and Borders Sdn Bhd contributed some RM100,000 worth of
of coffee cafes in the Klang Valley.
visitors to the library.
books.
Each floor has 12 Windows-based desktop computers as
“We treat our young visitors like our siblings and we make
State government subsidiary Perangsang group also dowell as six iMacs that visitors can use for RM1 per hour.
them feel at home,” the head librarian says, adding that visitors nated RM100,000 worth of books and magazines.
Alternatively, visitors can use their laptops for free, paying like the community- and family-friendly approach.
Leading the donation drive was Sultan Sharafuddin Idris
only a RM1 per day fee to connect to an electricity socket.
She says the rebranding of the services along with top notch Shah, who personally picked some 1,200 first edition books
The library has free 6 MB/per second wifi coverage that facilities have converted many to the book reading culture.
from his recent visit to the United Kingdom.
extends to the lakeside cafeteria.
There is even a fully equipped
The state ruler, who had officiated at the opening of the
Visitors can take full advangymnasium with a personal trainer library, has been instrumental in both the design and location
tage of the internet connection
for library users.
of the library.
and the space and operate their
On why a flagship public library
“Tuanku has been checking on the progress of the library.
“offices” from the premises.
in Selangor contains a gymnasium, It was he who suggested the location and also how we should
Mastura, a former entrepreshe replies: “Very simple – healthy be people-friendly,” says Mastura.
neur who has won numerous
minds and healthy bodies are esShe say the library can support more than the current
awards for her commercial inisential to good living.”
number of visitors as well as books, magazines and other
tiatives, says she doesn’t mind
However, the main attraction are multimedia collections.
people visiting the library only
the 190,000 books in the shelves;
Currently, there are no bus route to the library, but the
to surf the internet.
the library can accommodate a management has met with concessionaires to start a route
“Our aim is also to get youngmaximum of over 400,000 copies.
there by end of December.
sters away from the illegal cyber
Young readers are attracted to the
Public libraries in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore have
cafes and their vices like pornog‘book-wall’ located on every floor taken notice of the Shah Alam library, and have made plans
raphy and gambling.
of the atrium area. The shelves there to send teams to learn from the management here.
Here they can at least be Seats that are more comfortable than cineplexes. contain some 500 reference books
“I’ve met with my counterparts in other countries, and they
monitored,” says Mastura, who
with high quality illustrations on want to learn how we have changed public perception of librarwas handpicked by the state administration to head library science, namely physics, biology, computers and medicine.
ies to become a ‘cool hang-out place’,” she concludes.
services in Selangor.
While Mastura acknowledges the shortage of books, she
The Raja Tun Uda library is open daily from 10am to 5pm.
A library for the
people
SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ December 16 – 18, 2011 ⁄ 15
16 ⁄ December 16 – 18, 2011 ⁄ SELANGOR TIMES
Capital since 1978
Q&A with
MBSA mayor
By Brenda Ch’ng
Meeting the demands of 600,000 residents is
a daunting task for the Shah Alam City Council
(MBSA). But mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd
Atan is committed to making it work with the
help of councillors, town planners, and the state
government.
What are the challenges faced by the Shah
Alam City Council (MBSA) as the administrative capital?
The biggest challenge we face so far is connectivity. We don’t have proper public transportation
available here, like the Light Rail Transit (LRT)
or Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). We’ve brought this
up to the Land Public Transport Commission
(Spad) and Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad
(Prasarana), but nothing has come of it yet. However, we will continue to request for those
facilities here in Shah Alam. It’s the responsibility
of the state and federal government to provide
SHAH ALAM: Earmarked as Selangor’s
capital 33 years ago, town planners aimed
at balanced and planned development for
the city.
However, lawmakers and councillors
point out that more needs to be done for
the communities on the fringes of the city,
which have yet to fully benefit from Shah
Alam’s status.
“Areas like Kota Kemuning and Sungai
Buloh were acquired to make up Shah
Alam and might have been left out of the
city’s earlier plans,” said Shah Alam City
Councillor (MBSA) Azli Yusof.
He pointed out that currently, only the
main city centre, which comprises
government buildings, and neighbouring
areas close by are well taken care of.
“More funds should be spent on
repairing and upgrading the infrastructure
in areas like Paya Jaras and Kota Kemuning,
instead of only improving the city centre,”
said councillor Adzhar Maludin.
He said the landscape and cleanliness
of the city fringes, especially Kampung
Melayu Subang, should be modernised
and maintained, too.
“By improving infrastructure and facilities, the village can be promoted as a
tourist destination to locals and foreigners,” said MBSA councillor Ang Leng Kiat.
Local business like handicraft can be
aided and improved, while new businesses
like homestays can be opened for tourists
to experience life in a Malay village.
“Even though it’s necessary for the village to be upgraded,its identity as a Malay
village should be kept intact,” said Kota
Damansara assemblyperson Dr Nasir
Hashim.
Being the second largest Malay village
in the state, Kampung Melayu Subang is
still lacking proper drains and roads to
keep up with the heavy rains and new
development nearby.
He hopes the state will improve
infrastructure at Kampung Melayu
Subang soon, and come up with a plan to
Communities
on the fringes
neglected
boost local
businesses and
promote the
village.
There are also
concerns about
the lack of public
transport in the
capital city of
Selangor.
“Everything is
taken care of in
A Sivarajan
the city –
sustainable development, preserving of
recreational areas – but unfortunately, not
public transportation,” said MBSA
councillor A Sivarajan.
Public-transport users in Sungai Buloh,
Kota Kemuning , Puncak Alam and
Puncak Perdana are finding it hard to
travel to the city.
Sivarajan pointed out that there isn’t a
bus route to and from those areas, and the
lack of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and
Light Rail Transit (LRT) here is a shame.
“ There should be proper public
transport facilities available in Shah Alam
to ensure the city is accessible to everyone,”
said Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad.
He said the availability of MRTs and
LRTs would ensure better traffic flow in
Shah Alam and less congestion.
Also, Khalid said the administrative
capital could be improved by having a
government hospital.
“How can it be a proper capital city if it
lacks the most important facilities like
Ang Leng Kiat
hospitals and
public transportation?” he said.
He pointed out,
however, that a
hospital will finally
be built here, and
is scheduled to be
completed by
2014.
Khalid said the
lack of public
transportation will Dr Nasir Hashim
also be solved by the
operation of internal bus services for
people traveling around Shah Alam, starting next year.
“The shuttle service will be available to
anyone who wants to travel in and around
Shah Alam,” he said.
Apart from that, some councillors
think the city and its people can be improved by organising more activities and
promoting a more integrated community.
“The town’s planning needs to improve
to cater to people of all races. A cultural
theme to represent the different races in
Shah Alam would be good,” said MBSA
councillor Ganabatirau Veraman.
He said the capital city should promote
togetherness and unite everyone, rich or
poor, in one neighbourhood.
“Instead of segregating the low-cost
housing in Section 25 and section 26,
why not standardise all areas so that lowand high-cost housing can be together?”
he said.
these public transport services. Our hope is that
the city will be well-connected and accessible.
We are also finding it hard to meet the expectations of all residents living here. We are trying to
ensure good solid waste management, along with
the maintenance of infrastructure like roads and
drains So far things have been going well, but these
problems will never end as new problems will arise
every day. However, we are open to suggestions
and other plans which may help us.
It’s also hard to upkeep public spaces like the
park, lakes and landscape around the city. People
have this expectation for their recreational places
to be clean, fully equipped and well-maintained
all the time. Despite the high cost, MBSA is striving to ensure
these facilities measure up public expectation.
What about improvements for the people living on the fringes of the city, like Paya Jaras
and Kampung Melayu Subang?
There are state funds to improve the infrastructure of villages, and we will study what needs to
be done before making a proposal to get the
money to improve their living conditions.
The first step will be infrastructure repairs.
Then we will look into providing them with public amenities like football fields and a multipurpose hall.
But I think education is the key to improving
the living and social conditions. They need to be
equipped with the proper knowledge and skills to
earn a living. The cost of living in Kuala Lumpur
and the Klang Valley is very high, and without
education, it’s hard for them to make a living here. But we can’t just give them handouts all the
time; we need to give them the proper tools to
succeed. What are the future plans for Shah Alam?
We want to boost the economy of the city. Shah
Alam cannot only be a residential hub. Residential
and commercial activities must go hand in hand.
The plan is to have a balanced residential and
commercial ratio in the city. We will strive to bring
in more business and create more job opportunities for locals. We also want an improve feeder bus service to
connect the city centre and residential areas and
other locations, like the new library. This will include buses to all parts of Shah
Alam, including Paya Jaras and Kampung Melayu
Subang. If the MRT and LRT are built here, then
we will ensure there are feeder buses to the stations.
What direction is Shah Alam heading in?
We want a sustainable city, a place where residents are happy and healthy. They should be able
to find a place to exercise within 10-15 minutes’
diving distance from their homes.
But there will be some areas in Shah Alam
earmarked for a higher density and plot ratio such
as i-City. They will be developing vertically and
there will be more buildings there.
However, the city centre will continue its Islamic city concept. I don’t think the city will be
overdeveloped, but we will ensure new developments are fixed with public transport facilities to
make them accessible to everyone. There will be
fewer cars on the road as well.
news 17
december 16 — 18, 2011
TI-M: Political funding
behind logging permits
By Alvin Yap
SUBANG JAYA: Transparency International-Malaysia
(TI-M) has called on the federal government to monitor
logging, a source of political financing in the country.
The corruption watchdog wants Putrajaya to compel states
to come clean on the number of logging permits and the
licences that are given to concessionaires to harvest forests
for timber.
“Putrajaya should use its power to influence states to do
more to keep track of logging permits and concessionaires,”
said Josie Fernandez at a forum titled The Forest Factor in
Sustainable Development yesterday.
She said widespread graft in the awarding of logging licences as well as illegal harvesting of timber is contributing
to the dwindling of natural forests in the country.
She said states as well as the federal government must
disclose information on licences.
She said the alarming rate of deforestation could force
Putrajaya to step in and acquire state land under the National Forestry Act 1984 to gazette Permanent Reserved
Forest areas.
Josie, head of the anti-graft body’s forest governance integrity programme, said illegal logging cases would drop by
tackling corruption.
She said government agencies such as the Forestry Department of Malaysia should invest more resources as well as
increase the use of technology to monitor logging activities.
Information technology applications such as Google
Earth should be utilised to monitor and assess forest
degradation, she said.
She acknowledged that while the service is free for
personal use, the enhanced capabilities that government
agencies such as the forestry department need might
be priced at a six-figure sum.
“They can get the money. As a government agency,
they have to push Putrajaya for funding,” she added.
Ibrahim Selamat, a participant at the forum, said the
forestry department should invest in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) drones that are flown remotely to
monitor illegal logging hotspots.
“They only need two, maybe three UAVs. Each vehicle costs around RM30,000,” said Ibrahim, who is
managing director of Kspatial (M) Sdn Bhd, a geographic company.
He said the forestry department would only have to
allocate specially trained staff to fly the UAV drones by
remote control.
Earlier, Forest Department director-general Datuk
Dr Abd Rahman Abd Rahim said corruption in forestry management was a matter of perception.
He said his department was constrained by financial resources in the fight against illegal logging.
“I would like to have a satellite to monitor forests in
Peninsular Malaysia, but I know I won’t get the funding,” he
added.
He said developing nations such as Malaysia depended
on timber products for revenue.
Game, set and match
for young ‘stars’
He pointed out that his department was aware of the need
to balance economic growth, social responsibility and the
environment.
“For example, forests are cleared for smallholder farms
under the Federal Land Development Authority,” he said,
adding that while trees are felled, the land is converted for
agricultural use.
LEMBAGA PERUMAHAN &
HARTANAH SELANGOR
TINGKAT 5, PODIUM UTARA BANGUNAN SULTAN SALAHUDDIN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH
40503 SHAH ALAM SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN
PROMOSI TAWARAN PEMBELIAN
RUMAH KOS RENDAH DI NEGERI SELANGOR
RM HA
42 RG
,0 A :
00
.0
0
Projek: Taman Saujana Rawang,
Daerah Gombak
Pemaju: Tetuan Glomac Rawang
Sdn. Bhd
Jenis: Rumah Flat 5 Tingkat
Baki Unit: 88 Unit
Status : Dalam Pembinaan
PUCHONG: It was a proud day for under-
privileged children from three shelter homes
when they graduated from a 10-month badminton training course on Dec 14.
“These children have learnt badminton
skills and also developed good attitudes like
teamwork,” said Michael’s Badminton Academy (MBA) director Lee Kok Choong.
The MBA-IOI Properties Hope For
Change Badminton Charity Programme,
which began in March, gave an opportunity
to 53 children to undergo weekly training.
The children, from the House of Joy, Rumah Shalom, and At-Taqwa Welfare Home,
were trained by MBA coaches at the association’s centre in Bandar Puteri Puchong.
They also watched the Proton National
Badminton Circuit, apart from meeting na-
tional champion and world No 1 Datuk Lee
Chong Wei.
“These extracurricular activities were
meant to motivate them and allow them to
make new friends,” Lee added.
Bandar Puchong Jaya Rumah Shalom supervisor Joseph Selvarajah said six children
from his home reaped many benefits from the
course.
“The course was fun. I learnt how to serve
and smash. I’m happy to get my certificate,”
said 11-year-old Mohd Wafi Amran from
At-Taqwa Home in Taman Putra Perdana.
Taman Kinrara House of Joy caretaker Gan
Lay May said the children enjoyed themselves
and looked forward to participating again.
The next course will be held in February,
with more homes expected to take part.
Projek: Bandar Tasik Puteri ,
Rawang Daerah Gombak
Pemaju: Rawang Lakes Sdn. Bhd
Jenis: Rumah Flat 5 Tingkat
Baki Unit: 300 Unit
Status : Siap Dan Sedia Diduduki
H
R AR
M G
35 A
,0 DA
00 R
.0 I
0
The graduation ceremony on Dec 14.
RM HA
42 RG
,0 A :
00
.0
0
Projek : Pangsapuri Bukit Subang ,
Shah Alam Daerah Petaling
Pemaju : Tetuan Sime Darby
Properties Sdn. Bhd
Jenis : Rumah Flat 5 Tingkat
Baki Unit : 66 Unit
Status Projek : Siap & Sedia Diduduki
RM HA
42 RG
,0 A :
00
.0
0
Projek : Taman Saujana Utama 3,
Ijok Daerah K. Selangor
Pemaju : Regency Land Sdn. Bhd
Jenis : Rumah Flat 11 Tingkat
Baki Unit : 300 Unit
Status Projek : Dalam Pembinaan
* Tawaran rumah kos rendah ini adalah tertakluk kepada syarat dan kriteria yang ditetapkan oleh Kerajaan
Negeri Selangor
* Kerajaan Negeri dan LPHS tidak pernah melantik mana-mana agen atau individu persendirian untuk mengambil bayaran atau
mengedar surat tawaran kepada orang awam
* Maklumat lanjut sila layari laman web LPHS di http://lphs.selangor.gov.my
Sebarang
pertanyaan
menghubungi :
boleh
03-55447196 (Cik Norkamisah Ahmad)
03-55447078 (En. Faez Sujak / En. Yuzi Said)
03-55447650 (Talian Umum Bahagian Perumahan)
feature
18
december 16 — 18, 2011
Schön creating pieces of pottery while visitors look on.
By Alvin Yap
KUALA SELANGOR: Artists from as far as the United
States and Europe showcased their art at the Sasaran International Arts Festival 2011 at Sasaran village here last week.
It is the only arts festival in the world where residents and
guest artists work together to organise workshops and exhibitions of paintings and sculptures.
Some 42 artists from 17 countries, including Malaysia, set
up their studios inside the classrooms of SJK (C) Chung Hwa
last week and began painting and creating their sculptures.
“Visitors to the festival are amazed that these artists are
carrying out their work in the classrooms. Anyone can drop
in, chat, and inquire about the creative process,” said 63-yearold Tan Kang Sang, who grew up in Sasaran but resides in
Klang.
The arts festival committee member said residents have
been quick to volunteer to help the artists weld the metal
sculptures or install their artwork around town.
Each artist is given more than a week to complete two
contemporary paintings, as well as collaborate with others on
a sculpture.
Artists had the option of displaying photographic work in
place of the paintings, but still had to work on a sculpture.
Tan said the sculptures were created from “found” objects,
or things that are not designed for artistic purposes.
“Some artists chose to create a sculpture from an abandoned
fishing boat, netting, as well as bamboo containers,” Tan said,
adding that a local contractor used his crane to transport the
abandoned vessel from the nearby pier to the centre of town.
According to Tan, all the guest artists are up-and-coming
talents in their respective countries, with at least 10 years’
experience and have showcased their work in at least two exhibitions.
He said the Sasaran arts festival serves as a platform for
budding artists to gain more exposure, and the organisers did
not want to invite established painters or sculptors.
Held every three years in early December, the quiet fishing
village of Sasaran – 30km north of Klang – hosts the festival
that transforms the sleepy hollow along the Kuala SelangorTeluk Intan road into an art colony.
Mashbat wants to share his perspective on life, with his ‘Mirage’, a depiction of sunset in the steppes of Mongolia.
Arts fest brings
villagers, artists
together
Upcoming Events
17 Dec (Sat)
6-7pm: Fashion Parade featuring designs by guest
artists and designers at SJK C Chung Hwa
7pm: Cultural night at the Art Recreational Park
to commemorate Sasaran fishing village
9pm: Closing ceremony of art performance
workshop at SJK C Chung Hwa
18 Dec (Sun)
6pm: Closing ceremony of the 2011 Sasaran
International Arts Festival by Menteri Besar
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim
7pm: Official opening of art exhibition featuring
works of guest artists
19 Dec (Mon)
12pm: Art exhibition road show departs Sasaran
Pama posing with ‘Milking Cow’, which has attracted the
The Arts Recreational Park will commemorate Sasaran
as a fishing village.
The arts festival, which began in 2008, is the brainchild of attention of visitors to his make-shift studio.
renowned artist Ng Bee, who mooted the idea to Tan and
other residents.
and Japan.
Ng studied at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore,
The organisers, Tan said, had booked the artists into a
and the prestigious Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Art service condominium in Kuala Selangor, but all them opted
in Paris.
to stay with foster families in Sasaran town.
“Ng is friends with other artists, local and international. He
He said the villagers there now talk about which or whose
got them to join the arts festival three years ago as guest artists. artwork they like, and it is common to hear shopkeepers or
Some have returned for this year’s event,” Tan said.
fisherfolk talk about how a particular painting has moved
Artists pay for their travel expenses, while the organisers them.
provide accommodation and food.
“Walk into a coffee shop and you’ll overhear villagers talk
The villagers have opened their arms to welcome the artists, about a painting. They’ll say that they managed to see an artsome of whom come from as far as Russia, Romania, Denmark ist at work,” Tan concluded.
feature 19
december 16 — 18, 2011
In appreciation of the arts
Thumbs-up for inaugural
Klang-Kapar-Sasaran
bike ride
(From left) Ng with Yu as he wears one of the wire sculptures.
KUALA SELANGOR: Artists at the 2011 Sasaran International Arts
Festival say the event gives the public a chance to see them at work, which
will lead to greater appreciation of the arts.
“The festival gives people the chance to see us work and explain the
creative process. I think it will lead to greater love of the fine arts,” said Ellen Schön, a Clay Studio supervisor lecturer in fine arts at the Art Institute
of Boston, on Sunday.
The only American guest artist this year, the potter wants to reach out
to younger painters and sculptors from her country to participate in the
next arts festival at Sasaran village.
Noel Pama, 50, said the arts event allows the community to work with
the artists to realise the dream of making art accessible to everyone.
“I always believe that artists should work with the community to express
their art,” said the self-taught painter, who hails from Manila, Philippines.
He said communities that work together on art projects end up being
more cohesive and united, and added that the event will lead to more youths
exploring art as a means of expression.
The common themes in his oil-on-canvas paintings reflect issues on the
treatment of women and children by society, and also the role technology
has on individuals.
Mongolian painter Mashbat Sambuu said the event allows international artists to showcase their artwork and express their themes to Malaysian audiences.
“We have our own unique experiences we want to share with Malaysians,
our hosts,” said Sambuu, who paints about life in the rolling grassland of
his hometown in the landlocked Central Asian country.
Sasaran resident Edward Yu, who is an art teacher at a secondary school
in Klang, said he was excited that the village was hosting the event again
after its inaugural one in 2008.
Yu, who signed up as an assistant to first-time guest artist Annabelle Ng,
hopes the festival will influence children to explore their creative talents.
Ng, a Penangnite, concurred with Yu, saying the workshops should also
include a comprehensive art and sculpture class for youth to explore their
creativity.
“The guest artists are only too happy to teach the younger generation,”
she said, adding that youth should be given the chance to explore their own
identity through art. Ng shapes wires to create sculptures depicting people
and animals.
Taiwanese artist Dino Tsai, 56, uses barcodes as inspiration for his
sculptures.
He said art exhibitions such as the Sasaran International Arts Festival
provide a chance for artists to showcase their artwork to the community.
Tsai,whose art is usually displayed at upscale galleries and exhibits, said
the initiative to hold a workshop in Sasaran is a step in the right direction.
The residents, he said, are seeing art in a new light, and have even surprised the artists with their interpretation of their artwork.
“They see more than us and give us insights into our artwork that amaze
me,” the full-time artist said.
Residents themselves are praising the event. Ramachandran Kannan, a
51-year-old engineer, missed the 2008 arts festival but made it a point to
make it for this year’s event.
He and his wife, both from nearby Kapar, said they were impressed that
the public could walk into a classroom-turned-studio and witness artists at
work.
They entered their daughter Nivethaprya, 9, and son Shremankuna, 7,
in an art competition at the festival on Sunday.
The siblings go to an art tuition centre in Kapar, whose principal notified
the parents of the Sasaran event.
Philip Loo, who grew up in nearby Kuala Selangor but now resides in
Subang Jaya, came back for the weekend and decided to visit the arts exhibition.
“I’m impressed with the quality of the exhibits and the creative talents
behind them,” he said, adding that he was glad that the villagers and artists
were collaborating to make the event a success.
Loo said the guest artists were very helpful and took the time to explain
to visitors their work.
“It makes art more accessible to the community,” he said.
Participants posing in front of SJK C Chung Hwa upon arrival.
KLANG: A group of cyclists travelled from Klang
to Sasaran village in Kuala Selangor for the international arts festival here on Sunday.
Some 50 riders departed from the Klang Railway
station here on Jalan Stesen for the 29km journey in
conjunction with the festival held every three years.
“Congratulations to all the participants who joined
the inaugural Klang-to-Sasaran ride,” said organiser
Lee Seng Tiong.
The chairperson of the Klang Fan Club, a social
club based in the town, said the riders covered the
distance and reached SJK (C) Chung Hwa in Sasaran
in less than four hours.
Cancer survivor Lee Hong Keow, 38, said she had
enjoyed the ride, which took the group from Klang
to Kapar with a 15-minute stop at Pantai Remis to
take in the scenery.
“It was fun and it wasn’t tiring at all,” said Lee, who
battled stomach cancer last year, adding that she will
join the ride next year.
Lee, who works in a legal firm, also said she has
been thinking of setting up a cancer-survivor group Lee with her certificate: It was fun ride with
next year, and will likely organise a similar bicycle ride the group.
for the participants from Klang to Sasaran.
Cheras resident Jacklyn
Lee joined the group after
hearing about the event from
from her friends in Klang.
“I don’t ride bikes at all,
but I joined the group as it
was an opportunity for me to
get some exercise and also do
a little sightseeing,” she said.
Earlier, the cyclists were
flagged off by Kota Shah
Alam assemblyperson Manoharan Malayalam and Klang
Mun i c i p a l C o un c i l l o r
(MPK) Lim Lip Suan at the
railway station.
Prior to flag-off, they were
briefed on riding safely by
veteran cyclist Richard Chin,
who was roped in with other
regular cyclists to help out
Manoharan and Lim moments before the flag-off.
with the programme.
Media
20 December 16 — 18, 2011
All aboard PJ Hilton’s
Christmas Train
SHAH ALAM: In the spirit of spreading light
and warmth to the lives of underprivileged, Hilton Petaling Jaya’s charity year-end project has
returned for its seventh year.
The Hillton Christmas Train was launched by
Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee, who
pulled the train lever on Dec 1.
Aiming to raise funds for the National Kidney
Foundation of Malaysia (NKF) and to enable an
educational trip to Aquaria KLCC with the children from Rumah Hope, the miniature train exhibit and icing setting will be on
display in the hotel lobby until Jan 8.
The Hilton Christmas Train
campaign aims to raise funds for
the needy through advertising
space offered on various wagons,
hot-air balloons and billboards, as
well as through donations from
patrons.
The launch was attended by National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia chief executive officer Chua
Hong Wee; Rumah Hope chairperson Jacob Mathew; and director of
business management Manu Koshy
and corporate sponsors.
“We have received continuous
support from various stakeholders
such as corporate clients, suppliers,
Hilton Christmas Train 2011 features a European Winter Wonderland
restaurant diners and the local (From left) Lee pulls the train lever with Mathew, Chua and
comprising an icing-sugar mountain, royal icing trees and gingerbread
community since our first Christ- Manu during the launch of the Christmas Train on Dec 1.
houses.
mas Train.
“It’s a great opportunity for Manu said.
buildings made of gingerbread, wire, 500kg of icing sugar, 500kg join the ride with Hilton Petaling
companies to play their role as reThe Hilton Christmas Train bridges, billboards, tunnels, and of flour, 200kg of butter, 200kg of Jaya and brighten up the lives of the
sponsible corporate citizens, and 2011 features a winter setting at a hot-air balloons.
sugar, 50kg of ginger and 50kg of less fortunate. For inquiries, call the
leverage on advertising mileage by North European Village with royTwo locomotives that can pull spices – make up the magnificent hotel’s Marketing and Communihaving their company logos visibly al-icing mountains, royal-icing tress up to six wagons each – comprising display.
cations department at (03)branded on the train exhibit,” as tall as 30 inches, traditional 30 pieces of plywood, 30 metres of
Corporates are welcomed to 79559122, ext. 5774/2.
10 Full House
outlets by year end
SHAH ALAM: A one-of-its-kind lifestyle
store and café chain, Full House, which
started operations in 2008, will be opening
new outlets in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu
before the end of this year.
Inspired by the the Korean drama series
of the same name, its concept is a whitethemed Victorian house with romantic
French-design accents complete with living
room, dining room, bedroom, kitchen, garden and even a bathroom.
The white décor exudes a calming effect
and creates a serene, warm, subdued and
inviting environment for diners. The café
aims to create a home-away-from-home relaxed atmosphere where one can dine in
comfort with friends and family.
Each outlet houses the café as well as a
lifestyle store where everything displayed is
for sale. This includes clothes, fashion accessories, gifts and decorative items from Korea
and Hong Kong.
Another unique feature is that the café
and store are represented by five comic-book
characters known as the 5-Ts, a family unit
that comprises the dad Thomas, mom Tracy,
the kids Tony and Tiffany, and their pet dog
Toy. The 5-T characters are reflected in the
menu items that are created with the five
family members in mind.
The café offers diners a wide selection of
Italian, Japanese and Chinese fusion cuisine.
Menu highlights include main courses such
as the Tony’s Burger (with chicken patty
done in Teriyaki style), pan-seared dory with
lemongrass cream, oven-roasted chicken
parcel, lamb shank ratatouille, and desserts
such as Tiramisu with strawberry, chocolate
cup with berry sauce, and crème brulee.
Adam Swee, chief executive officer of Full
House, says: “We will be rapidly expanding
to bring the Full House experience to East
Malaysia and Singapore.
“We believe that our concept will greatly
appeal to the young-adult and family segments that are always on the lookout for
something new in the market. We have
started the theme concept for outlets in Giant Cheras and Penang Times Square.”
The café chain recently opened its eighth
outlet at the Hills Shopping Mall in Kuching, and
is on track to open outlets
in Suria Sabah Shopping
Mall (Kota Kinabalu) and
Rendezvous Gallery (Singapore). It currently has six
outlets in Klang Valley and
one in Penang.
The
entrance to
Full House.
The jazz
band
serenading
guests.
Jazzy affair with Andaman
By Basil Foo
KUALA LUMPUR: Media practitioners
were treated to a night of scrumptious dining
and jazzy numbers at the Andaman Media
Night on Dec 8.
Held at premier jazz club No Black Tie,
guests were serenaded by crowd favourites
performed by a four-piece band and guest
singers.
Addressing a turnout of about 80, Andaman
Property Management Sdn Bhd director of
sales and marketing Datuk Dr Vincent Tiew
thanked guests for attending.
He also gave out six flat-screen TVs during
the lucky draw.
“We held this event as an appreciation to
the media after a year of strong performances
by Andaman,” Tiew said.
The value of projects from 2011 to 2012
under Andaman Property Management is expected to be worth more than RM1.6 billion.
Completed projects include the Casa Subang service apartments in Subang Jaya, Cova
Villa, Cova Square and Cova Suites in Kota
Tiew (left) presenting a flat-screen TV to
lucky-draw winner Nurul Eeman Hakimi
Teoh from the Malaysian Corridor.
Damansara.
Upcoming projects include newly launched
The Arc @ Cyberjaya and commercial centre
Diamond Square in Serdang.
Andaman Group’s property division,
formed in 2005, is involved in property development, construction, management, security,
travel and tours, and mining.
food 21
december 16 — 18, 2011
Klang Valley residents are
without a doubt spoiled for choice
as far as eateries are concerned.
LIN ZHENYUAN enters the
Dragon’s ‘lair’ and was feted like
an emperor of ancient times
L
ike so many others who have been before me, I was
recently a guest at 1 Utama Shopping Centre’s Dragon-i
Restaurant. It is one of the many fine eateries in the huge
shopping complex, and is located on the second floor.
Dragon-i has been around since 2004. The culinary offerings come from Beijing, Lanzhou, Szezhuan and Shanghai.
But its most famous item is the Xiao Long Bao, of which the
“Long” is part of its official name Long Ti Chuen Ren.
The meaning of its name is significant for the Chinese community because eons ago, the Chinese regarded themselves as
descendants of the Dragon. Thus, the menu has several signature dishes that befit its ancient royal status. Among these is
the outstanding Xiao Long Bao, which is a Shanghainese
delicacy from the province of Nanxing.
The meat dumpling, of which the ingredients are Chinese
ham, ginger and pork, is filled with soup. I believe the restaurant also provides straws to drink the delicious soup within.
Ordinarily, what most of us do when we have the Xiao Long
Bao in sight is take a big bite and gulp down the soup in a rush.
Many are unaware that the steamed dumpling is shaped like a
pagoda and it has 18 tiny interlaced folds or plaits. While some
of us do not exhibit the finesse required with this delicacy, a
few are aware of their table manners and adopt the proper
approach to appreciating such a delicate dish.
My favourite item has to be the deep-fried eel, or what
the Japanese called unagi. The crispy honey-glazed eel
usually gets a very big thumbs-up from diners who
have tasted it. Children in particular love this item
because it is notches better than the KL street-fresh
keropok from the hot wok.
For an adult like me, I opted for my personal
steamed soy sauce rice with Chinese sausage, mushroom and chicken. The rice comes in a wooden
bucket, which is pretty cute. Some Chinese describe
this as a little “fan toong”, or rice bin.
By the time the waitress had finished taking down
our orders, we had six items on her list. The others were
a plate of fried noodles, a bowl of corn/crabstick soup, and
claypot of spicy brinjal.
In a fine eatery like Dragon-I, the cutlery and other utensils
are slightly better than other Chinese restaurants. It just goes
to show that you get what you pay for.
The ambience of the restaurant exudes a certain elegance
befitting its illustrious title. The menu has a wide range of
choices, which some diners have described as a notch higher
than its counter-part, Canton-i. (Incidentally, Dragon-i is affiliated to Canton-i and CI Express. They are all under the
The Terracotta Warrior guards the entrance into the
Dragon-i.
Dragon-i restaurant on the second floor of the new wing of 1 Utama.
Enter the Dragon
Claypot brinjal
with mixed
ingredients.
A wooden bucket for a diner
who prefers steamed rice,
sausage and mushroom.
same business group. Perhaps with the exception of the
newly introduced CI Express, Canton-i and Dragon-i are
popular eating places among the Chinese community.)
The ambience at Dragon-i is enhanced by Terracotta warriors. These ancient stone figures came to the world’s attention
when Chinese farmers in the Lintong district of Xian, Shaanxi
Province found them near the mausoleum of the first Emperor of China, Shi Huangdi in 1974. Emperor Shi Huangdi
united the warring states of China and put it under imperial
rule. Henceforth the Chinese dynasty of imperial rulers lasted
almost 2,000 years.
Terracotta warriors, together with chariots and horses, were
found in three massive pits. Altogether, there were more than
8,000 Terracotta warrior figures, and the teams of archaeologists have not finished digging the site.
The Terracotta warriors have come to symbolise ancient
China and all its magnificence. Hence, Dragon-i has aptly
chosen to strategically place a few of these imitation warriors
at the entrance to the dining area.
Discerning foodies have been known to mark down the
quality of some Dragon-i selections, but I rather like the restaurant for its quick service, elegant setting and above-average
dishes. Of course, Dragon-i’s prices are not like those in
downtown KL. The rentals at 1 Utama are not exactly at
ground level.
Dragon-i has received a string of awards since it opened its
doors. In 2006 and 2007, the Malaysian Tatler honoured it
the Best Chinese Restaurant title. It has also received the accolade of Outstanding Customer Service from One Utama
Shopping Complex.
Other awards include the 2009 Golden Bull award, special
mention in The Miele Guide Asia’s Finest Restaurants 2009-
Crispy honey-glazed eel
makes the meal totally
enjoyable.
Waitresses are quick on their feet to serve customers.
2010, Malaysia Tourism Award 2008-2009 Best Innovative
Chinese Restaurant, and World Chinese Youth Entrepreneurs
Award 2009.
Since the new Chinese Lunar Year or the Year of the
Dragon is celebrated next month on Jan 23-24, any person
thinking of holding a family reunion dinner treat at Dragoni should made a reservation as soon as possible.
All in all, Dragon-i is certainly one of the more outstanding
Chinese restaurants in the Klang Valley. At last count, there
are eight Dragon-i outlets spread throughout KL and Selangor,
stretching all the way to Penang.
Gallery
22
December 16 — 18, 2011
Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim flagging
off the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ)
cycling team at the launch of the eco-friendly
Worldwide Landfills Park in Puchong on Dec 8.
Filipino artist Noel Pama works on a painting for the Sasaran
International Arts Festival in Kuala Selangor, while visitors look on.
The Selangor Philharmonic
Choir carolling during the
state’s Christmas celebration
at 1 Utama shopping centre
in Bandar Utama, Petaling
Jaya last Saturday.
Purchasers of an abandoned mixed
development in Rawang in a meeting with
representatives from the Selangor State
Development Corporation (PKNS) and
private developer Tungling Corporation
Sdn Bhd, at the Kundang New
Village Senior Citizens Hall on Tuesday.
The buyers were informed that the
developer would restart the project that
had been abandoned since 2000.
Hulu Kelang
assemblyperson
Saari Sungib and
Shah Alam MP
Khalid Samad
officiating the
start of an armwrestling
competition
in the Tanjung
Sepat state
constituency on
Dec 10.
Underprivileged
children from House
of Joy, Rumah
Shalom, and AtTaqwa Welfare Home
showing their skills
after a 10-month
training course in the
MBA-IOI Properties
Hope For Change
Badminton Charity Programme at
Michael’s Badminton
Academy in Bandar
Puteri Puchong.
Culture 23
December 16 — 18, 2011
CALENDAR
Compiled by Nick Choo
Send your events to: nick@selangortimes.
This Little Child
Music; 18 Dec, 5pm; Petaling Jaya
Gospel Hall, Jalan Gasing; free
admission
The 55-strong combined choir of
Subang Jaya Gospel Centre and
Petaling Jaya Gospel Hall, under the
direction of Colin Kirton, will present
This Little Child ... The King of Kings,
an inspiring evening of contemporary
music celebrating the true meaning
of Christmas. The 55- minute
performance also features a sevenpiece live band and will cover a wide
range of musical styles, including
ballad, gospel and rock, with infusions
of classical, country and Latin, closing with a new arrangement of the
Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Between songs, storytellers will
bring the Christmas story and its significance to life on stage, backed by
original art and multimedia projection.
Architecture Without
Paper
Exhibition; 14 Dec-2 Jan; Kuala
Lumpur Performing Arts Centre;
www.klpac.org, 03-40479000
The scene of the crime.
REVIEW
A selection, in audiovisual format,
from Spanish architectural
projects presented at the Venice
International Architecture
Exhibitions, curated by the
architects Soledad del Pino
and Angel Fernandez Alba. This
exhibition aims to show the
innovation and quality of the work
being carried out on the Spanish
scene today, represented by 15
young architecture studios that
typify a fully consolidated, global
“virtual architectural reality”. Their
projects put the spotlight on a fresh, avant-garde architecture, one that
serves the sensibilities and needs of society. Presented by the Embassy
of Spain.
By Dominic Luk
Klue,Doh!, showing at the Black
Box @ MAP, Solaris Dutamas,
Kuala Lumpur, is a production by
TerryAndTheCruz in collaboration
with Australian company, The
Rubix Cube.
The concept of the play, similar
to the board game Cluedo, leaves
us in a situation where a mystery
unfolds before our eyes. And as
usual, the question is not really
whodunit, but whodunit first. Before the audience walks in
to the theatre, everyone is divided
into two groups: Witnesses and
Suspects. The play’s concept is
such that the two groups watch
the plot evolve from two different
perspectives, both being shown
simultaneously.
During the first act, the first
group watches the story taking
place in the study room, while the
other group sits on another side of
the theatre where the living room
is. Throughout the whole play,
the actors move back and forth
between the two rooms. After
intermission, the audience swaps
rooms and sees the whole thing
unravel again. I thought this concept was
interesting and unique, and was
certainly a treat for Malaysian
theatregoers. I was in the study
room first, where a dead body
lay on the floor. Immediately
the suspense kicked in. Every
character that came on stage after
that was a suspect, so I was eager
to pay attention to every detail. The story takes place in a house
in Ipoh, where Datuk Jackson Mo
has just been murdered. Because
of his wealth, you could assume
that anyone would want him dead,
especially his ex-wife Datin Saras
(played by Anne James), and his
soon-to-be wife, Charity Ho Mun
Mun, played by Davina Goh.
As the plot thickens, more
suspects are added to the list:
Datuk’s maid played by Nabihan
Yaacob, Datuk Jackson’s son
played by Terence Conrad,
the brother-in-law played by
JD Manon, and the effeminate
wedding planner played by
Jon Chew. And like all crime
scenes, the police are eager to
solve the case. Two policemen,
played by Iqmal Shafiq and Ley
Shahrwind Agilan, arrive at the
scene, interrogating everyone in
the house (most of the time very
Anne James, shocked.
Doh!
unprofessionally!). Two people stood out among
the cast. Nabihan Yaacob did a
great job as the maid; she was
convincing albeit playing a simple
role, and remained in character
better than the rest of the cast.
JD Manon, the money-hungry
brother-in-law, also performed
well and showed that he was very
comfortable with his character.
It was disappointing, though,
that the only Cantonese lines in
the script were by Davina Goh,
who was clearly uncomfortable
A very pretty Jon Chew.
with the dialect. Perhaps casting
should have been done such that
someone who actually speaks
Cantonese played the character
instead. Still, Goh played Charity
well enough to make us want to
get annoyed at her. As the story expands, clues
are exposed bit by bit. To catch
all of them, it helps if you can
understand English, Malay,
Cantonese and Tamil.
I applaud the fact that the
production was very Malaysian,
and you could easily relate to the
characters in so many ways. Yet,
the script was not as insightful
and intense as I thought it should
have been for a murder mystery.
While trying to add humour, some
jokes (mostly those referring to
local political and social innuendos)
spoilt it a bit for me. I would have
preferred seeing the same story
being shown through more tightly
written lines that made you think
more than you would laugh.
It didn’t help much either that
a lot of shouting was going on,
causing so many distractions and
lines being lost in the process. In a nutshell, Klue,Doh! was an
entertaining murder mystery play
that made you want to walk onto
the stage and be a part of the
story, and then take on the task of
asking all the suspects your own
questions. Nevertheless, more
could have been done to increase
the intensity, especially during
the climax of the play. But it was
memorable, and hopefully will
inspire more murder-mystery plays
to take place in Malaysia. Klue,Doh! runs until tomorrow
(Dec 17). Tickets are priced at
RM68 and are available at www.tix.
my and the PJ Live Arts Box Office
at Jaya One.
Si Putih and the
7 Makciks
Theatre; 14-23 Dec; The Actors
Studio @ Lot 10 Kuala Lumpur;
www.theactorsstudio.com.my, 0321422009; RM30 / RM50 / RM120
(family)
An adaptation of Snow White and the 7 Dwarves, set in two kampung
kingdoms where an envious Queen plans to kill her beautiful and fair
stepdaughter, Si Putih. Does Sergeant Sutera, the queen’s henchmen
kill Si Putih, or is she saved by the seven Makciks, keepers of secrets
from another kampung? Only time will tell. A funny original adaptation
of the all-time-favourite classic with singing and dancing, and an allmale cast with a twist at the end, as all fairy tales have.
Malaysian Girls
Theatre/Musical; 10-26 Dec; Kuala
Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; www.
klpac.org, 03-40479000; RM38RM100
A musical about the beautiful world
we live in; about the friendship
between Malaysian girls, and how
this fragile friendship can be more
beautiful than the crown one aspires
to wear. “Put on your tiaras, pucker
up that smile, and brace yourself,
for really, with 14 beautiful girls on
a glitzy stage, how ugly can it get?”
With original songs by Ariff Akhir, Ian
Chow, Min’z, Khairil M Bahar and
Wani Ardy; directed by Joe Hasham.
Aladdin: The Musical
Musical; 25 Nov-2 Jan 2012; Sunway Lagoon; 03-87754666 (AirAsia
RedTix), 03-56390000 (Sunway Lagoon ticketing); www.airasiaredtix.com/
Events/Aladdin; RM50-RM300
Get whisked to a land far, far away, filled with adventure, magic,
and excitement in this production from the West End! Set against
the mystical kingdom of Askabar, go on a musical journey featuring
international artistes and dancers with exotic costumes, a flying carpet
and a stunning stage. Witty dialogue, hit songs and a spellbinding
spectacular.
Published by Selangor State Government and printed by Dasar Cetak (M) Sdn Bhd No. 7, Persiaran Selangor, Seksyen 15, 40000, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.