Yellow Dinner: A night to remember

Yellow Dinner:
A night to
remember
Reward and
punishment
to get
arrears p 6
p
11
councillor
lodges report
against riot
police
p7
July 22 — 24, 2011/ issue 34
community
Participants of the Relay for Life walk
at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
stadium in Bangi last Saturday, which
featured 300 cancer survivors who
gathered to share stories on their
battles with the big ‘C’.
• Story on page 6
MPSJ’s whistleblower
policy blows hot air
By Brenda Ch’ng
SUBANG JAYA: The decision
of the Subang Jaya Municipal
Council (MPSJ) to appoint its
own officers to investigate complaints of graft and maladministration in the council has received the
thumbs down.
While making history on June 29
as the first local government to implement a whistleblower policy,
MPSJ’s move to appoint three officers from its Human Resource Department to receive and investigate
information is being viewed as a
half measure.
“The council should look at the
whistleblower system again and
improve it before it backfires. They
should start it off on the right footing because this is a serious matter,”
said councillor Loi Kheng Min.
During the council's full board
meeting last month, Loi and his fellow councillors had urged MPSJ to
appoint independents or third parties such as an ombudsman to receive complaints, but the suggestion
fell on deaf ears.
MPSJ legal adviser Anita Abd
Jalil claimed the Whistleblower
Protection Act 2010 (711) only
allows the appointment of internal
officers.
Her rationale is that the Act
empowers MPSJ’s legal department
to prosecute officers who leak sensitive information that may cause
harm to whistleblowers.
However, her reading of the Act
has been disputed by two senior
lawyers.
“Based on the Act, the chosen
point-person is not limited to only
officers within the council,” said
lawyer Balan Nair.
He pointed out that the law,
which was written up to protect all
informants, states that a person may
make a disclosure of improper conduct to any enforcement agency.
The definition of enforcement
agency means any ministry, department, agency or body set up by the
federal, state or local government
which has investigative and enforcement powers.
The 60-year-old litigation lawyer
said this means MPSJ can appoint
third parties with enforcement
powers to oversee the whistleblower system. “Private individuals or bodies
can be appointed by MPSJ to form
an independent unit to receive and
investigate information from the
public and council staff,” said Seah
Chin Lee.
The 52-year-old lawyer said the
involvement of independent third
parties who are not working directly under MPSJ will instill
confidence in the system.
• Turn to page 2
2
news
July 22 — 24, 2011
Mixed reactions ahead of
historic village head elections
By Gho Chee Yuan
SHAH ALAM: While there’s an
air of excitement in Pulau Ketam
over their upcoming village head
elections, it is business as usual for
folks in Jenjarom.
Residents of both New Villages
are scheduled to go to the polls for
the historic elections on Sunday.
Nomination will start from
10am to 11am at both Chinese New
Villages.
The campaign period will last for
a week, and villagers are expected to
cast their vote to elect a village chief
on July 31.
The winning candidate will be
officially appointed by the state
government as the chief of the village security and development committee ( JKKK).
Selangor Times was informed that
three candidates in Pulau Ketam
have requested for the nomination
form, but villagers are expecting at
least six candidates to contest in the
inaugural local election.
In Jenjarom, only incumbent village head Tan Ching Han has expressed interest to take part in the
elections.
However, Tan may not qualify to
stand in the elections as the address
on his identity card is not located
To place your Advert in
Contact Timothy Loh 019-267 4488,
Ivan Looi 014-936 6698
Selangor mourns
Dr Lo Lo’s passing
SHAH ALAM: The state is saddened by the death of Dr
Lo Lo’ Ghazali on Sunday night, said the Menteri Besar
on Monday.
“On behalf of the state and its people, I would like to
express our condolences to her family,” said Tan Sri Khalid
Ibrahim in a press statement.
He described her as an inspiration to all her duties as
an elected official was “exemplary”; especially women, who
looked up to her for her sincerity as well as courage in
fighting for the rights and welfare of the people.
The Member of Parliament for Titiwangsa succumbed to
lung cancer after a long battle with the disease. She was 53.
Selangor WEATHER
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Morning
within the village.
Tan lives in Jenjarom town but not
in the vicinity of the Chinese New
Village.
Meanwhile, federal governmentappointed village heads have said they
will not participate in the elections
conducted by the Pakatan Rakyat
(PR)-led state administration.
Klang District Officer Datuk
Bakhtiar Hussin, the returning officer for the elections in Pulau Ketam, said 3,568 voters will be eligible
to vote in the upcoming polls.
As for Jenjarom, there are 5,554
voters, while Pandamaran has the
most voters at 13,896.
Pandamaran’s village elections
will be held from Aug 7-14.
All candidates will have to pay
RM1,000, with RM500 as electoral
deposit to the district office and another RM500 for the local council.
Those who fail to secure less than
one eighth of the total votes will lose
their first RM500, while candidates
who fail to clean up their campaign
material post-elections will lose
their second RM500 to the local
council.
Selangor is the first state to hold
village polls, and the state is considering electing all JKKK chiefs
rather than appointing them if the
polls are successful.
The three elections are being car-
ried out without the Election Commission’s assistance.
The state hopes that the move to
hold village elections will be a precursor to the restoration of local
government elections in Selangor.
Local government elections were
suspended and later abolished by the
Alliance in 1965 due to the Confrontation – an undeclared war between
Malaysia and Indonesia over the future of Borneo from 1962 to 1966.
However, local elections were not
reinstated after the Confrontation.
PR had promised to reinstate
local government elections if they
were elected during the 2008 general election.
MPPA dives into
picture controversy
KUALA LUMPUR: Controversy
continues to rage over the front page
picture of a man throwing a tear gas
canister during the Bersih 2.0 rally two
weeks ago.
The photo showing a man wearing a
t-shirt and a cloth wrapped around his
head on July 9 was on the front pages of
New Sunday Times and Berita Minggu a
day after the rally.
On Wednesday, the Malaysian Press
Photographers Association (MPPA)
lodged a police report over claims that the
photo, shot by a NST photographer, was
doctored.
MPPA president Mat Salim Shaari, who
lodged the report at the Cheras police
headquarters on Wednesday, defended the authenticity of
the photo.
He said the allegations could tarnish the image of MPPA
and their 400 members, most of whom are photographers
in media organisations.
The man at the centre of the controversy, Abdul Razak
Endut, identified himself as the man in the
photo during a Pas ceramah on July 16.
Razak, a member of Pas Unit Amal,
denied he was carrying a knife in his
other hand.
He said the knife was actually a Malaysian flag, in response to the caption in
Berita Minggu that read: “Seorang perusuh membawa pisau dalam perhimpunan
haram” (A rioter brings a knife to illegal
rally) and “Perusuh guna senjata, batu,
lawan polis” (Rioters use weapons, rocks
to fight police).
He also denied throwing rocks at
the police.
“When the FRU fired tear gas, I saw
the wind blowing towards the demonstrators ... I picked
up a canister and tossed it to a field with the hope that the
demonstrators would be safe,” Abdul Razak told news
website Malaysiakini.com.
He said it would have been impossible for him to bring
a knife from Termeloh into Kuala Lumpur as he had to pass
through three roadblocks along the way.
Move in the right direction,
but finetuning needed
Afternoon
Night
• From page One
Source: Malaysian meteorological department
phone (603) 5510 4566
fax (603) 5523 1188
email [email protected]
EDITORIAL
CHIEF EDITOR
COMMUNITY EDITOR
KL Chan
Neville Spykerman
Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling,
Basil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Ch’ng
COPY EDITORS Nick Choo, James Ang
WRITERS
DESIGNERS
Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man Yen
ADVERTISING
ADVISORS
Timothy Loh, Ivan Looi
Faekah Husin, Arfa’eza Abdul Aziz
“The public and even MPSJ staff
would feel protected, and are more
likely to expose maladministration or
corruption if they can be assured that
those receiving the information are
not biased.” This sentiment was echoed by
MPSJ councillors, who fear the policy
will only be a facade under its current
format. “I don’t see how this policy is going
to successfully combat wrongdoings if
both staff and public are supposed to
whistle-blow back to the council,” said
councillor R Rajiv.
He thinks MPSJ’s move for implementing this policy is an exemplary one,
but there is still more room for finetuning.
During MPSJ’s full board meeting
last month, Rajiv had proposed for the
State Audit Department to be the appointed representative to receive information and conduct investigations.
Meanwhile, Loi is urging MPSJ to
review and hold a proper briefing with
all their staff about how the system
works.
He suggested for hotline numbers,
easily accessible forms, and a whistleblower box for the public and staff to
drop their information in.
“The box should be locked and only
be guarded by one person who will
collect all the forms and process them
before sending them off for investigation,” he said.
He suggested that MPSJ should allow the whistleblower system be conducted in three stages, none of which
should involve heads of departments.
The first stage is for a neutral om-
budsman to receive complaints; then to
a third-party oversight committee
formed by the council; and finally for
the internal audit committee to review.
This internal audit committee should
comprise five MPSJ councillors who
will have the final say in the whole investigation.
MPSJ councillor Edward Ling Siek
Meeng also held the view that the council was moving in the right direction,
but that independent individuals should
oversee the system. “Appointing the head of MPSJ is like
asking them to check themselves for
wrongdoings,” he said.
Councillor Loka Ng added that
the committee who oversees this system
should have no vested interest in council affairs, and should be able to conduct
a fair and unbiased investigation.
SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ July 22 – 24, 2011 ⁄ 3
4
News
July 22 — 24, 2011
Events
Selangor explores potential
partnership with China
Allergy-testing forum
By Gan Pei Ling
Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s consultant immuno­
logist and consultant ENT surgeon will speak at a
public forum on The Importance of Allergy Testing
tomorrow (July 23) from 10.30am to 1pm at Dewan
Pantai, Ground Floor, Block C, Jalan Bukit Pantai,
Kua­la Lumpur. Admission is free and early birds will be
given free IgE (food allergy) tests. To register, contact
03-2296 0773 or 2296 0610.
SHAH ALAM: Apart from South
Korea, China has expressed interest to
invest in Selangor’s billion-ringgit
Klang River rehabilitation project, said
the Menteri Besar on Wednesday..
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said a delegation from China State Construction, one
of the largest construction companies in
China, will visit Selangor in August to
conduct initial surveys and feasibility
studies on the Klang River.
“This is a serious exploratory exercise
in order to ensure that we’ve the right
Grand puja
Pertubuhan Penganut Samye Guan Yin Buddhist
Centre will hold a two-day puja on July 30-31 at
the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, 1 Jalan
Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur. Admission is free. For
more details, call 012-268 9528 (Grace) or 016-381
8122 (Noreen).
Sudoku class
The Senior Citizens Association of Selangor (Secita)
will hold their monthly Sudoku class on Monday (July
25) from 9am to 10.30am at Bangunan Secita, 4A
Jalan SS5D/6, Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya. Members
of the Malaysian Sudoku Society will be on hand
to help new­
comers. Admission is free. For details,
contact 019-311 8147 (Lim) or 012-234 1492 (Lee).
Hands-on experience
Hands Percussion will give audiences a preview of
their latest performance titled Knocking on July 29
from 6pm-8pm. The group, who are preparing for
their performance at the KL Performing Arts Centre
(KL Pac) next month, will feature six brand new
pieces composed and choreographed by them. The
performance will be held at their studio at Hands
Percussion Studio, 18 Jalan SB Jaya 2, Taman Industri
Sungai Buloh Jaya. For more information, contact
012-241 2532 (Mon Lim) or visit www.hands.com.my. Rock The Youth
Frinjan Community is calling all youths to be part of their
Rock The Youth Festival 2011 tomorrow (July 23) from
10am till midnight. The event is aimed at empowering
youths and updating them on political and social
developments through forums, live performances and
workshops. There will be music performances, a book
bazaar, short film screening and voter registration
booths. The event will be held at Complex 3K, Jalan
SS13/1, Persiaran Kewajipan, Subang Jaya. For more
information, contact 010-512 6836 (Zulhabri) / 017699 7684 (Naha), email [email protected] or visit their
website at http://frinjan.blogspot.com.
Book sale
Badan Warisan Malaysia is having its third annual
exhibition titled Warisan Kertas 2011 from now until
Aug 30. There will be sale of old books, maps, prints,
ephemera of mainly Malaya and Borneo and other
items. Admission is free. Exhibition hours are between
10am-5.30pm from Monday to Saturday. It is closed
on Sundays and public holidays. The exhibition will
be held at Badan Warisan Malaysia, 2 Jalan Stonor,
Kuala Lumpur. For details, call 03-2144 9273 or email
[email protected].
Scholl foot carnival
Scholl will hold a foot carnival from Monday (July 25)
to Thursday (July 28) from 10am to 10pm. There will
be activities like foot spas, airbrush tattoos, henna art
and quizzes. Goodie bags are also up for grabs. Be
the first few customers to get free consultations with
podiatrist Brendan Bergin. The carnival will be held
at the Blue Concourse area of Sunway Pyramid. For
more information, contact 03-7660 0400 (Lavanya).
Free meditation
Kevala Centre will hold a free meditation session for
the public titled Healing Breath Meditation on July 31
from 6pm-7pm. Participants will get to learn a simple
yet powerful meditation technique that will help calm
the mind. The session will be conducted by Dr Dhilip
Kumar. Admission is free. For more information, call
Dr Dhilip at 03-5636 7986 or visit www.drdhilip.com.
partners for our development,” Khalid
told the press after chairing the weekly
executive council meeting.
He said the state is exploring the possibility of inviting other private sector
groups in China, Hong Kong and Malaysia to form a consortium to carry out the
massive rehabilitation project, which is
expected to span between 15 and 20 years.
Selangor had sent a delegation, led by
senior executive councillor Teresa Kok, to
Shanghai on a two-day trip recently to
meet with China State Construction
representatives and visit the rivers it had
rehabilitated.
State launches
‘Selangorku’ slogan
SHAH ALAM: The state is launching a new slogan Selangorku to further
promote its Merakyatkan Ekonomi
Selangor and Hasil Negeri Untuk
Rakyat initiatives carried out since
2008.
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the
slogan aims to instill a sense of responsibility and increase affection
among the people towards their own
state. “The slogan will be used in all official affairs involving the state government and state-linked companies,”
the Menteri Besar announced on
Wednesday after chairing the executive council meeting. Khalid said he hoped the slogan
would inspire the people to support
the state government’s initiatives that
were implemented in a transparent
and responsible manner. A festival will be held at Stadium
Melawati on Sunday from 8am to
8pm to celebrate the launch of Selangorku. Twenty thousand coupons worth
RM10 each will be distributed to
visitors so they can purchase food and
beverages from the stalls.
“Visitors can also take part in the
futsal tournament, [as well as] pocket
bike and pony rides for free,” said
Khalid.
All Selangor residents are invited
to join in the Sunday festival and take
the opportunity to sign up or find out
more about various welfare pro grammes provided by the state for
senior citizens, women, and children.
MPK officers attend
discipline course
KLANG: A disciplinary management
course was held for 30 directors and
officers of the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) recently.
MPK acting president Ehsan Mukri
said the course was important as issues
concerning staff discipline had to be
addressed intelligently in any organisation.
The course, which was held in Nilai
Springs resort hotel, was conducted by
guest speakers who demonstrated the
techniques of handling disciplinary
cases.
Disciplinary
management
course
participants
with Prof
Abdul Aziz
Husin (seated,
fifth right) in
Nilai Springs
resort hotel.
“It provided a clear understanding
especially in applying the properties of
fair handling when carrying out disciplinary cases,” he said.
The course was also to teach participants how to apply the law in disciplinary management.
Ehsan added that the council should
take all cases of discipline seriously and
handle them properly.
He said the course was held to provide an understanding of disciplinary
management concepts for the handling
of future council employees.
Earlier, Khalid had announced that
Korean companies were also keen on taking
part in rehabilitating the 120km-long Klang
River and transform it into a thriving property hub.
“We don’t want to rush; we want to
consider many options and select partners
that give us the best and most inclusive option,” said Khalid.
He added that Selangor will work together with the federal government, which
has its own River of Life project, to ensure
there would be a coordinated effort to develop the Klang River.
The Klang River rehabilitation project,
expected to attract RM50 billion worth of
investments, is part of Selangor’s economic
stimulus package.
Alcohol and
cigarettes
banned in
MTV concert
SHAH ALAM: No alcoholic
drinks and cigarettes will be allowed
at the MTV World Stage Live concert at i-City on Sunday, and participants must be well-dressed.
However, Menteri Besar Tan Sri
Khalid Ibrahim said on Wednesday
that Selangor would not ban the
concert as requested by certain
groups.
“We feel that we need to remain
open,” he said.
Concerned that it would encourage immoral activities, PAS Youth
had opposed the concert, while
Shah Alam Member of Parliament
Khalid Samad said it was held too
close to Ramadan.
“We understand their concerns,
on the negative influence of Western culture on the Muslim way of
life … but we will monitor this,” said
Khalid.
This is the third time the MTV
World Stage Live concert is held in
Malaysia and the first time at i-City.
The outdoor concert is expected
to attract 15,000 fans and will feature
performances from American bands
30 Seconds to Mars and Neon Trees,
South Korean band BEAST, and
local indie band Pop Shuvit.
NEWS
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
BK3 residents in the dark over
LRT station
5
Condo residents
see red over
quit rent hike
By Brenda Ch’ng
By Alvin Yap
PUCHONG: Frustrations are running high among residents of Bandar Kinrara (BK3) who are objecting to the plan
to build a proposed light-rail transit (LRT) station in their
neighbourhood.
“We don’t want the LRT station here because three stations in one area is one too many,” said BK3 protem committee secretary Stephanie Koh.
Under the plan, stations will be built along the LRT line
in Bandar Kinrara at BK1, BK2, and BK3. These three stations are part of 20 mapped out by Syarikat
Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) and approved by the Subang
Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) as a new LRT line. The residents, concerned that the station would lead to
congestion and other problems in the neighbourhood, said Residents with signs of protest.
they have been keep in dark. Koh said only one station is enough for BK2 and BK3 as it is tion near home to ease transportation burdens, but they have
only 800m apart.
concerns which they want to bring up with the authorities first.
The proposed site for the BK3 station is on Jalan BK3/3C, and
“We have [been meeting] and [bringing] up all our concerns
BK2 station will be connected to the nearby Giant supermarket.
with both authorities since 2009, but still nothing concrete has
The proposed come out of it,” said Koh.
LRT track also
In April, SPNB informed residents that their consultants were
runs along the finalising alternative proposals and possible relocation of BK3
b o a r d e r o f a station.
green lung ,
SPNB was supposed to submit their new proposals to the counwhich was ini- cil then, following which a meeting would be held with residents
tially put up to to discuss the new plans.
shield residents
However, four months have passed and no new proposals have
from noise and been shown to residents yet.
pollution from
“We wil been following this closely with both authorities until
the Bukit Jalil we see the new proposals,” said Koh.
Highway.
To expedite this, the committee has started a signature campaign
Koh said resi- and is targeting to get at least 3,000 signatories from residents in
dents welcome BK3.
The signatures will then be sent to MPSJ and SPNB together
The committee’s signature campaign aims the idea of having an LRT sta- with a memorandum on their concerns and objections.
to get at least 3,000 signatories.
PETALING JAYA: Residents of Kelana
D’Putera are up in arms over quit rent payments
which have risen from R M12,000 to
RM34,000.
According to Seri Setia assemblyperson Nik
Nazmi, the 175% increase in land tax has affected residents of the 600-unit condominium
in SS 7, Kelana Jaya.
“Representatives from the condominium
approached me recently about their predicament,” said the first-term Parti Keadilan
Rakyat representative.
Nik Nazmi pointed out that the area, which
was categorised as residential, has been rezoned
as mixed development.
He said the move by the state had triggered
the steep increase in the 2010 quit rent.
Nik Nazmi said he had written to Menteri
Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Petaling
Land Office over the matter.
Meanwhile, residents at Kelana D’Putera
and Tiara Kelana are appealing to the Petaling
Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to take over solidwaste collection at their respective condominiums.
MBPJ was supposed to take over garbage
collection on Feb 1, but has yet to do so.
The residents still rely on private contractors
who charge each condominium block RM2,300
monthly for the service.
“I’ve written to MBPJ, but they have yet to
get back to me,” he said.
Nik Nazmi said he would approach the
mayor’s office in MBPJ to seek clarification.
Pusat Perniagaan
BANDAR BARU SALAK TINGGI
HARGA DARI
RM600,000.00
KEDAI PEJABAT 4 & 5
TINGKAT UNTUK DIJUAL/SEWA
45 Minit dari Pusat Bandar Kuala Lumpur
20 Minit dari KLIA
15 Minit dari Cyberjaya/Putrajaya
10 Minit dari Bandar Nilai
10 Minit dari Seremban
Berdekatan Litar Sepang F1
Berdekatan Kolej MIAT
KUALA LUMPUR
SHAH ALAM
PETALING JAYA
SUBANG JAYA
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PUTRAJAYA
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SALAK TINGGI
PERMODALAN NEGERI SELANGOR BERHAD
Tingkat 25, Wisma MBSA, Persiaran Perbandaran,
40000 Shah Alam, Selangor.
Tel: 03-5510 7105 / 7233 / 7234
Faks: 03-5510 7232
www.pnsb.com.my
TO SEREMBAN
Untuk Keterangan Lanjut Sila Hubungi Cik Shereen
Tel: 03-5510 7105 / 7233 / 7234
6
NEWS
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
Council offers carrot and stick
to get arrears By Gan Pei Ling SHAH ALAM: While ratepayers who promptly pay
this year’s assessment stand to win an iPad2 from the
Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), those with arrears
risk having their properties seized.
MBSA is offering the reward and cracking the whip
at the same time to recover RM20 million in arrears.
MBSA public relations assistant officer Zaidah Zakaria said 10 lucky winners will get the tablet computers.
She said operations to confiscate goods of business
owners with outstanding arrears were already under way. MBSA’s Revenue Management Division seized
RM200,000 worth of computers, dining table sets,
furniture and other valuables from 10 shops in U5 and
U19 on July 14.
Similar operations were held around the city this week.
“Another operation will be carried out in Section
30-33 on Monday,” said Zaidah in a press statement
on July 18. She said ample time had been given to business
owners to settle their arrears.
Seizure of furniture by MBSA.
The confiscation exercises are being carried out
under Section 148 of the Local Government Act 1976. Business owners can recover seized items by settling
their arrears, failing which the goods will be auctioned off. The public can call MBSA assessment tax hotline at
03-55222724 (customer service centre) and 03-55222882
(enforcement and operational) for more information.
MBSA’s Revenue Management Division can be
Photocopy machine being taken away.
reached at 03-55105133 ext 203/521/522.
Walking in solidarity with
cancer survivors
Selangor Times
journo wins award
By Basil Foo
KAJANG: Standing out in their purple tshirts at this year’s Relay for Life were 300
cancer survivors who gathered to share stories
on their personal battles.
“This is my second year attending this
event,” said bank manager Sharifah Naziha
Syed Abdullah when met at the at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) stadium.
She was diagnosed with early-stage breast
cancer two years ago through a mammogram
during for a full medical checkup.
The traumatic experience was compounded
by doctors telling her that her cancer was active and had a chance of spreading quickly.
“Everyone fears hearing the big ‘C’, and
Nor Mahira (second left) and Mohamad Afifi (far right) with other
when I heard it, I didn’t know how to tell my cancer-survivor friends.
family,” said the mother of four.
After managing her emotions, she finally
mostly, if they don’t ask, I don’t tell,” said the 20-year-old.
broke the news to her children during a family dinner days
She said since her then five-year old sister donated bone
before her operation to remove the growth.
marrow to her, she only has to take medication and can go
She is grateful for the support she has received from her on leading a normal life.
friends, some of whom were also cancer survivors, who gave
With her was 20-year-old Mohamad Afifi Mohd Redzuan
her advice and books to deal with her plight.
Gunasingan, who came up from Kluang, Johor to attend the
“Every cancer patient needs to have a support group, and event. He got to know about his intestine cancer when he was
everyone should go for mammograms,” she added.
in Standard Three after he went for a checkup for stomach ache.
The relay, which started at 6pm last Saturday to 10am the
“It was the darkest moment in my family because two
following day, attracted an estimated 3,500 participants.
months later, my dad got stomach cancer,” he said.
Families and members of the public took to the track in
He eventually recovered after chemotherapy, but his father
yellow, traditionally the colour of cancer survivors, to show passed away two years into his ailment, forcing his single
solidarity with cancer patients and survivors, as well as in mother to fend for her two children as best as she could.
remembrance of those who have passed away from the disease.
He has been able to cope well with support and motivation
UKM student Nor Mahira Mahmod remembered when from his extended family.
her mom took unpaid leave from work to be at her side.
“I’ve been playing sports like rugby. People don’t believe
The pint-sized I was diagnosed with cancer when they look at my size,” he
geology student was added.
diagnosed with leuThe 7th Relay for Life is an annual programme, organised
kemia when she was by the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), is part
in Standard Three, of a series beginning in Malacca and ending in Penang on
and explained that Oct 1 and 2.
her size is due to the
“We want to spread the message that cancer is not to be
c h e m o t h e r a p y feared and suffered alone in ignorance. We want Malaysia to
treatments.
know it can be prevented, fought, and survived,” said Relay
“My friends who for Life 2011 chairperson Datuk Zuraidah Atan.
know about my
Relay for Life is an international event held in 22 countries
condition have been and has raised money to support programmes aimed at
Sharifah (right) with her daughter
supp or tive. But eliminating cancer worldwide.
Syarifah Aimi Syed Fadzil.
Gan (left) receiving the certificate and mock cheque
from Ng.
PENANG: Selangor Times journalist Gan Pei Ling won a
Special Prize in the Green Journalism Awards at Komtar
Tower here on Tuesday.
She received a certificate and prize money of RM1,000
for her article, The Plastic Menace, which was published in
July last year on online news portal The Nut Graph.
The Green Journalism Awards programme is the state
government’s initiative to increase public awareness of environmental issues through media reporting.
Language categories for the award included Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English, while content for the articles had
to do with environmental issues in Penang.
Winners were chosen for one Excellence Prize and two
Special Prizes in each language category. They won RM3,000
and RM1,000 respectively.
Eight other print media reporters, chosen from a total of
12 candidates, were declared winners in their respective
categories.
Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik, who handed out
the prizes, said in a press statement that three judges were
elected from environmental bodies and among media
lecturers.
He said the judges included representatives from KDU
College, Universiti Sains Malaysia, New Era College, Malaysian Nature Society, and Sahabat Alam Malaysia.
Ng, who is also the Chief Minister’s political secretary,
suggested including a video category for next year’s awards
to encourage more media practitioners to participate.
NEWS
July 22 — 24, 2011
Klang councillor lodges
report against riot police
By Alvin Yap
KLANG: A Klang Municipal Councillor (MPK) whose
face was hit by a tear gas canister during the Bersih 2.0
rally has lodged a police report against the Federal Reserve
Unit (FRU) for their heavy-handed action on July 9.
Yew Boon Lye, who joined the march to demand for
clean and fair elections, claims to have been struck in the
face when the FRU launched the canisters at the KL Sentral
crowd that was trying to reach Merdeka Stadium.
“I regret the action of the security forces, which should
have protected us,” said Yew, who spoke to reporters before
lodging a report at the Klang Selatan police district headquarters.
He said an official police report would assist him in
telling his side of the story of what transpired at the location
that day.
Yew said the FRU had used excessive force to disperse
the crowd that had begun to walk peacefully out of the KL
Sentral car park when they were targeted by tear gas.
The Bukit Tinggi councillor said he was marching with
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and others when the riot
police fired “numerous” tear gas rounds at the crowd trying
to reach Merdeka Stadium.
Yew said he was hit on the left cheek, near his eye, which
also knocked his spectacles away.
He pointed out that, if not for his spectacles which
“absorbed” most of the impact, his injury would have been
worse.
In a related development, Bersih participant Musafri
Abdullah Azmi, 27, sought a court declaration that his
arrest and detention was illegal.
He is asking the court to declare the police action as
unlawful, claiming that the cops had not informed him of
the reason for the arrest.
He is also seeking the court’s decision to declare the
confiscation of
eig ht yellow
Bersih t-shirts
illegal.
Musafri, who
was arrested on
June 26, was on
his way home
from a meeting at
Padang Jawa ,
Klang.
He said the
arrest had tarnished his image in the community as it had
caused residents
to lo ok upon
him as a criminal.
Mu s a f r i i s
seeking general
damages, exemplary damages
and aggravated
damages in a filing on July 15. Yew showing photos of his injuries.
He is naming
the arresting officers, Shah Alam police chief ACP Zahedi
Ayob, as well as Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein
as respondents in his suit on the grounds that they abuse
their powers.
The Bersih 2.0 rally attracted 50,000 participants, according to its organisers; however, the federal government,
which has declared the movement illegal, claimed that only
6,000 attended.
More than 100
show up for
Yellow Dinner
PETALING JAYA: Following Bersih 2.0’s demonstration
on July 9, activists held a post event at a restaurant on Jalan
Gasing, attracting more than 100 people.
Billed as the “Yellow Dinner”, the event brought together a diverse range of Malaysians from all walks of life.
To the surprise of regular diners, most of the Yellow Dinner attendees showed up in a yellow theme, while a handful
of them were spotted in the “outlawed” Bersih 2.0 t-shirts.
Present to lend their support were Bersih 2.0 steering
committee members lecturer Dr Wong Chin Huat, Penangbased academic Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon, and MBPJ
councillor Richard Yeoh.
During the gathering, Wong asked to crowd to keep the
Bersih spirit alive.
“We’re not an independent nation as long as we’re colonised by fear,” he said. Besides the Yellow Dinner, one of the ideas suggested
to keep the movement alive was the “Yellow Saturday
Evening by the Lakeside” at Taman Jaya, Jalan Timu from
5pm to 7pm.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) and Bersih
2.0 will face off for the first time since the rally next week.
In a forum titled What next after July 9?, the EC will be
represented by deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar,
while Bersih 2.0 chairperson S Ambiga will represent the
electoral reform movement.
Sinar Harian will host the forum to be held on July 26
from 2pm to 5pm at the Karangkraf Media Group auditorium in Section 15, Shah Alam.
The other panellist is Professor Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, professor from UKM’s Ethnic Studies Institute.
The forum will be moderated by Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs chief executive officer Wan Saiful
Wan Jan.
7
8
NEWS
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
Six kindergartens too many
By Brenda Ch’ng
KLANG: Five kindergartens, with another
being built, are proving to be too many for a
gated community with just 420 households.
Residents of Jenaris Bandar Botanic are
growing more frustrated by the daily traffic
snarls in the mornings and evenings at the single
entrance and exit into the neighbourhood.
“How the council could approve another kindergarten in this area is beyond comprehension,” said resident Benjamin Phang.
The 57-year-old, who lives on Jalan Jenaris 8, said one kindergarten in a neighbourhood should have been enough. He said residential homes should not be
converted for commercial purposes, more so
when the area is supposed to be a guarded
community. Echoing his sentiment on Wednesday
was Bandar Botanic Residents Association
(BBRA) committee member Lim Chin Beng.
“The council should come up with a solution for the traffic congestion immediately
and stop approving commercial developments
in residential areas,” he said, adding that residents want a win-win solution to combat the
traffic congestion.
However, he added that if traffic is manageable and smooth, there is no reason why the
kindergartens cannot continue to operate.
Yew and Santiago (third and fifth left respectively) looking over development plans
with Lim (left), Phang (second left) and BBRA committee members.
The 65-year-old resident has been living
there for eight years and has been coping with
the bad traffic conditions from day one.
According to Phang and Lim, development
plans showed that the newest kindergarten is
also being built on a plot of land that is not
meant for commercial use. However, the Klang Municipal Council
(MPK) has denied this and maintains that the
land is for commercial purpose.
“MPK approved the kindergarten and
building because according to their records,
only one of the existing kindergartens is registered and licensed,” said councillor Yew
Boon Lye. The four others are unlicensed and
have been summoned by MPK.
In addition, MPK guidelines state that
kindergartens cannot operate in the radius of
200m from each other.
Yew pointed out that MPK approved the
sixth kindergarten because they didn’t see any
reason for rejecting the building plans for an
empty commercial land.
But he acknowledged that the local council had made a mistake in not conducting a
site visit to determine the suitability of a
kindergarten in the area.
Yew said he will call on MPK’s Engineering, Planning and Building Department to
conduct a traffic study in the area.
“It is unfair to stop or demolish the almostcompleted building as they got a proper licence and approval from the council,” he said.
To expedite the traffic solution, Klang Member of Parliament Charles Santiago will set up
a meeting between the council’s engineering
department, the residents association and
kindergarten owners to resolve the traffic issues.
“This is poor planning on the part of MPK,
and they should be responsible for rectifying
it immediately,” he said.
He suggested for MPK to impose restrictions on the new kindergarten and come up
with an alternative route for the exit and entrance for the area.
“I cannot imagine how the residents can
put up with a daily flow of minimum 400 cars
driving in and out their housing area just to
drop off and pick up children,” Santiago said.
Rehda wants easing of planning guidelines Council to address
By Alvin Yap
PETALING JAYA: Town and planing guidelines for the city
will be reviewed by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to
meet demand for homes.
The review follows a suggestion by the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) that land for residential
purposes be maximised to build more homes.
Redha has been lobbying MBPJ for a review of the current
plot density ratio formula which restricts them from building
more units, especially in strata or high-rise developments.
“Local governments like MBPJ must engage with developers.
There are ‘pockets’ left for development in Petaling Jaya,” said
Ronnie Liu.
The executive councillor for local government said the cooperation between Redha and MBPJ to tackle development issues
here is timely.
Rehda wants a review of guidelines for the optimum plot
ratio and the maximum plot ratio formula, especially in the city.
According to the Town and Country Planning Act 1976,
“plot ratio” is defined as “the ratio of the total floor area of a
building to the area of the building plot as measured between
the survey boundary lines, or, if there are no survey boundary
lines, between the provisional boundary lines”.
Essentially, it determines how many residential units a devel-
opment can have taking into consideration its land size, and
also existing and planned infrastructure like roads and public
transport.
Rehda wants the review so that developers can obtain approvals for the maximum plot ratio.
“Petaling Jaya is still the most desirable place to live [in]”
said Rehda national council member Che King Tow at a press
conference after a workshop organised by MBPJ and Rehda
on Tuesday.
MBPJ is considering the option to approve maximum plot
ratio applications as an incentive for developers to build residential buildings that satisfy “green” building standards.
Currently, new developments must satisfy the Green Building
Index (GBI) criteria on energy and water efficiency, among
other things.
“However, there are even higher standards which developers
must satisfy in order to receive the maximum plot ratio approval,” said Lee Lih Shyan.
The head of MBPJ’s One-Stop Centre also said there would
be a review of car park requirements for strata units.
Currently, strata developments must provide 30% extra parking
bays on top of the submitted number of parking lots for visitors.
However, Lee said property developers have been pushing
for a reduction to 20% as the existing requirements restrict them
from building more residential units.
Property development bullish in PJ
PETALING JAYA: To date, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has approved RM10 billion in property development since 2010.
“This shows that development in Petaling Jaya is consistent and growing.
“It also means that MBPJ has to plan
and monitor development closely,” said
mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman on Tuesday.
He said the city council’s One Stop
Centre (OSC) and full board meetings
would vet every application for property
development in Petaling Jaya to ensure that
growth in the city will be sustainable.
Roslan said the well-being and quality
of life of ratepayers will not be compromised by runaway development.
Among the challenges in administrating
Petaling Jaya is the increasing lack of land
parcels for new property development.
Roslan said MBPJ is concerned with the
issue, and is working closely with developers such as the Real Estate and Housing
Developers Association of Malaysia (Rehda) to look into maximising land use.
“MBPJ and Rehda are working closely
to come out with new guidelines on the plot
density ratio for strata and other kinds of
development,” Roslan said during his closing speech at a town-planning workshop.
He pointed out that the OSC had processed 562 applications for property development as of June 30 this year.
Roslan pointed out that 99% of the
applications have been decided on, of
which 94% were within the three-month
processing period.
MBPJ received 1,089 applications in
2010. It processed 562 and 839 applications for 2008 and 2009 respectively.
Roslan said there has been a 30% increase since 2008 in applications for building and other infrastructure developments.
The OSC is a department in MBPJ that
acts as a one-stop centre for applications
for development.
The setting up of the OSC in 2007
meant that an applicant submitted building, engineering and draft plans to one
department instead of to several.
Roslan said the OSC, which is technical- and engineering-based department, has
facilitated the decision-making process and
shortened it to three months.
Petaling Jaya issues
PETALING JAYA: The city council will work together with property developers and owners to address
pressing issues facing Petaling Jaya.
State executive councillor Ronnie Liu said the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Selangor welcome
input from parties who want to contribute towards
building a sustainable city.
“Selangor and MBPJ want to hear from property developers and owners, engineers and town planning consultants
to ensure that the quality of life for residents is enhanced,”
said Liu, who holds the local government portfolio.
Liu said the influx of people into Petaling Jaya – better known as PJ – has increased in the last few years.
With one of the highest migration rates in the
country, Selangor’s population is expected to hit 7.3
million by 2020.
He said Selangor contributed around 21% of the
national GDP, adding that the influx would remain
unabated in the years to come.
“Without proper town planning, the numbers could
strain the ability of MBPJ to balance growth and sustainability in the next few years,” Liu said on the
sidelines of a roundtable organised by MBPJ and the
Real Estate and Housing Developers Association of
Malaysia (Rehda) on Tuesday.
Liu said haphazard planning and development
would badly affect the socioeconomic condition and
well-being of ratepayers in PJ.
He said PJ was facing challenges to its infrastructure,
just like other rapidly growing urban centres.
Liu said the local government and Selangor would
have to work closely with property developers to
tackle land shortages.
The Pandamaran assemblyperson said Selangor had
provided six economic stimulus packages for urban renewal projects since 2009.
“PJ has been the focal area for urban renewal programmes. The funds will revitalise and provide job opportunities, and lead to RM10 billion investments over
the next few years,” he said.
The roundtable, comprising workshops to discuss
town-planning issues, was held at One World Hotel in
Bandar Utama.
news
Peat forest fire brought
under control
By Alvin Yap
KLANG: A smouldering peat fire in Johan Setia, which
adversely contributed to hazy skies in Selangor, was finally brought under control by agencies.
“The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) fire-monitoring unit was assisted by the Fire and Rescue Department
and the Selangor Department of Environment (DOE),”
said MPK assistant head enforcement officer Shahrul
Hazri Abd Majid.
He said the Klang Land Office and Klang Drain and
Irrigation Department also helped in the effort.
The fire at the 25-hectare peat swamp started on July
5. The situation was closely monitored by the DOE and
After shopping, officers help to guide the senior citizens back to the bus.
KUALA SELANGOR: Sixty elderly
residents from the Ijok state constituency
were the first in Selangor to receive and
spend their free RM100 vouchers from
the state.
The residents – many of have never set
foot in a hypermarket – were taken by bus
to Tesco Kuala Selangor last Friday, where
they mainly used the money for groceries.
“This is the first time I’ve been here,”
said a cheerful Jamilah Mangun, 80, and
Fatimah Kartio, 69, from Batu 8 Ijok.
They usually shop at the village grocery
store as there is no hypermarket in Ijok.
Jamilah and Fatimah bought some rice,
Milo, biscuits and 100 Plus for their families using their RM100 voucher at Tesco.
Another recipient, Liew Ai, 61, told
Selangor Times that she was grateful to the
state for its Jom Shopping initiative.
“RM100 isn’t a lot of money, but it’s
enough for us to buy some grocery supplies. We appreciate the thought behind
it,” said a beaming Liew.
The Jom Shopping programme, originally called Jom ke Supermarket, is part of
the state’s welfare scheme for senior citizens
known as Skim Mesra Usia Emas (SMUE).
SMUE is part of Selangor’s peoplecentric economic agenda, which channels
profits from sand mining and state subsidiaries into various welfare programmes.
SMUE is open to those born in Selangor
aged 60 and above, as well as those who
have lived in the state for at least 15 years.
State executive councillor Rodziah Ismail said to date, around 170,000 senior
citizens have been registered under the
9
MPK enforcement teams.
“The fire caused smoke and haze conditions in the areas
of Kampung Johan Setia, Bandar Puteri, Bandar Botanik,
Bandar Putera, and also in Bukit Tinggi,” Shahrul said.
The firefighting taskforce comprised 20 members
whose main duty was to prevent the fire from further
spreading, he added.
The teams were assisted by air surveillance monitoring
the blaze.
Meanwhile, the public has been warned against conducting open-burning activities to prevent a repeat of
what had happened in Johan Setia.
The culprits are believed to have started the fire to clear
the site to plant crops illegally.
Putting out the fire in Johan Setia.
Ijok folks first to get
Jom Shopping vouchers
By Gan Pei Ling
July 22 — 24, 2011
scheme since
its launch in
2008.
Rodziah,
whose portfolio includes
welfare, said
the beneficiaries of
22,706 residents who
registered for Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim
SMUE have
also received financial aid for funeral expenditure.
“The state has disbursed RM52.28 million in total to their beneficiaries,” she said,
pointing out that the state has set aside
RM5-10 million for Jom Shopping.
Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Tan Sri
Khalid Ibrahim, who kicked off the first
Jom Shopping trip, urged participants to
encourage their peers to sign up for SMUE.
He said special arrangements will be
made for senior citizens who are immobile, where goods worth RM100 will be
delivered to their doorsteps.
Also at the launch last Friday were
Speaker and Sungai Pinang assemblyperson Datuk Teng Chang Khim, executive
councillors Dr Xavier Jayakumar and
Ronnie Liu, Kuala Selangor Member of
Parliament Dr Dzulkelfy Ahmad, Sekinchan assemblyperson Ng Suee Lim, and
Teluk Datuk assemblyperson Philip Tan.
Local officers including Kuala Selangor
District Council president Noraini Roslan, Kuala Selangor District Officer
Misri Idris, and councillors also attended
the launch.
Upgrade around Serdang market
SERI KEMBANGAN: Roads around the
Serdang wet market have been repaired and resurfaced, providing traders and patrons with a more
conducive environment at long last.
“This market has been here for over 50 years,
but the streets haven’t been upgraded [until now],”
said Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) vice-chairperson Liew Mook Keow.
The 68-year-old resident said the new roads
make the market safer for everyone, including
traders, who no longer have to worry while wheeling their goods on trolleys.
The 100m stretch of pothole-ridden road along
Jalan Panggung was resurfaced last month by
contractors appointed by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).
Meanwhile, the problem of flash floods faced by
shop owners on Jalan SK10/3 has also been resolved,
thanks to the intervention of Ean Yong Hian Wah.
The Seri Kembangan assemblyperson got the
council to build a new 12m-long drain to prevent
rainwater from gushing down the slope towards
shoplots.
The drain
coverings can
be lifted with
ease for cleaning to prevent
them from getting clogged
with rubbish.
In addition,
a collapsed
60m-long drain
on Ja lan B S
5/21A was also
repaired recently by the coun- Yong (left) and MPSJ
councillor Chong Hoon Ming
cil.
“I am im- (second right).
pressed by the
quick response and attention the council gave for
all these repairs. All three were completed in less
than a month,” said Ean Yong.
Litterbugs to pay dearly
By Brenda Ch’ng
PETALING JAYA: A minimum
RM50 fine will be imposed on litterbugs caught by the Petaling Jaya
City Council (MBPJ) from Aug 16.
Those caught throwing or indiscriminately dumping rubbish will
face an even stiffer penalty of
RM100. Owners who fail to provide rubbish bins in front of their
shops will also be fined RM100.
MBPJ is sending out 700,000
flyers to warn the public about the
crackdown.
The campaign, called Kempen MBPJ personnel demonstrating CCTV cameras that
Kutu Sampah, was launched yes- hover in mid-air.
terday by Mayor Datuk Roslan
Sakiman.
The public are advised to ask enforcement
“To ensure the campaign runs smoothly, officers to identify themselves before paying their
MBPJ will enforce it in phases, starting with fines. They also need to ask officers for receipts.
Sections 52 and 8,” said MBPJ enforcement
Those unable to pay on the spot will be
chief Fauzi Maarob.
given a month to pay up.
This pilot campaign will run for three
If they are still unable to pay, the council
months before being introduced to other parts will issue warning letters before bringing them
of the city.
to court.
Fauzi added that 20 enforcement officers
“This new enforcement is not only limited
would be stationed in Sections 52 and 8.
to passers-by or the public, but also to students
MBPJ will also rely on 46 closed-circuit and shops,” said Roslan. television (CCTV) cameras to catch culprits.
“If issuing summonses does not work, we
The public will be given a discount of 50% may have to consider community service for
if they pay fines on the spot.
offenders,” he said.
VIEWS
10
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
Thorns and thorny issues
D
ear Lord Bobo, my nose is falling apart. It’s been
suffering so much lately. First there was the teargas.
After that, acrid haze. When that cleared, all I smell
is durians everywhere! Are you a fan of durians? @I Smell,
Therefore I Am, via email
THIS may surprise many
minions, but His Supreme
Eminenceness is indeed a fan
of durians. It is one of Lord
Bobo’s favourite fruits!
It is quite surprising that
durians are not absolutely
adored by a majority of Malaysians. Applying simple
logic to it, anything that is
worth hacking through a
thick thorny skin for must be
absolutely delicious!
But Lord Bobo is not
perturbed by the durianhaters out there. If anything,
their negativity only adds to the exclusivity and exquisiteness
of the fruit. Like the best blue cheeses, it’s only for connoisseurs, you see?
Many celebrity chefs have been trying out durian recently
in their international restaurants, to mixed acclaim. These chefs
are forced to try out different ingredients year on year, in a bid
to remain “innovative”. Even television chefs are getting in on
the act.
Lord Bobo recalls watching
an episode of Bizarre Foods with
Andrew Zimmern from a hotel
suite in the Swiss Alps last year.
In that episode, Zimmern – who
prides himself in being able to
eat the most, well, bizarre foods
in the world – was hosting an
hour-long special going around
the world.
He ate all sorts of strange,
appalling things – from rotting,
maggoty meat, to the still-beating recently-removed heart of a
frog. He didn’t blink.
Andrew Zimmern
Until he came to Penang, that
is. There, deep in an orchard, he met the durian. The smell
itself sent him into convulsions, and he vomited out some fish
maw he had eaten earlier elsewhere in Penang.
After some coaxing by the irritated local, he did manage to
put some in his mouth, but spat it out.
His challenge had ended. He was greatly disappointed – of
all things, he did not expect to be defeated by a fruit.
But not all these ang moh chefs hate the durian. His Supreme Eminenceness was in a bar in Timbuktu just last month,
Kthxbai!
Fahmi Fadzil
Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by
LoyarBurok (www.loyarburok.com) where all
your profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic,
recondite, sagacious, and other thesaurusdescribed queries are answered!
and saw a rerun of a show where Anthony Bourdain was scoffing down some durian. He loved the stuff.
He quite rightly said it is something that people will either
hate or despise. Bourdain pointed out that he didn’t understand the arrogance of Europeans who complained about the
smell of durian, yet are able to stomach the smelliest blue
cheeses.
Bourdain is a man after Lord Bobo’s own heart – a true
connoisseur.
Of course, Lord Bobo has been known to be quite fussy
(how do you think the blawg maintains such high standards?)
– and even a love for durian comes with conditions. His Supreme Eminenceness would never be caught eating those
imported, saran-wrapped Thai durians in the supermarkets,
or those frozen and shipped durians available in European
mini-markets like contraband. No way.
Durians must be eaten while squatting down (or at least on
flimsy plastic stools) on an unpaved embankment by
the side of the road, and fresh from a just-hackedopen fruit itself. Bliss.
various areas which are under federal or state government
control. The Royal Malaysian Police force, for the purposes of
maintaining peace and security in the country, is placed under
the control of the federal government control (which is why
we don’t have state police or local sheriffs like the USA).
So, the Royal Malaysian Police is under the power of the
federal government – more specifically the Home Affairs
Ministry – and not the King.
What about the separation of powers? Contrary to
popular belief, the Malaysian practice of “separation of powers” is not as strictly separated as compared to presidential
democracies.
Instead, it leans towards the application of the fusion of
power, because of the intermingled functions and membership
of the Executive and the Legislative in parliamentary democracies, where the Prime Minister and members of the administration in the Executive body are also elected representatives
in the Legislative body.
This blurring of the lines between the various bodies under
the separation of powers doctrine has been exacerbated
through time by various high-handed amendments to the
Federal Constitution. The concept is then often completely
sidelined in practice.
So, the next time you’re reading an explanation of the concept of “separation of powers” and wonder why it doesn’t seem
to fit the situation in Malaysia, it’s because, well, it doesn’t.
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme
Eminenceness by emailing [email protected],
stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or
tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and
using the hashtag #asklordbobo. Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are
somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have
Freed My Spirit!
L
ord Bobo, is the Royal Malaysian Police
under the power of the Home Ministry or
the King? Where’s the separation of powers
here? @jofanpang, via Twitter
MANY have been misled by the concept of separation of powers (look up Montesquieu and the like)
and its unique application in Malaysia, but that’s
another story.
The word “Royal” in the Royal Malaysian Police
(“Polis Raja Di Malaysia” or is it “Polis Di-Raja
Malaysia”? Oh yes, even Lord Bobo gets confused
from time-to-time.) doesn’t actually mean the police
force belongs to the King.
Schedule 9 of the Federal Constitution lists down
Cleaner, fairer, better?
PRACTICALLY everyone who is reading this already
knows about the July 9 rally organised by the Bersih 2.0
coalition. I believe that many of us were there on the streets
on that historic day.
I believe many of us chose to step out of our houses,
abandon our cars, and walk the streets of Kuala Lumpur to
stand up for what we collectively believe in. I believe we
wanted to send a signal to those in the halls of power that
we want our elections to be cleaner and fairer, that we had
had enough, and that History is on the side of the rakyat. Yet when you really think about all the events leading up to
that historic day, it seems like so much could have gone awry. A few days before the rally, I’d had a quick conversation
with a seasoned politician from a BN component party. He
conceded that this coalition of non-governmental organisations had truly out-maneuvered the government of the day,
though not entirely of its own doing.
“Barisan has truly outdone itself in how it overreacted
to Bersih 2.0, and the rakyat is seeing this government for
what it is – nothing more than a bully!” (Even till this day, some two weeks later, we see acts of
repressive bullying by the federal government continuing
– the six PSM members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr
Michael Jeyakumar, are still being detained without trial
under the Emergency Ordinance; those found wearing or in
possession of Bersih 2.0 t-shirts could have those “illegal”
merchandise confiscated; even an article in the July 16 edition
of The Economist was censored for its take on the rally!) Even so, the politician I spoke to felt that some untoward incidences may have taken place on the day of the
demonstrations, and that “there may be sacrifices”. A
shiver crawled up and down my spine at that very thought,
as various scenarios ran through my mind – could this be
a bloody end? Or will that weekend be a new beginning
for our nation? Thankfully, despite the 1,667 arrests on that day itself
(and the hundreds in the days preceding it), no deadly acts
of violence occurred, and in this instance the veteran party
man was thankfully wrong. Nonetheless, the demonstration marked both ends and
beginnings. To an extent, it represented the end of certain
myths – that street protests are violent; the constant screeching calls of “berdemo bukan budaya kita”; that May 13
constantly hung like the sword of Damocles.
This historic day also marked the beginning of new cultures or attitudes – of taking multiethnic Malaysia, even
during rallies, as a given; of sobriety and a tempered tone in
the Bersih 2.0 committee’s responses to hyperventilating
state apparatuses; of the idea that Malaysian civil society has
come away strengthened and rejuvenated. But I think that Bersih 2.0 in general and the rally in
particular needs to be analyzed more. For one, not all who
support Bersih 2.0 are necessarily supporters of the federal
opposition. As should be clear by now, the 62 NGOs are
clamouring for eight demands that ultimately benefit the
people in terms of strengthening the democratic process in
Malaysia, and we should not read this immediately as a blanket support of policies or positions held by certain parties. We have come away from July 9 more sober, more
thoughtful, and I do believe more committed to making
the kind of changes that will be necessary to get this country back on track – socially, politically, economically. In other words, Bersih 2.0 marks the maturing of the
Malaysian electorate, although the process is obviously far
from being complete. And so, we can only ask, what happens next?
views 11
July 22 — 24, 2011
Yellow Dinner: A
night to remember
By Fatima Abdul Kareem
W
hile many of us chose to
stay home on July 9,
thousands of our fellow
Malaysians made a choice and took
risks. They chose to march on the
streets of Kuala Lumpur to restore
the integrity of our electoral process.
It was a choice made by them, for
their future, for their nation.
And so, on July 16, upon hearing
about the Yellow Dinner taking
place in Lotus PJ State Restaurant,
I, too, made a choice. I chose to
participate as I wanted to see the
faces of my Malaysian mates who
stood up for what they believed in.
I wanted to listen to their experiences first-hand. But most of all, I
wanted to find out the truth.
I was the first to arrive. I sat in a
corner waiting patiently for the yellow crowd to make their entrance.
Upon ordering my paper tosai, I
realised many curious eyes were set
on me.
Yellow is definitely not my colour. I remember telling myself that
I looked like a huge pumpkin. And
the fact that I had to wear a yellow
maternity blouse (that’s all I could
find in short notice since my yellow
tees were all in the washer) did not
help.
Perhaps after midnight, this huge
yellow pumpkin would turn into
something amazing , I thought.
Something amazing indeed!
By half past seven, people started
filling up the restaurant. The Jalur
Gemilang, which was placed strategically on one table, made it clear
that this was a gathering of Malaysians, for Malaysians, concerning
Malaysians. Strangers dressed in
yellow shook hands. Some hugged
each other. A few not in their yellow
garb who joined the crowd said they
were yellow in spirit.
Soon one table became two, and
This is the true 1Malaysia. Ironically, our PM and his cabinet ministers who have been chanting
“1Malaysia” for the longest time
would never agree with me.
We had passersby giving us
strange looks. There were some patrons eagerly asking what was going
on. At one point, we heard police
sirens nearby. But nothing mattered
because something amazing was taking place in Lotus PJ State that night.
I heard stories of strangers holding hands, marching together. I saw
This reminded me of a speech by
our PM a couple of months earlier,
who’d said: ‘…But while a man
standing in the road is a nuisance,
a mere distraction, 10 men standing
together are harder to ignore. And
if that 10 became 100, a thousand,
a million, a billion even, they would
become a force so big, so strong and
so united in their common cause...’”
then three, and the number kept
increasing.
It was an extraordinary dinner. It
was remarkable to see how people
of different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions and statuses can come
together simply because they believe
in the same thing.
the smiles on their faces when they
told me how individuals became
groups of tens, and then grew to
hundreds and thousands. I saw them
giving hi-fives when they learnt that
they were with the same group on
July 9. I witnessed strangers breaking the ice with a simple smile and
The turnout at Lotus PJ State Restaurant on July 16. (Pics courtesy of Linus Chung)
a nod before joining in a conversation filled with laughter.
I heard stories of how strangers
helped one another: A family opening their door to provide shelter for
some 50 people running away from
the tear gas; store owners giving free
water to the afflicted; people helping one another climb gates to escape the tear gas.
I heard about how the FRUs ordered them to sit on the street, and
as the crowd obeyed, they were attacked with more tear gas. It was
unprovoked. Many couldn’t see and
had difficulty breathing. But in the
chaos, there was always someone
around to help. Some guided them
to a safer site; some offered water to
wash their faces; some gave tips on
where to hide.
I laughed as I heard about people
passing salt to each other to reduce
the effect of tear gas. Many did not
know what to do with it. Some
rubbed the salt on their body, while
a friend of mine sniffed it. I learnt
that night that in order to reduce
the pain, one should simply put it
in their mouth.
Everyone at the Yellow Dinner
agreed that on July 9, true unity was
in action. This reminded me of a
speech by our PM a couple of
months earlier, who’d said: “…But
while a man standing in the road is
a nuisance, a mere distraction, 10
men standing together are harder to
ignore. And if that 10 became 100,
a thousand, a million, a billion even,
they would become a force so big,
so strong and so united in their common cause...”
On my journey home, I started
thinking about my fellow Malaysians who are still alienating themselves from Bersih. To support
Bersih is not about wearing yellow
or provoking the government. It is
about believing in the concept of
Bersih. What started as a call for fair
and clean elections has now grown
into a demand for human rights and
justice and freedom.
I understand that change is often
resisted as the outcome is uncertain.
But growth can’t happen without
change, and to become a successful
nation we must have the ability to
adapt to change. To not deal with
things that matters denies our very
right to grow as individuals.
I know many Malaysians who
simply do not know what to do.
Should they just observe? Should
they just leave it to the rest to fight?
Or perhaps they should simply take
note and do nothing?
And what happens if other people don’t see it the way we do? One
thing we can do is to be patient and
honest. Share with them why we see
the change as being genuinely better
for everyone, especially for our next
generation, for our children and
grandchildren and their families.
One common thing that we all
share is the Malaysian dream. If
everyone unites for this dream, then
all the bumps and twists and turns
that we encounter wouldn’t slow us
a bit.
A Russian philosopher once said:
“I know that my unity with all people cannot be destroyed by national
boundaries and government order.”
I now realise the truth in that.
I missed the unity on July 9 on
the streets of Kuala Lumpur, but I
felt it at the Yellow Dinner. I am
now eagerly waiting for what’s next
to come. I might not dress up like a
yellow pumpkin in the future, but
believe me, the colour of blood in
my veins is now yellow!
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14
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
Icon City of Petaling Jaya
By Alvin Yap
PETALING JAYA: Mah Sing Group
Bhd launched its i-SoVo or Small Office
Versatile Office units at its landmark Icon
City development in Petaling Jaya here
on Sunday.
The country’s fifth largest developer
by revenue wants to change one of the
prime real estate areas in the city into a
landmark commercial hub.
“Petaling Jaya needs a new landmark,
and we’re confident Icon City will be it,”
said its group managing director and group
chief executive, Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum.
Mah Sing is offering 283 units of the
upmarket office suites comprising two
types of built-up area, 745 sq ft and
1,094 sq ft.
Two 31-storey blocks will house the
office units, which sell from RM599,000
each.
Surrounded by landscaped plazas and
sky gardens, the duplex units feature high
ceilings that separate work and private
space.
“We designed it so that buyers can convert it into an art
gallery, a music studio, a design loft, or a private hangout for
family and friends,” Leong said at a press conference after the
launch event.
The buildings will also feature a proposed business
centre and Executive Club with a gymnasium, Jacuzzi and
sauna facilities.
Slated for completion around 2014, the i-SoVo office
blocks is the first phase of Icon City, a RM3.2 billion development on a 7.93-hectar leasehold land in SS8 Sungei Way.
Situated at the intersection of Lebuhraya Damasara-Puchong and the Federal Highway, Icon City will also include
Breaking fast
in Premiere style
SHAH ALAM: Klang’s latest business
hotel, Premiere Hotel, will serve up a feast
come this year’s Ramadan month.
The theme for this year’s Ramadan buffet will be centered upon kampung fare.
Prepared by Perak-born sous chef Mohd
Rosnan and his team, the range of kampung favourites will be served from 6.30pm
to 10.30pm from Aug 1-30.
The fasting-month special will be served
in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom, and patrons
can bring their friends and families to dine
in spacious comfort.
According to Premiere Hotel, the
RM80 nett per person buffet is expected
to have over 150 different choices.
The menu will encompass wholesome
kampung fare, along with favourite Western, Indian and Chinese cuisine, with over
150 types of dishes every day, ranging from
refreshing appetisers, fresh salads and authentic hot dishes to satisfying desserts.
There are lemang, sambal belacan, laksa,
petai prawn, sotong belacan, lemak siput
and nanas, gulai ikan masin, Singapore
crabs, kari kepala ikan, daging berlada belimbing buluh, daging berkunyit cili, lala
singgang serai, ayam kuzi and much more.
As for Ramadan favourites, Mohd Rosnan particularly recommends udang sambal petai, siput sedut masak lemak pucuk
paku, ikan patain masak lemak tempoyak,
lala masak singang and rendang tok.
Not to be missed is one Rosnan’s highly
recommended Sup Rusa.
Some of the local favourites featured in
the hotel’s Ramadan bazaar stalls are satay,
ikan bakar, roti canai, ayam tandoori, succulent roast leg of lamb, mee soto, popiah
basah, Malaysian all-time favourite ice
kacang, and more.
The dessert spread consists of traditional Malay kuih such as ketayap, lepat
a second phase development consisting of lifestyle
shop-offices, a “gourmet street” with 20 units of
two-storey food outlets, service apartments and
high-rise office towers.
It is slated to be completed around 2017.
Leong is bullish on the project as there is demand for commercial property in Petaling Jaya,
and rental yield is good.
“A lot of companies are moving to Petaling Jaya
as an alternative to having an office in the Kuala
Lumpur city area,” he said.
He said Icon City will have the “greenest”
buildings in the region, satisfying compliance
with the Green Building Index, Green Mark, and
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
standards.
Leong also allayed public misgivings on the
traffic density once the first and second phase of
the development are completed.
The company is investing RM200 million to
construct access ramps and flyovers, he said.
“We have committed a significant investment
to ensure accessibility and traffic mitigation. We
have undertaken a thorough traffic study and are
proposing comprehensive traffic dispersal with
various ramps and access points,” Leong said. He said Icon City is strategically located near public
transport as the Seri Setia and Setia Jaya KTM stations and
the Kelana Jaya LRT are in the area.
Earlier, the launch saw prospective buyers treated to a
performance by violinist Joanne Yeoh, as well as a jazz band,
and magic and clown shows for the children. Tournament to discover
football talent
Mohd Iqbal receiving a hamper. On his left is Datuk Ahmad.
By Basil Foo
pisang, lemang and serunding, kuih koci,
lepat ubi, onde-onde, tapai pulut and pulut
panggang, which all have just the right
amount of sweetness.
Five different Ramadan menus will be
rotated during the puasa month, with a
refreshing choice of beverage and sweet
desserts. The buffet is priced at RM80 nett
per person and RM40 for children aged
seven to 12 years old, and RM60 for senior
citizens aged 55 years and above.
Early birds can also benefit from a special offer: those who book now will pay
RM60 net per person. The Ramadan
vouchers can be purchased at The Buzz,
Level G between July 1 and 31 from
10.00am to 8.00pm daily, and are available
on a limited basis.
For reser vations, please call 0333256844 / 6988 or email [email protected].
SHAH ALAM: The Independance Football
Academy Carnival, organised by Permodalan
Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB) Football
Club, was held last weekend in conjunction
with the country’s 54th year of independence.
PNSB FC patron Datuk Ahmad Omar
officiated the event, and said that among their
goals was to unearth young talent among the
children taking part.
“This is a stepping stone for our children to
achieve success in the sports arena,” he said.
He spoke during the event’s opening ceremony at the Shah Alam mini stadium on
Saturday ( July 16).
Datuk Ahmad, who is also PNSB chief
executive officer, said the event was in line with
the Menteri Besar’s suggestion to cultivate
more football talents in Selangor.
“This programme is also to instill awareness
and appreciation in all participants and attendees of the nation’s independence,” he
added.
The weekend-long football tournament saw
the convergence of 80 teams of eight- to
16-year-olds from the Klang Valley, Penang,
Malacca, and Pahang.
Apart from the football teams battling it
out, several awards were presented to recognise
those who participated actively in the sport.
Mohamad Iqbal Naim Tony Rosdin, 17,
received a certificate, hamper, and sports gear
for representing Selangor in the Malaysian
Schools Sports Council (MSSM) 2011.
He first joined the PNSB football academy
when he was 12 years old and was commended for his determination and achievements.
A special parent-trainer award was awarded
to Jamalludin Hashim in appreciation of his
commitment in encouraging his children during football practice and competitions.
He received a certificate, hamper, and tickets to watch the match between national
football team Harimau Malaya and Chelsea
Football Club.
The PNSB football academy, which organised the carnival for its fifth year, was established in 2007 to coach young children and
teenagers between six and 18 years old.
Media 15
July 22 — 24, 2011
By Alvin Yap
Overwhelming demand
for Golden Pearl homes
KAJANG: Tanming Bhd launched its Golden Pearl
bungalows at the Taming Mutiara township in Sungai
Long on Sunday.
The developer’s marketing manager, Natalie Siew, said
there is almost a 90% take-up rate for the 76 units of
luxury three-storey bungalow units.
“Many of our buyers are loyal
customers who have bought into
our previous development,” Siew
said.
Siew pointed out that the good
response is due to Tanming’s track
record of delivering projects on
time.
The low-key property developer
relies more on word-of-mouth to
attract buyers.
Tanming , she said, attracts
homebuyers who want quality fixtures and finishing for their homes.
During a tour of a bungalow
unit, Siew pointed out the brand
and premium quality of the doors,
plumbing and sanitary fittings.
“ We use quality European
plumbing such as Grohe for the
taps,” she said, referring to the wellknown European manufacturer of
The houses can be customised
sanitary fittings.
Golden Pearl bungalows come according to paint colour and
with a built-up area of 3,694 sq ft other minor designs such as the
and are on freehold land, fetching artwork for the automatic gate.
Currently, Phase 1 of Golden
upwards of RM1.88 million for an
Pearl consists of 50 units, and is
intermediate lot.
Each unit consists of six bed- slated to be completed in 18
months’ time.
rooms and one utility room.
Phase 2 has 26 units, and is on
The homes are installed with
burglar alarm systems and solar track for completion four months
after the first phase.
panels for water heaters.
Siew said the price represents
good value as the homes are installed with quality finishing.
She said the township is only 20
minutes away from Kuala Lumpur,
and is accessible via the Kajang-Silk
highway and the Cheras-Kajang toll.
SMK Bandar Sungai Long is
nearby, while Universiti Tunku
Abdul Rahman’s branch is 10 minutes away from the housing area.
Spacious
and modern
living room.
Siew describes the bungalow lots as high-quality.
Local ace Airil closes in on leaders
By Basil Foo
SHAH ALAM: Despite the
heavy afternoon shower, local ace
Airil Rizman made a strong charge
to the top when he carded 6-under
66 to stay within striking distance
from the leaders after the second
round in the R M1.2 million
Worldwide Holdings Selangor
Masters 2011 yesterday.
Having finished 1-under the on
Wednesday, Airil shot down six
birdies but had one bogey to finish
at 6-under 138.
Airil is in a eight-way tie for sixth
place.
Overnight leader Joonas Granberg of Finland claimed a share of
the clubhouse lead with Namchok
Tantipokhakul (Tha), Panuwat
Muenlek (Tha), Panuphol Pittayarat
(Tha) and Marcus Both (Aus).
Granberg, who surprised the
field on Wednesday after setting
a new course record with his
10-under 62, failed to get going
after the afternoon rain and finished 3-over 75.
Thailand’s Panuwat, who scored
4-under 68 in the first round, carded
a 3-under 68 to share the top spot
with Granberg and Airil.
Granberg said the weather contributed to his poorer performance
yesterday.
“The greens were just too fast and
slippery after the rain,” said the
24-year-old Qualifying School
graduate.
“Added to the humid local conditions, I had a tougher time today,”
Granberg told Selangor Times.
The rookie said that the Kota
Permai Golf Club was a
good combination but
the going was made harder due to the unpredictable weather.
Others tied for second
place at 6-under 138 are
Sujian Singh (Ind), Scott
Barr (Aus), Chapchai
Nirat (Tha), Chang TsePeng (Tai), Siddikur Rahman (Ban), Jyoti Rand- Granberg
hawa (Ind) and Himmat
Rai (Ind).
Meanwhile, the other best Malaysian players on the leaderboard
are Ben Leong who repeated
Wednesday’s score of 2-under 70.
He is currently tied in 21st place
at 4-under 140. Lying a stroke be-
hind Leong is Sukree Othman who
carded a 2-under to finish at 3-under 141.
The RM1.2 million Selangor
Masters 2011 is sponsored by
Worldwide Holdings Bhd and will
end on Saturday.
Charity treasure hunt returns
Granberg in
action during
the second
round of the
Selangor
Masters
tournament at
the Kota Permai
Golf Club
yesterday.
PETALING JAYA: Want to do your part for the
underprivileged? The 7th Annual Atmah Charity
Treasure Hunt will be held on Aug 13-14 to benefit
low-income families and charity homes.
The interstate route will take treasure hunters from
Petaling Jaya Civic Centre all the way to Bukit
Gambang Resort City in Kuantan, Pahang.
The entry fee is RM680 for a team of four
participants, and they stand to win RM3,000 and
RM2,000 for first and second place respectively.
The treasure hunt items, which will be in the form
of essential goods, will be donated to the needy.
The event is organised by non-governmental
organisation Action To Mobilise All Humanity
(Atmah) and other co-sponsors who have donated
merchandise into a goody bag worth RM200.
Atmah runs community projects for children from
urban poor neighbourhoods, especially in low-cost
flats and squatters in the Klang Valley.
The welfare organisation provides free tuition
classes, leadership and team-building skills training.
Atmah, founded in 2001, also runs food assistance
and blood donation programmes for the needy.
Donations and cash sponsorship to the foundation
will be issued an official receipt for tax exemption
purposes.
Those wanting to participate in the treasure hunt
can contact the Annual Atmah Charity Treasure Hunt
2011 Secretariat by calling 012-2119466 (K
Pavananthan) or 012-2275000 (YK Ramesh).
technology
16
July 22 — 24, 2011
Android
tablet testing
By Edwin Yapp T
he past few months have seen a few launches of tablet
computers in the market, the most notable being Apple’s
iPad 2 launched in early May. Other 10-inch tablets that have since made their way into
the market include Acer’s Iconia Tab A500 and Asus’s Eee Pad
Transformer, both of which are powered by Google’s Android
Honeycomb. Rival HTC has also launched its Android
Gingerbread-powered 7-inch tablet dubbed HTC Flyer. I’ve had a chance to test drive all three tablets. Here, I’ll
give you a brief review of all three products in a two-part series.
The first will concentrate on the first two tablets, while the
second part will focus on the last tablet plus Android’s Honeycomb software and applications. Acer Iconia A500
Right out of the box, Acer’s first try at the Android tablet feels
solid and sturdy. The A500 sports a silver brush aluminum
back with a flushed plastic frame surrounding the sides. To the left side of the device are the headphone jack and
the on/off switch and the HDMI (high-definition video) port,
while the top is where you can find the volume buttons as well
as the rotation lock switch. On the right side, you have the
power jack and your USB ports – one normal sized, the other
a mini-USB. Yes, you read correctly – one of the best things of A500 is
that you can plug in a USB drive and read the files therein like
you would a laptop. This includes Word files, spreadsheets and
presentation files, even movie and music files. This was really
a welcome change from the other tablets that are in the market. The A500 is no slouch when it comes to specs. It sports an
Nvidia dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2, 1GB of memory, a 5-meg-
Asus Eee Pad Transformer
apixel front camera, 2-megapixel front
camera, and 16GB of storage expandable by up to 32GB by means of a microSD card. It has 10.1 capacitive touch
screen, a 1280x800 LCD screen, and a
3,260mAH battery giving you anywhere from six
to eight hours of battery life. One of the best features I’ve come to like
about the A500’s performance is the Dolby
surround system, which you can only find on
the Acer. By turning on this feature, you can not
only get a volume boost, but sound from your videos
and music really come alive in full stereo. The A500’s screen is also surprisingly good considering
it’s just a TFT LCD screen. Tests under strong sunlight
yielded acceptable views except for the truly bright sunlight
shining directly onto it. Camera functions for still frames and
video were, however, only so-so in performance. Built-in software that comes with the A500 is also quite
good. Some of which are LumiRead, an e-book reader; Kobo
books, an online e-book store; Media Server, which lets the
A500 stream content to networked computers; and Photo
Browser 3D, which uses the tablet’s inertial sensors to flip
through graphically pleasing digital scrapbooks of your camera images. Weighing in at 770grams, the A500 is a tad heavy compared
with its rivals. But all in all, Acer’s first attempt at an Android
tablet isn’t too bad. Pros: Well-built, Dolby sound is a plus, USB port on device
gives flexiblity of storage. Good value for money.
Cons: A little heavy compared to rivals, keyboard support
only optional. Recommended retail price: RM1,599.
The Eee
Pad has the latest hardware specs, too:
an NVidia 2.1 GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor, with 16GB of
storage and 1GB of memory, with HDMI output support.
Besides the IPS screen, it has a scratch-resistant glass, a 5-megapixel and 1.2-megapixel rear and front camera respectively, and
a microSD slot for additional memory. Plus, it weighs only 680g. For me, the best-selling point of the Eee Pad is the optional keyboard dock as an extra, effectively making it a Honeycomb netbook. With the extra USB ports, you could use an
external mouse, USB drives and even an external portable hard
drive for extra storage. You’ll always have the flexibility of
tablet and netbook features at your disposal. All in all, my tests with the Asus were quite pleasant with
no major issues encountered. There are some quirks, though,
about the Eee Pad that you should take note of. The first is
that it doesn’t offer a LED flash for the camera, which seem
Asus Eee Pad Transformer
strange given that this is pretty standard these days. The second
Asus has come a long way since giving us its first netbook is that the Eee Pad connects through a proprietary connector,
back in 2008. Its attempt at a tablet is commendable espe- which makes it a little less flexible than its rivals. cially since the Eee Pad has a number of unique selling points. Lastly, you’ll need to be careful when connecting the tablet
The first must be that it uses the IPS (In-Plane Switching) to the dock as there is no guide provided; the only way know
screen. In a nutshell, IPS technology gives better viewing you’ll know if you’ve securely fastened the tablet to the dock
angles [up to 178 deg] because of the way the liquid crystals is when you can’t detach the two. are aligned. This is especially true while viewing in the vertical
Pros: Good value for money with keyboard dock doubling
direction. up as a netbook, good built quality, stylish case, extended
Besides this, the Eee Pad also has an optional keyboard dock battery life. that is not only equipped with two USB ports and a SD
Cons: No LED flash, proprietary connector, difficult to
memory slot but also an extra battery pack, giving you the dock tablet to keyboard at times. ability to run your tablet for up to 16 hours. may 13
recoll:
ection
reconc
s&
12 & iliation
p
Where to get your
LRT Stations (Distribution by hand) –
Morning
Ampang – Sentul Timur
Ampang
Cahaya
Cempaka
Pandan Indah
Pandan Jaya
Sentul Timur
Sentul
Kelana Jaya – Terminal Putra
Kelana Jaya
Taman Bahagia
Taman Paramount
Asia Jaya
Taman Jaya
Universiti
Sri Rampai
Wangsa Maju
Taman Melati
Sri Petaling – Sentul Timur
Taman Melati
Sri Petaling
Bukit Jalil
Bandar Tasik Selatan
Salak Selatan
Shopping Malls
(From Saturday noon)
1 UTAMA
Tropicana Mall
Sunway Pyramid
The Curve
IOI Mall
Plaza Damas
Ikano Power Centre
Empire Subang
MetroPoint
Centro Mall, Klang
Bangsar Shopping Complex
Hypermarkets
(From Saturday noon)
Tesco (Puchong, Kajang, Mutiara
Damansara, Rawang, Bukit Tinggi,
Setia Alam, Ampang, Extra Shah Alam,
Kepong)
13
TI-M
ad
disputhe
es
Christia
n
state cl
aim
p
4
Wesak
a time Day:
giving for
commun
p
15
ity
May 20
Giant (Puchong,
Kajang, Bandar
Kinrara, Klang,
Pandamaran,
Bandar Selayang, Kota Damansara,
Taman Setiawangsa, Putra Heights,
Taman Connaught, Kelana Jaya, Bukit
Antarabangsa, Subang Jaya, Bukit
Tinggi, Setia Alam, Kota Kemuning)
Carrefour (Bukit Rimau, Subang Jaya,
Wangsa Maju, Sri Petaling, Kepong,
Puchong, Ampang, Jalan Peel, Jalan
Kapar, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, S23
Shah Alam)
Jusco
(Bukit Tinggi,
Tmn Maluri,
Wangsa Maju, Bandar Baru Klang,
Mahkota Cheras)
Commuter Stations
(Distribution by hand) – Morning
Sentul – Port Klang
Port Klang
Bukit Badak
Shah Alam
Subang Jaya
Jalan Templer
Petaling
Rawang – Seremban
Kuala Kubu Baru
Sungai Buloh
Kepong Sentral
Kepong
Morning Wet Markets
(Saturday morning)
Jalan SS2/62
Taman Medan
Jalan 17/27
SS15 Subang Jaya
Taman Kuchai Lama
Taman OUG
Pasar Taman Megah
Pasar Jalan Othman
Pasar Jalan 17/2
Pasar Sek 14
— 22, 2011
By Will
iam Tan
Petal
ed low- ing Jaya:
cost
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ta pilot progget a new lease out Selsuch hom ramme to rehaof life if
es
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kind proj itious and l.
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Colleges
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College Bandar Utama (KBU)
Universiti Kebangsan Malaysia
/ issue
25
food 17
July 22 — 24, 2011
Ramadan or the fasting month will
begin at the end of this month. Deep
in the heart of Kota Damansara, Malay
stalls are gearing up for business.
LIN ZHENYUAN prepares for the food
extravaganza
Fragrance of
Kelantan cuisine
The various
dishes on
sale at Sri
Kelantan
stall.
Ayam berempah
that not only looks
good, it tastes great too.
T
he row of hawker stalls has
always been in the Cecawi
area in Kota Damansara,
specifically Jalan 6/19. And the stall
that caught my eye and called for
closer scrutiny has a bright red banner that says Sri Kelantan Nasi
Kukus Ayam Berempah.
There is was: nasi dagang and
steamed nasi lemak, in all its natural splendour. Ikan tongkol, which
usually accompanies nasi dagang,
doesn’t strike my fancy, so I opted
for ayam berempah. I picked a
drumstick with the kerisik (toasted
and grated ground coconut paste)
to go with it. In Malaysia, a customer can pick and choose any
item he or she wants. That is one of
the wonderful things about this
country.
The husband-and-wife team that
runs the stall were every efficient.
They were in their thirties and
seemed used to handling large number of customers.
Nasi dagang may look simple, but
the preparation needs a bit of culinary finesse. This knowledge was
passed to me when I was in a market
in Dungun, Terengganu. A makcik
who was selling various types of rice
or beras in the Dungun main market
explained that one needed to mix at
least two different varieties of rice
to produce nasi dagang.
Since then, I have a healthy re-
Solok lada
complements nasi kerabu if you
like spicy and sweet flavours.
spect of the process that goes into
making of nasi dagang.
The Sri Kelantan stall had nine
dishes and four big pots of curry. In
the background was the big steaming container of nasi lemak. A
woman was preparing packets of
nasi lemak with the mandatory banana leaf. When I bought the nasi
lemak, I wanted a big dollop of
sambal, but the stall owner probably
thought a Chinese couldn’t handle
too much chilli, so he scooped just
enough to fill half a tablespoon.
There was one item at the stall
that is rarely seen except during the
month of Ramadan, when Kelantan
women set up stalls to earn a bit of
side income. This dish is believed to
be called solok lada. Apparently, it
goes very well with nasi kerabu,
which was also sold at the Sri Kel-
The Sri Kelantan stall on Jalan Cecawi 6/19 serving its customers.
This type of fried
chicken is different
from ayam berempah.
antan stall.
Solok lada is grated coconut
mixed with fish paste. The concoction is then stuffed into green
chillis. All Kelantanese love this
homegrown recipe, which has found
new believers outside the east coast
state as more and more Kelantan
folks sink roots in other states.
For the unitiated, nasi kerabu
has a bluish tinge, and nasi dagang
has bits of reddish brown grains.
Both rice varieties are quite addictive once you have acquired a taste
for them.
Nasi kerabu is rice with a mixture
of vegetables and edible leaves called
ulam. You can have nasi kerabu with
fried fish, salted egg, pickled garlic,
solok lada and keropok, or a combination of all the above.
Nasi dagang is believed to have
originated from southern Thailand.
Over the centuries, the dish and the
recipes for making it have made inroads into Kelantan and Terengganu.
It is a mixture of brown and white
rice cooked with coconut milk,
garlic, spices and onions. In Terengganu, housewives and chefs have
made slight variations, so nasi dagang from Kelantan can taste and
look slightly different.
Nasi dagang can be eaten with
either fish or chicken curry. Some
people, like me, mix nasi dagang
and nasi kerabu with all kinds of
curry. That is what we called a
truly Malaysian dish.
If you don’t have a strong physical
constitution, I strongly advise you
to refrain from experimenting with
the different curries at stalls like Sri
I am quite sure when the RamaKelantan.
dan starts, the Sri Kelantan stall will
When the Ramadan bazaars are have more East Coast delights. I will
set up at the end of July, there will be there to join in the festive food
be more rarely seen Kelantan and fare that draws hundreds of thouTerengganu dishes. My better half sands of Malaysians every year to
has a soft spot for wajik and bubur these food bazaars.
lambuk.
In the meantime, the nasi daWajik is black glutinous rice with gang and nasi kerabu sold in this
coconut milk and pandan leaves. section of Kota Damansara are
You can’t eat too much of wajik quite adequate and satisfying for
because it is a dessert. However, two my evening meals.
or three pieces of wajik
can bring a big smile to
your face.
Bubur lambuk is basically porridge, but the
way it is prepared makes
all the difference. The
most famous bubur lambuk comes from Kampung Baru. It is a concoction of seven spices, with
a mouth-watering aroma
that has been attributed
to fresh onions, green
onions, parsley and pan- Deep fried fish can either be eaten with
nasi kerabu or nasi dagang.
dan leaves.
FEATURE
18
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
Twisting and
flexing towards
a healthier life
By Brenda Ch’ng
D
Hatha yoga is the only one that comprises all. For example, practitioners of
Hatha yoga learn the art of breathing and
synchronised movement as taught in
Vinyasa yoga.
Hatha yoga also incorporates the
physical strength, endurance and muscular activity focused in both Power and
Bikram yoga.
Hatha yoga further emphasises body
alignment, correct positioning of postures, and concentration when holding
postures, as taught in Iyengar yoga.
The distinguishing factors among these
styles is the sauna-like environment used
for Bikram and Hot yoga, and the use of
props in Iyengar yoga. A complete Iyengar yoga studio will be equipped with
props like blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps
and chairs to help with correct alignment.
These yoga styles are named after the
founders who introduced them in the
1970s. The workouts are focused on
weight loss, building muscular strength
and endurance, cardiovascular flexibility,
and the high temperatures these exercised
are practised in.
“Hatha yoga is everything we practise,
regardless of that styles we learn or teach,”
says yoga teacher Christina Teo.
The 42-year-old freelance teacher
spends two to three times a week teaching
Hatha Vinyasa yoga at a gym.
She says gyms tend to have variations
of yoga classes like gentle flow (beginner Hatha), power yoga,
hot flow (Bikram), dynamic flow (intermediate Hatha) and
Vinyasa to cater to all members.
“Normally, gyms will focus on power yoga or hot yoga
because people want a productive workout, and all they want
is to perspire and build muscular strength,” Teo says.
However, she teaches a chosen set of postures that focuses
only on certain parts of the body. For example, if she wants to
emphasise on hip opening, she will
combine postures involving hipopening poses.
issatisfied with orthodox cures and physiological
treatments, sufferers of joint pains have now turned to
a different form of relief.
To most people, yoga means pain as practitioners twist and
contort themselves into unimaginable positions. But for yoga
practitioners, the ancient exercise routine is the answer to an
assortment of ailments ranging from body aches to arthritis
and even asthma and migraine.
Besides helping strengthen muscles through the different
postures, yoga is also said to improve breathing techniques,
build stamina and improve concentration levels.
Hence, the 2,000-year-old activity has become a more
fashionable activity for urbanites looking for an alternative
form of exercise that is less physically draining than running
or intense cardio workouts.
There are many gyms offering yoga, as well as specialised
yoga centres in the Klang Valley.
“Yoga centres are everywhere because everyone wants to
teach yoga in their own way. There are also some who see
yoga as a business and not
sacred spiritual teachings,”
says yogi Mahendran Govinda Chetti.
The 55-year-old says
there are 8.4 million yoga
asanas (postures) that can
be taught in many different
ways. As such, each yoga
centre is unique in its own
way as it teaches the postures differently.
In Malaysia, yoga can be
divided into six main styles:
Hatha, Bikram, Hot, Power,
Yogi Mahendran
Vinyasa and Iyengar. The
lineage of these different styles can be traced back to their
main style, the Ashtanga yoga, or sometimes known as Patanjali yoga.
Having studied the ways of Ashtanga yoga for 11 years,
Mahendran says Hatha yoga is the purest form that comprises everything the other styles have to offer.
Founded by Maharishi Patanjali, the scriptures of Ashtanga yoga were written in 300 B.C., and these writings
brought about the postures that make up Hatha yoga.
“Other yoga styles that are taught elsewhere like Bikram
and Iyengar are just variations of Patanjali’s postures of Hatha
yoga,” Mahendran explains.
“To be a master of a posture, one has to hold a posture for
at least two and a half hours, and this requires a high level of
concentration, proper body alignment and breathing co-ordination,” he says.
What is it about yoga that gets
both the young and old hyped up
about this form of exercise?
“It may seem like it’s physically
challenging , but honestly, I’ve Christina Teo
Halasana (plough pose).
Buhjangasana pathamaasana (cobra pose with lotus).
Physically demanding?
Padahastasana (forward bend).
never felt livelier and more energetic than after my yoga sessions,” enthuses yoga practitioner Selina Seah.
The 54-year-old, who practises Hatha yoga four times a
week, says it has helped eliminate her backaches, increase her
mental agility and improve her flexibility.
“Yoga poses have taught me to open my mind and relax by
concentrating on my inner body while in meditation,” she adds.
Agreeing with her is another yoga practitioner, Irene Loo,
who says yoga has helped her stay calm and focused.
“Nothing else will be on my mind
other then the movements within my
body when I’m in the poses,” she says.
The 57-year-old practises at the
gym three times a week, and she
participates in the gentle yoga and
power yoga classes.
“Movements are fast for power
yoga and this has improved my mobility, while the stretches have eased
my body aches and pains,” she says.
Variation of the side plank.
FICTION 19
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
Sunblock
Fiction by
Adeline Chua
Five major paths of yoga
CONTRARY to popular belief, yoga is not all about exercise,
postures or how long one can hold a pose for. Yoga is also about
devotion and a way of life which can be practised outside of the
gym according to Hindu scriptures.
Physical yoga or Ashtanga is one of five different branches, each
having its own practices and philosophy. But all are targeted at reaching the same goal, which is Samadhi, where the mind becomes still
and in control. Derived from the Sanskrit word “Yuj”, which means to join or
unite, yoga encourages practitioners to first unite with their mind
before moving on to a higher power.
Bhakti yoga Originating from the Sanskrit word “Bhaj”, which means devotion, this path only requires one element from its practitioners: love.
It represents the path of complete devotion to and love of the
higher being. Practitioners of this branch of yoga travels in the sacred
path of selfless love and participate through the act of surrender,
service, worship, devotion, and finally union with a higher being.
Karma yoga
Karma yoga can be best described as the selfless service to humankind. Derived from the Sanskrit word “Kri”, meaning action, devotees live up to its meaning by performing noble acts without care for
one’s likes or dislikes.
Jnana yoga
Also known as Gnana yoga and pronounced “Nya-na”, this path
seeks wisdom and knowledge through exploring and learning about
the inner self.
Raja yoga
This path focuses on the mental faculty. Practitioners who go
down this path learn that to attain Samadhi, the higher consciousness, one has to be in total control of their minds. This is done
through meditation and the use of physical exercise.
Ashtanga yoga
The most commonly practised path is one of discipline and
physical exercise. With “Ashta” meaning eight and “Anga” meaning
limbs, this form of yoga focuses on breathing and postures through
the concentration of the mind with meditation.
Another view of the side plank.
I TURN over on the mattress to look at him. He is
like a lizard when he sleeps,
pale and sleek.
The inescapable heat
presses close like some unwelcome guest, and sweat
leaves an ever-present film
of itself over everyone’s
skin. My gaze comes to rest
on his shiny little cheek
and I imagine our mattress
turning into an ice bath.
No, make that a roomful
of ice. I wish I could sleep like
him. The world is the loneliest when it’s asleep and
you are not.
On impulse I reach over
to turn the lever of the fan
control. Hesitating only
for awhile, I give in quicktell myself as I pour the water into the glass. I hand
ly enough. Screw it. At least I’ve given up air-condi- it to my boy and watch him gulp it down. tioning “Drink slowly, we don’t have much left,” I tell him,
The fan spins a little faster and the sound is won- all the while watching the glass empty itself of water. derful. I stupidly anticipate an extra gush of equally
Cholera, Hepatitis, horrible names run through
wonderful air, but it does come. The air is so still with my mind. I wish I could keep tabs on what goes into
heat and smog that even the fan blades would have his body. His immune system is low at this point.
a hard time shoving it around, I’d imagine.
Did I boil the water properly? I should’ve reboiled
Imagine is all I can do at this point. I picture it. What kind of mother am I? myself on a mountaintop, preferably somewhere
He makes that gulping noise I know so well when
freezing, like Siberia. But reality sinks in like a thud: he finishes his drink. Taking the glass from him, I
no more air travel. Normal civilians are given a place it on the floor and we both wearily lie back
quota of one flight per annum. And even then it costs down. a bomb and there are about five forms to fill in before
“Sorry for being sick, Ma. I promise I’ll try
they allow you to. Mother says she wishes she could harder not to next time.” go back to the days when she counted calories instead
That does it for me. I start to cry now. I try to tell
of carbon emissions. him it’s not his fault, but it’s stuck. My throat is stuck
6:08am on the clock. I might as well give up try- with all the frustration welling up. He rolls over and
ing to sleep now. hugs my shoulder and I can hear his breath passing
Ray stirs a little. He opens one eye. The other is through his clogged lungs.
buried in the swell of the pillow. The poor boy is
We lie like this for a long time and soon it is sunsoaked in sweat.
rise. The sky fills with a sort of grey yellow. The
“Ma, you can’t sleep again?”
apocalypse, Mother used to call it. “No, Ray.” I smooth back the hair stuck to his
“Sunrises used to be beautiful, not gothic. But I
forehead. must say it’s a pretty good idea filling the sky up with
A small, clammy hand squeezes mine. A cough these artificial clouds. It’s like having permanent
erupts from his chest, thick with phlegm. It cuts sunblock. To ward off skin cancer,” she used to say
through the silence of the dark room. My poor boy. with her caustic sense of humour. There are more sputters from him, and I sit up on
“Humans are a clever bunch.”
the mattress. The bottles of
medication sit on the floor
next to him, but he shouldn’t
be taking any now, not until
a few more hours. We are community newspaper which focuses on events and
I help him sit up and he
happenings in Selangor. If you are interested to join a passionate
coughs for a long time, getteam of young people bent on contributing to Selangor’s developting up to spit phlegm into
ment through the media, join us.
the toilet sink. I wish I could
take his sickness. Just rip it
Sales and Marketing Executive
out of his chest and plant it
(Basic salary + allowance + commission)
into my own. Medicine is like
We are looking for young men and women with the following
a temporary relief, clearing
qualities:
out one disease and making
• Responsibleformediasalesandmarketingactivities
room for another. • Proactiveandselfmotivated
“Ma, can I have some wa• Pleasantdispositionwithinterpersonalskills
ter, please?” he asks. • Diplomaordegreeinanydiscipline
And this is my cue, every
• AbilitytoconverseinEnglishand/orMandarin
time. I feel it starting to crawl
• Targetandsalesoriented
up the back of my neck:
• Possessowntransport
dread. Sometimes I wished I
• Computerliterate
was a mother in a kinder time.
• Thosewithsalesexperiencewouldbeanaddedadvantage
A time when one did not have
• Trainingandcoachingprovided.
to fear giving a glass of drinking water to one’s son. Attractive remuneration package will commensurate with
qualification and experience. Interested applicants must send
“Please, Ma.”
resume and letter to [email protected]
“OK.” I rise slowly to walk to the
Shortlisted candidates will be notified.
kitchen. Have some faith, I
FEATURES
20
JULy 22 — 24, 2011
Barbosa bags Yangon Open
M
yanmar is a beautiful country, and
despite its military dictatorship and
limitations in terms of infrastructure,
it is surprisingly modern.
It is also one of the safest places in the world,
perhaps due to the largely Buddhist population.
It is largely courteous, kind and helpful to
foreigners who they consider their guests.
The organisers led by Myanmar Chess Federation president Maung Maung Lwin left no
stone unturned to make the Campomanes Memorial Yangon International Open 2011 a success.
Central Hotel in downtown Yangon, a
stone’s throw from many major attractions,
proved to be a wonderful venue, and many
participants took opportunity of the rest day
to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda.
The tournament saw a total of 72 players,
the bulk of which were from the host nation.
It also had competitors from the Philippines,
China, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore,
Malaysia, Indonesia and the United States.
Filipino international master Oliver Barbosa, 2514, emerged at the end of nine days
of hard competition as the popular and convincing winner with 7.5 points.
Unfancied Li Hanbing of China benefited
from the peculiarities of the Swiss pairing
system to avoid all the major contenders to
finish in second place.
IM Nguyen Van Huy from Vietnam led
Indian’s IM Atanu Lahiri, Filipino IM Richard Bitoon, Myanmar’s IM Myo Naing, IM
Dinesh Kumar Sharma (India), Mount Mount
Latt (Myanmar) and the Philippines’ junior
champion Mari Joseph Turqueza to grab the
third to ninth places.
Among the young players who took part,
Singapore’s Cyrus Low captured the the U-10
Now Black takes over!
Get smart!
Play chess!
prize, while Malaysia’s Dilwen Ding edged his
compatriot William Lee for the U-14 prize.
Lee’s older brother, Elgin, who is also the
MSSM U-15 champion, finished with five
points to bag the top junior prize.
16. Rcd1 Na5 17. Bxb7 Qxb7 18. Qb5
FEATURED GAME
18...Qc6 19. Qxc6 Nxc6 20. d5 Na5! 21. Bc1?
29. Rf3?
Inspired by a video which indicated a weakness on the c4 square in White’s position,
nine-year-old Cyrus Low exploited the position to crush 1821-rated William Campi from
the USA with plenty of maturity.
Low, who has managed to play in two
strong international opens – the Thailand
Open and Pichay Cup – is expected to be in
action at the Raja Nazrin Shah Masters &
Open this year.
Oops? This simply loses a pawn. White
must have been shocked at 21. dxe6 Nxc4,
which attacks the Bishop while protecting
the d-pawn. After 22. exf7 Rxf7, White
would have many weak pawns to defend, but
at least material would be equal.
This is crazy. To have any chance, White
had to keep the Rooks on. One pawn down
and with the Knight dominating his Bishop,
this is as good a resigning.
William Campi – Cyrus Low
Campomanes Memorial Yangon International Open 2011
By Peter Long
[email protected]
With the threat of 19. Bxc5
21...Nxc4 22. Rd3 e5! 23. e4 f5 24. f3 fxe4
25. fxe4
Very impressive. Now the e-pawn is also weak.
25....Rf7 26. Rf1 Raf8 27. Rxf7 Rxf7 28.
Kg2 b5!
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5.
g3 Bb7 6. Bg2 Ne4 7. Qc2 Bxc3+
29...Rxf3 30. Kxf3 Kf7 31. h4 h6 32. Ke2
Nb6 33. g4 b4 34. Kd3
As a young player, Black is of course being
a little too aggressive. Best now for both is
probably 34. cxb4 cxb4 35. Be3 Na4
34...bxc3
34....a5 looks to be the natural move.
35. Kxc3 Nd7 36. g5
By transposition the position is now a line
of the Queens Indian. Here Black had to play
moves like 7...f5. The exchange is natural but
helps White even more.
Another strange move. Seems like most
1800+ players have no endgame to talk about.
8. bxc3 Nd6! 9. Qa4
The position demanded 9.c5! after which
White is just better.
You would imagine instead the safer move
37....Nb6. But now we get to enjoy a well
calculated finish by someone who knows how
to use his Knights!
9.... c5! 10. Ba3 Qc7 11. 0–0 0–0 12. Rfd1
Ne4 13. Rac1 Nc6 14. Nd2 Nxd2 15. Rxd2
d6!
38. Be3 Ng6 39. Bf2 Nf4 40. Ka4 Ne2 41.
Be1 Nd4 42. Ka5 Nf3 43. Bf2 Nd2 44. Ka6
Nxe4 45. Be1 c4 46. Kxa7 c3 0–1
36...h5 37. Kb3 Nf8
It is over.
Al-Fatihah
Our Deepest and Heartfelt Condolences to
The Family of
Dr Lo Lo Mohd Ghazali,
The PAS Member of Parliament for Titiwangsa
on her recent demise
on
17th July 2011 (15 Syaaban 1432 H)
“Semoga Allah SWT mencucuri rahmat ke atas rohnya”
from
Pesuruhjaya and all its members
Badan Perhubungan PAS Negeri Selangor
SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ Jujy 22 – 24, 2011 ⁄ 21
Al-Fatihah
Our Deepest and Heartfelt Condolences to
The Family of
Dr Lo Lo Mohd Ghazali,
The PAS Member of Parliament for Titiwangsa
on her recent demise
on
17th July 2011 (15 Syaaban 1432 H)
“Semoga Allah SWT mencucuri rahmat ke atas rohnya”
from
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Al-Fatihah
Our Deepest and Heartfelt Condolences to
The Family of
Dr Lo Lo Mohd Ghazali,
The PAS Member of Parliament for Titiwangsa
on her recent demise
on
17th July 2011 (15 Syaaban 1432 H)
“Semoga Allah SWT mencucuri rahmat ke atas rohnya”
from
Democratic Action Party
Selangor
Gallery
22
July 22 — 24, 2011
(From left) Speaker and Sungai Pinang
assemblyperson Datuk Teng Chang Khim,
executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar,
Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim,
Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad,
and exco Ronnie Liu ushering senior
citizens into Tesco Hypermarket as part
of the state’s Jom Shopping initiative.
Players from CCW
One Kota Damansara
(in orange) and MBPJ
Football Academy in an
under-eight match held
during the Independence
Football Academy
Carnival, organised
by Permodalan Negeri
Selangor Berhad (PNSB)
Football Club last
Saturday.
Children being
entertained by
a puppeteer at
the Relay for Life
2011 event in
UKM Bangi last
Saturday.
Spectators and participants
at a three-a-side basketball
tournament organised by the
Petaling Jaya City Council
(MBPJ) on July 10.
Vioinist Joanne Yeoh holding the crowd’s attention with her virtuoso
performance during the launch of Mah Sing Group Bhd’s i-SoVo
units at its Icon City development in Petaling Jaya last Sunday.
Culture 23
July 22 — 24, 2011
Compiled by Nick Choo
Send your events to [email protected]
INTERVIEW
By Nick Choo
Junji Delfino, also known as Malaysia’s
queen of jazz, launched her debut album
Here I Am in conjunction with her 50th
birthday celebration last year, and performed
her first solo concert of the same name at PJ
Live Arts @ Jaya One.
She has also performed in stage musicals
such as Taming of the Shrew (2010) and
Love Journey 2 with Joanna Bessey (2011),
and was vocal director for the musical Lat:
Kampung Boy earlier this year.
This year, she celebrates her birthday
with another concert, Lush Life, at the Kuala
Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. Selangor
Times talks to Ms Delfino, who is of Filipino
descent, on her musical journey.
What is the significance of the title
Lush Life?
The show title is based on a song written
by an American composer named Billy
Strayhorn. Lush Life is essentially a tribute
to some of the legendary figures in the
world of entertainment. Names like Billie
Holiday, Judy Garland, Sammy Davis Jr,
Nina Simone, Thelonious Monk, Elvis
Presley, Karen Carpenter, Michael Jackson
and, of course, Billy Strayhorn.
Most names are immediately
recognisable, though some are a bit more
obscure. But one common thread that
runs right across the list is that all of these
performers had major struggles in their
personal lives. Their stellar careers are
flipsided with lives of pain. They projected
happy images in front of cameras and
huge concert stages, yet some of the
songs they sang truly mirrored their pain.
In essence, choosing Lush Life as
my show’s title is to reflect the colourful
lives they led in their lifetime. The show
is part music and part commentary, with slides shown in between songs where a
prerecorded voice-over narrates a bit on
the artists’ lives.
You’ve done jazz concerts as well
as musical theatre. Do you have a
preference between the two?
It would be a tough task if I were made
to make a choice between one and the
other as I do enjoy doing both. I enjoy
the contrast between both genres. Jazz
gives ample room for improvisation and
interpretation, whereas musical theatre
requires working within the boundaries of
the plot, script and musical arrangement. You produced your first album and solo
concert last year upon turning 50. With
no disrespect intended, why has it taken
this long for you to accomplish this?
What is your creative process
like?
The original members came
up with most of the ideas for
the show, drawing on real-life
experiences within the classical
Hey! Unless I’m imagining
world, and then working
things, you aren’t the same
with a director. We have just
performers who were in
recently done some work with
Pluck a few years ago! What
our director Toby Sedgwick,
happened to the former
members (Sian Kadifachi, Jon and have come up with some
new bits. I think having new
Regan and Adrian Garratt)?
members definitely brings in
No, we are not the same cast
from a few years ago. Adrian left some new ideas. We tend to
the group last year to pursue his meet for rehearsals and work
on certain areas that we feel
solo project. Jon left at the end
maybe need a bit of looking
of last year to concentrate on
at. Sometimes new jokes
other things, and his wife had
just emerge when something
a baby. Sian still performs with
unexpected happens or a
the group, but she too has a
mistake is made. That can
little one, so she can’t perform
sometimes be the funniest way
as much as she used to.
to create new bits for the show.
How did the three of you get
Would you say Pluck helps to
together? Is there a leader
promote the appreciation of
among you?
All three of us auditioned to be classical music?
Definitely. I hope that we
in the group, and that is how
we met. There is no real leader demonstrate to people that
classical music can be fun,
in the group as we all have
as well as being immensely
equal roles. What words of encouragement would
you say to young artistes who perhaps
might be struggling, discouraged, and
thinking of giving up their craft?
Firstly, if they are young, I wanna know
why they’d want to give up so easily? It
took me half my life to fulfill my dream!
To me, it’s plain and simple. They need
to first identify what areas they are
struggling with. There are no shortcuts to
success in this industry. Only hard work
and diligence. And lots of practice!
Finally, what’s coming up next for you
after Lush Life?
Sleep. That’s what’s looming in my
immediate future! Then when I’ve
recovered, I will pick up where I left off with
vocal education, festival work, and a couple
of musicals planned for early next year.
CALENDAR
INTERVIEW
They’re described as “Mozart
meets the Marx Brothers” – and
no wonder! Following sell-out
seasons in 2004, 2006 and 2010,
Pluck returns for their 2011
Malaysian outing, promising
wacky performances that
combine music with mayhem.
Prepare for skillful stunts on the
strings, slapstick comedy, pratfalls
and pizzicato. These madcap
musicians compete, dance,
fight, ridicule, argue, scheme and
seduce their way through each
show with their hilarious and
dexterous execution of cabaret,
theatre and classical music, using
their musical instruments as props
so fearlessly that you marvel
how nothing gets damaged (too
often) in the process. And if you
think you’re safely seated and
separated from their antics and
arpeggios, think again – even
members of the audience can get
roped into the fray!
Pluck’s Musical Arson will
be reignited this season by Kit
Massey on violin, Flora Allison on
cello and vocals, and Brooke Day
on viola. Selangor Times has a
quick email exchange with these
plucky virtuosos in anticipation of
their descent upon Petaling Jaya.
I guess the simplest answer is that
last year was the right time for it to
happen. (Husband and fellow jazz
musician) David [Gomes] and I have
spoken about it on many occasions,
but somehow, other things would come
into our work circle which distracted us
from our plans. Last year was different,
though. Things kinda fell into place, and it
happened with the least resistance on all
fronts. Of course, turning 50 did make it all
the more poignant for me.
Lush Life with Junji Delfino
Music / Theatre; 20-24 July; Kuala Lumpur
Performing Arts Centre; 03-40479000; www.
klpac.org; RM73 / RM43 / RM412 (table
booking for four)
Following the success of her first-ever solo
concert in 2010, jazz extraordinaire Junji
Delfino returns to celebrate 51-derful years
of her scintillatingly lush life, paying tribute
to the geniuses of some of the world’s most
prolific composers, lyricists and artistes. Featuring the Michael Veerapen
Trio and special guest stars.
Pluck: Musical Arson – Reignited!
Music/Theatre; 21-31 July; PJ Live
Arts @ Jaya One; 012-2690375, www.
gardnerandwife.com.my; RM44-RM77,
(packages) RM224 / RM432
enjoyable to listen to and
appreciate.
What would you say to
purists who might claim your
comedy act is disrespectful
to classical music?
The last thing we would want
to do is be disrespectful to
classical music. The comedy is
part of the music, but the music
remains the most important
part of the show. We are all
classically trained musicians,
and all have a deep respect
for the music we play and the
composers who wrote it.
Any memorable moments
during your performances?
Unexpected audience
reactions, mishaps onstage,
etc...?
Every performance is different,
due to the fact that we involve
the audience. This can throw
up some very funny situations
indeed. They all react differently
to what we ask them to do, and
that is nice for us because we
don’t know what to expect!
Pluck returns to Malaysia with Musical
Arson – Reignited, featuring the talents
of Kit Massey on violin, Flora Allison on
cello and vocals, and Brooke Day on viola.
Special school performances are available
on weekdays at 10am. Young audiences
attending weekend performances at PJ
Live Arts are invited to visit the “Musical
Zoo” in Studio 2 after the show, courtesy
of The Applause Society and Clap & Tap Chamber Orchestra.
Dreamgirls
Musical; 14-24 July; Istana Budaya; RM48RM353; 03-87754666, www.airasiaredtix.com
The Broadway musical that tells of an upand-coming 1960s girl group, The Dreams,
and the triumphs and tribulations that come
with fame and fortune. Dreamgirls premiered
in 1981 and was nominated for 13 Tony
Awards, including Best Musical, and won
six. Twenty-five years later it was adapted
into a major motion picture by DreamWorks
and Paramount Pictures. With music by
Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tom
Eyen, Dreamgirls is presented in Malaysia
for the first time by Broadway Academy, and
features the talents of Elvira Arul, Cheryl Samad and Tony Eusoff.
In Memory of Yasmin Ahmad
Film / Exhibition / Other; 21-23 July; various venues
21-23 July, 8pm, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre: Showcase of
Yasmin Ahmad’s print ads, photography and commercials, as well as
screening of her movie Rabun.
24 July, 7.30pm, Instant Cafe House Of Art and Ideas (CHAI): An evening
for friends and fans to share their favourite memories of Yasmin.
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.