competition to promote biodieseL

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MBSA ready to take over from Alam Flora p 7

Laidback charm amid the rubbish

p

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community

July 1 3, 2011/ issue 31

Ampang Jaya Municipal Councillors at their full board meeting on Wednesday, donning yellow shirts in solidarity with Bersih 2.0. From left are Yazid Alias, Abdul Jalil Hasan, Meor Rithuan Mohamed Said, D Nallan, Hamsar Djabir and Dorothy Cheong.

Story on page 6

By Brenda Ch'ng

subanG JaYa: The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) became the first local authority in Malaysia to encourage whistleblowing to combat corruption and malpractice. However, councillors at the MPSJ full board meeting on Wednesday argued that the move does not go far enough. R Rajiv expressed scepticism over the move because MPSJ's own staff, rather than third parties, had been appointed to receive information from whistleblowers. "MPSJ staff as well as the public will not have the confidence to provide information if those responsible for receiving the information are not independent," he said. In addition, he said informants will fear reprisal and will not cooperate if they cannot be assuredthat their identities will be protected. A whistleblower is a person responsible for informing the authority about alleged wrongdoings and malpractice happening within a government department or in private companies. Being a whistleblower means taking full responsibility that the information provided is true, and one has to be willing to testify as a

witness if necessary. Examples of wrongdoings include corruption, fraud, violation of laws and abuse of power. According to MPSJ legal adviser Anita And Jalil, whistleblowers will have to fill in an official form with their full details and signature before their information can be taken seriously. After that, officers appointed will take in all complaints and check if the information is legitimate before bringing the case to a selected committee, which is still being decided upon as the system is still in its early stages. Once a decision is made, a domestic enquiry will be held for guilty parties to further the investigation and questioning. Any information on graft will be handled by three MPSJ officers who have been appointed from the Human Resource, Disciplinary and Management Services Department. At the meeting, Rajiv reiterated that it was crucial for an independent company to be appointed to receive the information and to carry out investigations, rather than an MPSJ officer already involved in daily council dealings. "An external regulatory body is very much needed to help maintain check and balance within the

MPSJ makes whistleblower history

council," he said. He said the presence of an unaffiliated body will give whistleblowers more confidence, which will subsequently encourage more whistleblowers to come forward. However, Anita pointed out that the Whistleblower Act 2010, Act 711 states that only council officers can be appointed to receive complaints. This Whistleblower Act was approved by Parliament early last year to protect all informants and is applicable to all government agencies, including local councils. The Act does not allow third party bodies to be hired and appointed as information receivers. She added that the Act empowers the MPSJ legal department to persecute officers who leak sensitive information that may cause harm to whistleblowers. This Act also empowers the legal department to take action against whistleblowers who provide false information. By electing someone internal, MPSJ will be able to exercise their legal rights as clearly stated in the Act. Councillor Low Kheng Min nevertheless insisted on the appointment of someone neural to better protect the identity of whistleblowers and to conduct an unbiased investigation. "The public who wish to complain about MPSJ malpractices would prefer to speak with third parties with no vested interest in the council," he said. Council president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi stepped in during the dispute and offered for all information from whistleblowers to be directed to him. But this was shot down because he is still part of the council and not an external party.

Pick peaceful route for marches, Bersih tells IGP

By Gan Pei Ling and Alvin Yap

news
July 1 3, 2011

Selangor WeaTHer
Friday Morning Saturday Sunday

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have been asked to suggestthe route for the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) to ensure a peaceful rally on July 9. Weve asked them to please consider it, from a point in Kuala Lumpur to Taman Jaya or whatever. [They] choose, well follow, said Bersih 2.0 chairperson Datuk S Ambiga, after meeting with the police chief yesterday afternoon. Ambiga said they had a very friendly half-hour meeting with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Ismail Omar. She said the IGP expressed concern over what would happen during the rally, but Ambiga assured him that Bersih 2.0 has arranged for 5,000 crowd marshals to ensure a peaceful gathering. We promise to do everything we can to make sure the rally remains peaceful, said Ambiga. Bersih 2.0 will also have 100 volunteer doctors on standby during the rally, said its steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah, who attended the meeting with the IGP. Ambiga urged the police to be open-minded and work with Bersih 2.0 to make sure the rally goes on without a hitch.

Weve asked for another meeting next week. Tan Sri (Ismail Omar) didnt say no. I think I m free to arrange another meeting with him, said Ambiga. However, she declined to comment on Bersihs next course of action should the police continue to refuse to allow the peaceful rally to take place. The lawyer stressed that the people have the rig ht to assemble peacefully, and that police are duty-bound to protect peaceful rallies. Bersih has never threatened violence [against anyone]. The police should be taking action against parties whore doing so, said Ambiga. Made up of over 60 civil society groups, Bersih 2.0 is organising a rally on July 9 to demand for improvements to the countrys electoral process and to submit a memorandum to the King. The memorandum will outline its eight immediate demands to improve the electoral process, including cleaning the electoral roll, reforming postal ballots, using indelible ink to prevent voter fraud, and extending the campaign period. However, Perkasa and Umno Youth have said theywould organise counter-rallies on the same day as

afternoon

night

Source: Malaysian meteorological department

Ambiga speaking to reporters after meeting with the IGP.

they do not agree with Bersih 2.0s demands. They have accused Bersihs rally of being politically motivated. Police have said they would not issue any permit for the rallies and would do all they can to prevent it. Both Ambiga and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin have received death threats, and police have detained or questioned more than 100 people linked to Bersih and for wearing Bersih 2.0 t-shirts. Police also raided Bersihs secretariat in Section 4, Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, while Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had declared any Bersih-related material including shoes, cars and buses illegal. So far, five lawmakers, all from

Perak two members of Parliament (MP) and three state assemblypersons have been nabbed by police for being linked to Bersih. On Saturday, Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar along with 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia members were arrested onboard a bus at the Sungai Dua toll plaza in Penang. Yesterday, state lawmakersLeong Mee Meng ( Jalong) and Chang Lih Kang (Teja) were hauled up for giving out the national flag at a morning market in Sungai Siput. They were part of a group comprising 12 DAP and two PKR members. In addition, Gopeng MP Dr Lee Boon Chye was arrested at a morning market in Ipoh for distributing Bersih flyers.

First land premium briefing in Hulu Langat

phone (603) 5510 4566 fax (603) 5523 1188 email editor@selangortimes.com

EDITORIAL
CHIEF EDITOR COMMUNITY EDITOR WRITERS

KL Chan

Neville Spykerman

Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling, Basil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Chng COPY EDITORS Nick Choo, James Ang
DESIGNERS

Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man Yen Timothy Loh, Ivan Looi

ADVERTISING ADVISORS

Faekah Husin, Arfaeza Abdul Aziz

SHAH ALAM: The state is holding the first public briefing for its Private Residential Ownership Scheme in Kampung Bukit Sungai Putih, Hulu Langat on Saturday. Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the briefing will provide an opportunity for the public to understand how they can benefit from the scheme, be it to extend their lease or secure land titles. Well distribute 5A forms to [qualified holders of Temporary Occupation of Land (TOL) licences], said Khalid after chairing the executive council meeting on Wednesday. The state had announced the scheme

in early June, which allows leasehold property owners to extend their lease, and TOL licence holders to obtain leasehold status by paying RM1,000 instead of the full premium. Owners need only pay the remaining of the premium when they transfer or sell their properties later. This is to encourage owners to keep their properties. However, the scheme is limited to residential properties and does not apply to owners whose property status is still in limbo, such as squatters. Khalid said the scheme is part of the states Merakyatkan Eknonomi Selangor programme.

Also hauled up were Simpang Pulai state assemblyperson Chan Ming Kai, and two other unnamed PKR members. The dragnet has also targeted local government councillors in Selangor. Yesterday, 20 Kajang Municipal (MPKj) Councillors were asked to go the district police station to have their statements recorded. This was following the councils full board meeting on Wednesday, during which some councillors had dressed in yellow, in support of the movement to call for free and fair elections. According to Eddy Wong, the cops quizzed them separately, asking the same questions they had directed at other lawmakers. They asked us why we wore yellow to the council meeting, and if we were coerced to do so, he told Selangor Times via telephone, adding that the cops were polite in their line of questioning. Wong and seven other councillors spent more than an hour in the afternoon at the station, with Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng as their legal counsel. Online news portal T h e Malaysian Insider also reported that the federal government has warned broadcasters ag ainst mentioning the Bersih rally or its date, and to warn the public against attending the rally. The first Bersih rally in 2007 attracted around 50,000 people to the streets, but the gathering was later dispersed by police with the use of tear gas and water cannons. The rally, together with others such as those organised by Hindraf, has been credited in part for the political tsunami during the 2008 general election, in which Pakatan Rakyat denied Barisan Nasional a two-thirds majority in Parliament and won five states.

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SELANGOR TIMES July 1 3, 2011 3

News
July 1 3, 2011

EvEnts
Blood donation drive
A blood donation drive will be held on July 16-17 from 11am to 4pm at Centro Mall, Klang, organised by the mall and supported by Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah. Contact Centro Malls customer service at 03-33433011 or visit www.centro.com.my.

Selangor plans welfare schemes for housing

By Alvin Yap

Sudoku tournament
The Selangor Book Fair, held at the Shah Alam Convention Centre, features 114 booths of exhibitors, including book publishers and suppliers. The fair will end on Sunday (July 3). Visitors can take part in novel readings, competitions, and presentations by cartoon mascots Upin and Ipin. The annual fair is organised by the Selangor Public Library Corporation and state government. More information at www.pestabukuselangor.my.

MBSA meets the people

The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) will hold their meet-the-people session today (July 1) at the MBSA Gallery (ground floor) at the MBSA building from 9am to 11.30am. The programme offers a chance for the public to meet with officers from various departments to voice their complaints. It is held every first Friday of the month. Mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan will personally answer queries. For more information, call MBSAs Public Relations Department at 03-55222734 or 03-55222741.

SUBANG JAYA: The state government will look into setting up a fund to subsidise rental for families that cannot get loans to buy their own homes. Hard as it is to believe, there are those earning RM800 who cannot satisfy the requirement for securing a bank loan, said state executive councillor Iskandar Samad. The minimum salary to qualify for a housing loan is RM1,100. Iskandar ,who holds the portfolio for housing, housing management and squatters, said the scheme would pay half the rental of hardcore poor households. As many as 50,000 squatter families were relocated to low-cost flats from 2000 to 2008 under former Menteri Besar Dr Khir Toyos Zero Squatter policy.

It is not known how many families in Selangor are able to meet the minimum requirements to secure loans to purchase low-cost houses. The Cempaka assemblyperson said of 56 low-income households in his constituency, only five who earned more than RM800 a month each have managed to secure loans. Low-cost homes are priced at RM35,000 a unit. In addition, Iskandar also proposed Selangor create a shared equity scheme to promote more home ownership. The scheme allows a buyer to own the title to the unit by paying half of the purchase price, with the other half borne by the state. The buyer can buy over the share from the state later and eventually own a full share of the dwelling, Iskandar said.

He said this when presenting a paper on the list of housing welfare programmes for Selangor to the Menteri Besar. Earlier, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the administration would earmark RM700 million for welfare programmes, and a portion of it would fund housing projects. Selangor has already embarked on plans to build medium-cost homes with its Affordable Homes Scheme. Last month, Khalid officiated at an earth-breaking event at Bandar Baru Bangi where the state will build an initial 2,000 units of homes in a 700 sq ft area. Each unit will cost RM79,000. It will target those who earn between RM2,500 and RM5,000 a month. There will also be a seminar on affordable homes organised by Selangor at the Shah Alam Convention Centre on July 5.

Oral health talk

A talk on aesthetics, preventive care, and oral health by medical experts will be held at the DEMC Specialist Hospital in Section 14, Shah Alam, tomorrow (July 2) from 9.30am to noon. The talk is in conjunction with the hospitals new service, DEMC Wellness. Visitors can attend free consultation sessions by medical experts. Call 03-55151965 or email dew@demc.com. my for more information. Admission is free.

State to re-look lowcost housing policy

SUBANG JAYA: Housing quota requirements for developers to build low-cost housing will be reviewed by the state to better meet demands for these homes. Currently, developers must build low-cost, medium-low-cost and medium-cost homes according to a 20:20:10 percent ratio in any property development. However, executive councillor for housing Iskandar Samad said the policy has resulted in poor demand for low-cost homes in certain locations in Selangor. Instead, he proposes that low-cost homes be built according to market demand for them. We have to let market forces show us how many low-cost homes to build in an area. These dwellings may be snapped up in Bangi, but might have lower demand in parts of Petaling Jaya or Subang. Iskandar said thestate would work closely with property developers and especially with the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association to conduct market surveys on the demand for low-cost homes. He did not disclose how many lowcost units in Selangor are unsold. On Tuesday, Iskandar presented to the Menteri Besar the summary of the discussion with industry players during the 2012 budget dialogue.

Contractors profits to be reduced

SUBANG JAYA: Selangor intends to slash profit margins for public projects from 30% to 7% to ensure maximum value for ratepayers money. Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who was speaking at the Selangor budget dialogue, said the move will ensure state finances are used to pay for public projects and not to enrich contractors. Taxpayers will receive more out of government spending, he said during his opening speech onMonday. The Menteri Besar pointed out that contractors profit margins are factored into price quotations for tender contracts. He explained that in the past, the practice of giving contractors the 30% mark-up was due to the inherent risk of doing business with the state government. Sometimes the company will only receive payments very late, so they need to charge more for the late collection [of money owed them], Khalid explained. However, Khalid said the 30% margin was too high, and added that the public was not getting their moneys worth from state government spending. He said the decision was reached after meeting with the state economic planning department, executive council, and various department heads. The decision will be [made] notified [through] state circulars as soon as possible, Khalid said during a press conference at Holiday Villa here. He said among the departments that will be notified earliest possible are the state Public Works Department and other departments that tender the most contracts. Earlier, during the opening speech, Khalid said the two-day budget dialogue will address the needs and concerns of both private investors and public welfare. We will discuss economic scenarios, about balancing growth and public spending, he concluded.

Dive expo
The 6th Malaysia International Dive Expo 2011 will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre from today (July 1) till Sunday (July 3). Visitors can learn safety tips, witness a dive fashion show with latest products from top manufacturers, and buy diving equipment. There will also be photo and childrens colouring contests. Starting from 10am to 7pm, visitors can register at the event entrance or online at www.mide.com.my.

Extra power means more income

SHAH ALAM: Ratepayers should get ready to cash in on generating their own energy and selling the excess back to energy distributors. The Renewable Energy bill, which was passed in Parliament in April, allows premises to generate power from renewable sources and sell the electricity back to Tenaga Nasional (TNB) for extra income. Households can apply for an account with a special meter and connect it to solar photovoltaic generators to generate renewable electricity and sell it to utility companies at a premium, said Ahmad Hadri Haris on Tuesday. Two meters will record the electricity used and the power that households have generated respectively. The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) allows individual consumers or compa-

nies to generate renewable electricity and sell it to utilities at a premium price for a fixed period of time, likely to be 20 years. This is to enable those who opt to sell renewable energy to regain the capital investment to instal renewable energy generators. Hadri, who graduated from University of Manchester, is chief technical adviser for renewable energy at the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water. Solar panels are the most common and easiest to instal at homes and business premises. It costs around RM25,000 to RM30,000 to install one unit of solar panel to generate 1 to 1.5 kW of power. The average usage of a semi-detached house is about 2 kW. Hadri pointed out that a home that has spent RM90,000 to install solar panels to generate 600 kWh a month will break even in around

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim speaking at the 2012 budget dialogue.

eight years. He acknowledged that the technology is still too costly for most people, and pointed out that solar panel producers cannot lower their prices because demand is low and remains low because prices are still too high for consumers. Hadri hopes Selangor will lead the adoption of green technology by installing solar panels en masse in government and local government buildings. He briefed state executive coun-

cillor Elizabeth Wong on the FIT during a discussion on renewable energy at the 2012 Selangor Budget dialogue. Wong, who holds the Consumer Affairs and Environment portfolio, said residents associations could apply for FIT accounts and combine the power generation to sell to TNB. However, she did not disclose what incentives the state government would give to residents to spur the adoption of green technology.

12

UTAMA
Selangorkini 1 - 8 Julai 2011

SELANGOR TIMES July 1 3, 2011 5

Skim pemilikan tanah kerajaan untuk bangunan kediaman persendirian

Berkuatkuasa mulai 1 Jun 2011
raSionaL
l Memberikan hak milik kepada individu yang telah lama

oBJeKtiF
l Menyelesaikan

menduduki tanah kerajaan secara haram; l Melanjutkan hak milik tanah individu yang telah luput tempoh pajakan dengan pengenaan premium yang mampu dijelaskan; l Memutihkan hak milik individu yang telah melanggar syarat kegunaan tanah; dan l Menyeragamkan pengenaan premium kepada semua rakyat negeri Selangor tanpa mengira kawasan dan lokasi tanah tersebut berada.

permasalahan orang ramai berkaitan ketidakmampuan menjelaskan bayaran premium tanah; l Memberi peluang kepada rakyat negeri Selangor membuat pilihan untuk menentukan kaedah pembayaran premium mengikut kemampuan masingmasing; dan l Membantu kerajaan negeri menyelesaikan isu pendudukan setinggan di atas tanah kerajaan

Kaedah Bayaran Premiun

KaDar Bayaran
permohonan Daripada Jenis permohonan perubahan Kategori? Dalam tempoh pajakan? Kategori Syarat nyata Kategori Kepada Syarat nyata

Kadar (Formula Bayaran) a = ( x 1/100 x nilaian tanah yang diluluskan x Luas)

Bayaran secara sekali gus dalam tempoh masa yang ditetapkan dengan pemberian 30% diskaun daripada premium yang dikenakan pengiraan berdasarkan Formula Bayaran

Pemberi -milikan tanah kerajaan

Bangunan

Bangunan Kediaman

A x Tempoh Pajakan

(IndIvIdu SAHAJA)

AtAu

Pelanjutan tempoh pajakan Pelanjutan tempoh pajakan

Ya

Ya

Pertanian/ Bangunan/ Industri

Pertanian/ Bangunan/ Industri

Bangunan/

Bangunan Kediaman

A x Tempoh Pajakan

Tidak

Ya

Bangunan

Bangunan Kediaman

Bangunan

Bangunan Kediaman

Ax Tempoh Pajakan - Baki Pajakan

Luput tempoh pajakan

Luput

Bangunan

Bangunan Kediaman

A x Tempoh Pajakan + [Premium Khas iaitu (RM200 x setiap tahun kelewatan) + (Cukai Tahunan x Tempoh lama mengusaha)]

Bayaran premium nominal RM1,000 bagi setiap hak milikdan bayaran tanah pada kadar Formula Bayaran apabila tanah tersebut hendak dipindah milik melalui proses jual beli atau permohonan mengubah kategori atau syarat nyata tanah yang lebih tinggi seperti bangunan perniagaandan industri. Hak milik akan dikenakan sekatan kepentingan tambahan. Pemilik tanah hendaklah menjelaskan bayaran khas tanah berdasarkan Formula Bayaran sebelum apa-apa urusan pindah milik melalui kaedah jual beli atau permohonan mengubah kategori dan syarat nyata tanah baru didaftarkan.

Kaedah pembayaran ini hanya terpakai kepada hak milik tanah individu sahaja. Hak milik tanah individu bermaksud hak milik yang dimiliki oleh namanama individu sama ada perseorangan atau berkumpulan dan bukan berupa syarikat, persatuan atau kelab. Kaedah pembayaran kedua tidak akan terpakai sekiranya membuat pindah milik kasih sayang atau melalui perintah
Syarat-Syarat tanah yang Dipohon pemberimilikan Tanah kerajaan yang telah lama diduduki/ didiami. Pemohon yang berkelayakan seperti yang dijelaskan di dalam Seksyen 43, KTN

penurunan kuasa mengikut Akta Harta Pesaka Kecil 1955 atau Probate and Administration Act 1959. Sekatan kepentingan tersebut akan terus berkuat kuasa sehingga berlakunya urusan jual beli. Pindah milik kasih sayang bermaksud
andaian

pemberian secara kasih sayang daripada individu kepada individu lain yang mempunyai hubungan perkahwinan (suami/ isteri) atau pertalian darah (ibu/ bapa/ datuk/ nenek/ adik-beradik/ anak-anak/ anak tiri).
Contoh pengiraan Jenis permohonan

Tempoh Bayaran Premium 1.Dibayar dalam tempoh enam (6) bulan dari tarikh Borang 5A diterima. 2.Tiada tempoh lanjutan dibenarkan. Pemohon dikehendaki mengemukakan permohonan baru kepada Pentadbir Tanah Daerah (PTD) sekiranya tempoh Notis Borang 5A telah luput

pengiraan x 1/100 x nilaian tanah yang diluluskan x 99 tahun x luas = 0.25 x 0.01 x RM400.00 x 99 tahun x 371.61m2 =RM99.00 x 371.61m2 Jumlah perlu dibayar = rM36,789.40 x 1/100 x nilaian tanah yang diluluskan x (99 tahun baki tempoh pajakan)x luas = 0.25x0.01 x RM400.00 x (99 tahun30 tahun) x 371.61m2 = RM69.00 x 371.61m2 Jumlah perlu dibayar = rM25,641.10 x 1/100 x nilaian tanah yang diluluskan x 99 tahun x luas + [premium khas iaitu (RM200.00 x setiap tahun kelewat-an) + (cukai tahunan x tempoh lama mengusaha)] =[0.25x0.01 x RM400.00 x 99 tahun x 371.61m 2 + [(RM200.00 x lewat memohon 2 tahun) + (cukai tahunan RM120.00 setahun x 2 tahun)] = RM36,789.40 + RM400.00 + RM240.00 Jumlah perlu dibayar = rM37,429.40

Pemberi milikan untuk tujuan bangunan kediaman dan Perlanjutan Tempoh Pajakan (Dalam Tempoh Pajakan)Perubahan kategori dan syarat nyata kepada bangunan kediaman Nilaian Tanah = RM400/m2 atau RM37.15/k2 Tempoh Pajakan = 99 tahun Luas = 4,000k2 atau 371.61m2 Perlanjutan Tempoh Pajakan Dalam Tempoh Pajakan Andaian: Baki Tempoh Pajakan = 30 tahun Luput Tempoh Pajakan Andaian: Cukai Tahunan = RM120 Premium Khas Kelewatan = RM200 Berapa lama luput = 2 tahun Tempoh lama mengusaha = 2 tahun

perlanjutan tempoh pajakan Tanah hak milik pejabat pendaftaran atau hak milik pejabat tanah; Permohonan oleh pemilik berdaftar atau waris pemilik berdaftar sahaja; Masih dalam tempoh atau telah luput tempoh pajakan;

News
July 1 3, 2011

Making a point with yellow

By Brenda Chng

Selangor commits Council seeks chemical for sticker removal to improve quality of life

SHAH ALAM: Dark suits were traded for Bersih t-shirts, yellow ties and even headscarves by councillors attending full board meetings of the city and local councils in Selangor on Wednesday. The extraordinary move by councillors was to demonstrate support for the non-governmental organisation seeking along with electoral reform. In Subang, 24 councillors took several minutes before the start of the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) full board meeting to pass a resolution so that they could wear the now outlawed yellow Bersih t-shirts during the meeting. Similarly at the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) full board meeting, all the local councillors decided to don yellow to stand in solidarity with the Bersih activists. While the men came in yellow ties, the women councillors donned yellow headscarves and yellow ribbons. In Kajang and Ampang, councillors also wore Councillors of the Selayang Municipal Council (top left); Subang Jaya Municipal Council (bottom left); Ampang Jaya Municipal the Bersih t-shirts for the duration Council (centre); Petaling Jaya City Council (top right); and Kajang Municipal Council (bottom right) at their full board meetings. of their full board meetings. The scene was similar at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) full board meeting, which was also held on Wednesday. At the Selayang Municipal Council full board meeting, councillors used yellow-coloured files to SUBANG JAYA: The show their support for the electoral Subang Jaya Municipal reform movement. Council (MPSJ) is searchHowever, in the Klang Municipal ing for an effective way to Council (MPK) meeting, which By Alvin Yap was held on Tuesday, none of the Khalid said the annual dialogue remove illegal loanshark or councillors turned up in yellow. is an opportunity for the state Ah Long stickers. SUBANG JAYA: The state is administration to hear proposals I hope we can be the Police raided Bersihs makeshift proposing to allocated RM700 from academicians, the private first council to introduce a operations centre, located at Emmillion of its 2012 budget of RM1.5 sector, and non-g overnment new method to remove ilpowers office in Section 4, Petaling billion for welfare spending. Jaya, on Wednesday afternoon and organisations on the public spending legal stickers and stop it alThe Menteri Besar said the options available. together in the future, said confiscated Bersih materials and various state executive councils have detained seven activists. The welfare spending will also council president Datuk notified him of the proposed welfare address environmental, transporta- Asmawi Kasbi during the programmes they intend to carry tion and energy-saving issues in local councils full board meeting. out next year. Currently, the MPSJ governments. The state executive councillors Khalid said the state would spend Engineering Department have approached me to ask for the allocation to provide better is experimenting with mulfunding for various projects they amenities and services in the various tiple chemicals to find the want to carry out, Tan Sri Khalid councils and municipalities. best one that is not only Ibrahim announced at the 2012 Among the initiatives currently effective but cost-saving. Selangor budget dialog ue on in place or at the planning stage are They are also experiMonday. the Affordable Housing scheme, menting on a special conHis administration is committed free intra-state bus service, and coction of paint that will to using part of the allocation to recycling bins for every household. prevent stickers from getfund existing microcredit loans for SUBANG JAYA: Despite the We want to increase ratepayers ting stuck onto public fathe rural and urban poor. reduction of council library fees cilities. quality of life, Khalid said. It will increase the budget for the from RM37 to RM17, the lowerThis paint will be used Other initiatives include setting fledgling microcredit scheme to up infrastructure for broadband to refurbish signboards income group still finds it expenRM70 million. sive. and facilities after the internet access. The state government aims to I believe the council should not The annual dialogue is the third chemical is used to scrape reduce the income gap between the since the Pakatan Rakyat formed the stickers off. and the department might need charge any fee, just like the national lower- and higher-income group, state government following the Asmawi said there are numerous more time to decide on the right library, said councillor R Rajiv durhe said. ing the Subang Jaya Municipal March 2008 general election. options and chemicals to explore, one. However, he is urging the depart- Council (MPSJ) full board meeting. Rajiv said abolishing fees would ment to work faster so that the local SUBANG JAYA: Residents are getting a last council can start their Ah Long encourage more people to visit lichance for settling all parking summonses issued by sticker removal pilot project, and braries. the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) at a reCurrently, MPSJs three libraries that other councils may follow suit duced rate of RM10 from July 1 to Aug 31. are located in Subang Jaya, Puchong if it succeeds. Do it now while the offer lasts to avoid paying Meanwhile, MPSJ is working and Seri Kembangan. so much more, said MPSJ president Asmawi Kasbi. According to him, there is miniwith agencies to discontinue mobile He is urging everyone to take advantage of this numbers plastered on the illegal mal traffic flow in MPSJ libraries, Flat Rate campaign and clear off their summonses and the council should look into stickers. dating back to 1999. that are left by the roadsides or in residential areas. From September 2009 to January making them free so that everyone To date, the council has a record of 1,278,388 From Sept 1, a new campaign called The More 2011, MPSJ has sent in 1,397 mo- can make full use of them without uncleared summonses, which add up to a massive You Delay, The More You Pay will be launched, folbile numbers to be discontinued by incurring any cost. RM100,478,670 million worth of revenue. lowing the Flat Rate campaign. However, MPSJ president Datuk the respective phone companies. We are organising this one-off flat rate campaign This programme will see that lawbreakers pay However, only 125 numbers were Asmawi Kasbi is not keen on the to help MPSJ recover its loses and to reduce the more the longer they delay paying off their sumproposal as the fee reduction had successfully discontinued. summons record in our system, he said during the monses. The council is working on ter- just been approved. councils full board meeting. For the first two weeks, summonses will be reWeve just reduced the library minating the remaining numbers However, this flat rate does not apply to sum- duced to RM20 and will increase to RM30 if paid fee. Lets see where this takes us urgently. monses issued for heavy vehicles which park ille- in the third or fourth weeks. From January to June this year, before we start doing another study gally in residential areas. Any further delay into the following month will the council sent in another batch to abolish all fees, he said. It is also not applicable to uncollected old cars cost RM50, and RM80 after two months. Asmawi explained that fees help of 480 mobile numbers to be disthe council to maintain the libraries. continued.

Libraries should be free, says councillor

MPSJ offers RM10 flat rate for parking arrears

news
July 1 3, 2011

MBSA ready to take over Alam Floras cleaning duties

SHAH ALAM: The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) has yet to receive any new directive from the state regarding the takeover of cleaning duties. Were ready to take over, said Shah Alam mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan, adding that the city council is hiring additional staff and buying equipment to facilitate the takeover. Waste management concessionaire Alam Flora had filed a judicial review and obtained a stay order against the state last month to stop the handing over of cleaning duties back to local councils. Mohd Jaafar said there are currently 163 cleaning contractors within Shah Alam, and if the takeover goes ahead, the city council is expected to take over 15% to 20% of the duties. Well outsource the rest to contractors as we dont have the capacity [yet] to handle 100% of the cleaning jobs, he added. Selangors decision to hand over the cleaning duties back to local councils is expected to help the state save up to RM20 million. Local councils used to handle their own cleanliness and maintenance tasks before waste management was privatised and centralised in 1998.

MBSA councillors at their full board meeting.

Pay your assessment and win an iPad2

SHAH ALAM: The city council (MBSA) is giving out 10 iPad2 in a bid to encourage more ratepayers to pay their assessment on time and clear their arrears. Owners who have paid their assessment for the second half of the year and do not have any outstanding taxes by Aug 31 will qualify for the lucky draw, said MBSA public relations assistant officer Zaidah Zakaria. The campaign is a joint effort between MBSA and Bank Muamalat. The public can check and pay their assessment online via www.mbsa. gov.my/cukai.

Traffic offenders will find names in newspapers

SHAH ALAM: The city council (MBSA) will name and shame traffic offenders with outstanding compounds in the media and its website starting this month. More than 1,000 offenders names and their vehicle numbers will be published in major newspapers. These are stubborn offenders who have refused to settle their fines despite the many chances given by MBSA, said its public relations assistant officer Zaidah Zakaria. Zaidah advised these offenders to settle their compounds as soon as possible. Once the list is published, they must make the payment within 14 days or MBSA will take them to court, said Zaidah. The public can pay their compounds online at www. mbsa.gov.my via Maybank, Hong Leong Bank, CIMB, Public Bank, RHB Bank and Bank Islam, or visit MBSA counters in Shah Alam.

NEWS
July 1 3, 2011

Report on PJ Palms to be handed to state

By Alvin Yap

PETALING JAYA: The mayor will present a detailed report on the operations of PJ Palms Sports Centre to the Selangor Economic Action Council. The report by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will include the refurbishment work and operations at the former Kelab Syabas. We will present the report to the Menteri Besar and state executive councillors soon, Roslan Sakiman said on Wednesday after the councils full board meeting The move follows complaintsfrom Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee that the private operator, Sepang Mekar, has been given a lease of RM15,000 per month for the 60,000 sq ft area. Lee said it was unfair for Sepang Mekar to make its sub-tenants fork out triple the rent they used to pay to the previous operator. PJ Palms is within Lees state constituency, and sub-tenants have complained to him that they are paying high rental rates. Two traders, Waikiki Bar, a pub, and a barbershop called Barber Joe claim that the new managements policy of charging RM4.50 per sq ft rental space has caused a threefold increase

Residents given runaround over illegal hostel

in rental. Waikiki Bar has to pay over RM19,000 instead of the usual RM5,000, and Barber Joe, which used to pay RM500 monthly, now has to pay RM1,800. Roslan said MBPJ would review the lease rates to Sepang Mekar every three years. We will likely increase the monthly rates then, he said at a press conference. He pointed out that Sepang Mekar had given the sub-tenants rental discounts. Roslan said Sepang Mekar was spending RM4.2 million to renovate and refurbish PJ Palms. He said the previous operator operated a slot-machine gambling business and neglect- PJ Palms. ed the olympic-sized swimming pool. A comprehensive audit report on the finances and work carried out by Sepang Mekar will be presented at a AMPANG: The annual Ampang Residents later date, he said. Councillor Derek Fernandez said Committee ( JKP) Sports Carnival from July 2 the club was in disrepair, adding that to 17 is expected to foster greater community MBPJ had at one point planned to spirit in the municipality. Since its inception in 2008, the carnival has demolish the 30-year-old club, which was turning into an eyesore in New attracted participants from all 24 JKP zones. We expect the same this year, said MPAJ Youth Town. and Sports Department administrative officer Hazliza Kamarulzaman. The Sports Carnivals indoor games badminton, ping-pong, carom, darts, chess, and dam aji will be held on July 2 and 3. With the exception of badminton, which will be held in the Pandan Indah Municipal Hall, the indoor games will be held in the MPAJ tower. Outdoor games, which include sepak takraw, basketball, football, 10-pin bowling and petanque, will be held on July 16 and 17 at the Pandan Indah Municipal Field.

Sports carnival to unite residents

All the sporting events will be held as competitions to motivate participants to strive harder for trophies and prize money, said Hazliza. She said the various JKP will compete with each other for points. The winner for each sport will receive 5 points; 3 points for second place; and 1 point for third and fourth. The JKP which emerges with the highest points will be deemed overall champion of the carnival and will win RM2,000. The carnivals officiating ceremony will be held on July 16, where there will be telematches, colouring contests for children, and food stalls, she said. There will also be fencing, kabaddi and petanque demonstrations on the same day. The sports events are only open to Ampang residents. Those interested to register are encouraged to sign up with their local JKP.

Assessment payments made easy

AMPANG: The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) has set up assessment tax counters in several hypermarkets for the convenience of residents here. MPAJ assessment tax counters have been set up in supermarkets Tesco Ampang and Carrefour Ampang, and at Ampang Point shopping mall, said Datuk Mohammad Yacob. The MPAJ president, speaking to the press after the councils full board meeting on Wednesday, said the counters were to make dealings with the council more efficient. He said the counters have been set up since June 13 and will remain open until Aug 15 from 6pm to 9pm on working days and 12pm to 9pm on weekends and public holidays. This convenience has been provided by MPAJ for years. The booths are set up in the beginning and middle of the year, said MPAJ

(From left) Resident S Yogambiai, Kumaresan, Tan, and Lew holding a copy of the appeal letter sent to the state secretariat.

By Basil Foo

AMPANG: Fed-up residents who want action againsta hostel converted from a four-story shop lot in Kampung Baru Ampang have found no solution despite appeals to authorities. We have been complaining since two years ago, but we have not received a solution from the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), said 65-year-old businessperson Lew Pin. He said the shop lot, called Bina Kott, was the cause of daily traffic congestion due to buses ferrying the factory workers to and from work several times a day. Lew, a resident of Sunrise Park Apartments next to Bina Kott, said the buses also pose a danger to pedestrians and students of two primary schools nearby. The buses are so big that they cant see them (the schoolchildren), he said. Sunrise Park resident A Kumaresan also raised the issue of an eyesore caused

by rubbish being thrown out of the shop lot windows. Meeting residents after MPAJs full board meeting on Wednesday was councillor Tan Hua Meng, who said he has raised this issue with the council before. However, he was told by various departments that there was no law that could be taken against the converted shop lot, which houses about 400 workers from a nearby factory. I was told that the shop lot was under an individual rental agreement, so there is no law to tackle this, he said. The management of the hostel has appealed to MPAJfor the premises to be for residential use. But Tan pointed out that even the Fire and Rescue Department has deemed the premises unsuitable for a hostel. Tan said since MPAJ could not address this issue, he has assisted residents by sending a letter of appeal to the state secretariat in April. They are still awaiting a response.

Datuk Mohammad Yacob

councillor Dorothy Cheong. She added that this round of booths were for assessment tax payment for the second half of the year, which is due by Aug 31.

MPK to ensure lights on bridge

By Brenda Chng

KLANG: The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) will bear all costs for the replacement of stolen streetlight chokes, which left the Klang Town flyover in darkness for weeks. More then three quarters of the streetlight chokes are missing, and it will cost RM150 to replace each, said MPK secretary Mohd Ikhsan Mukri. The Klang Town flyover is currently maintained by the contractor that built the bridge, who is, however, refusing to pay for acts of van-

dalism, forcing MPK to step in. The contractor only covers maintenance of faulty facilities, and theircontract ends in February next year. However, Mohd Ikhsan said the maintenance cost of the flyover is too high for the council to bear, and they will be handing it over to the Public Works Department. In the meantime, we will have to bear the costs of replacing chokes, plus other damages that are not covered by the contractors warranty guidelines until it is handed over, he said at the MPKs monthly full board meeting.

SELANGOR TIMES July 1 3, 2010 9

News

Mayor refutes accusations of foot dragging by council

By Alvin Yap

PETALING JAYA: The mayor has refuted criticism that the council is dragging its feet to repair a collapsed retaining wall of a condominium along Sung ai Penchala here. Datuk Roslan Sakiman said the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) financial board had to wait for the Selangor Economic Action Council to vet and approve a shortlist of engineers to repair the collapsed wall at Ken Damasara 3 Condominium in SS2 here. We had to look closely at the fees the engineers were asking for, Roslan said after a full board meeting here on Wednesday. He said the bill to repair

and strengthen the retaining wall, which had collapsed into the river, would cost RM1.28 million. Work is slated to start on Thursday, three months after the retaining wall collapsed, and will take three months to complete. A 32-metre length of the wall started to crack late last year, exacerbated by the fastmoving Sungai Penchala which had eroded the soil at the base of the retaining wall, and collapsed in late April this year. Roslan said the developers of the condominium should have borne the cost of repairing the wall. They had refused to accept responsibility, but conceded after negotiations to being billed for the construc-

Roslan

Lights out for old guidelines

By Brenda Chng

KLANG: The Klang Municipal Councils (MPK) unilateral decision to change guidelines on lightemitting diode (LED) lamps for all streetlights came under fire from councillors at a full board meeting on Monday. MPKs guideline previously made it compulsory for all contractors to install the cost-saving LED streetlights in all residential areas, but this has been amended to encourage. The amendment was made based on the previous meeting with the Public Works Department ( JKR), said MPK secretary Mohd Ikhsan Mukri. JKR insists the maintenance of LED lights is too high, contrary to claims that the lights last longer, reduce cost and are 50 to 60% more efficient than normal bulbs. JKR says LED lights are not money or energy savers, so they shouldnt be used, said MPK Engineering Department deputy director Zamri Othman. But Zamris explanation has failed to satisfy councillors, who insist that the original guidelines be restored. Their objection will be raised at next months meeting of MPKs One-Stop Centre.

tion costs, which MBPJ will pay first. Earlier during the full board me eting , councillor Ma k Khuin Weng blasted MBPJ for being slow in responding to the situation. Why does it take more than two months to engage a contractor? he asked Roslan. Mak said the collapsed wall posed a threat to the 200 residents at Ken 3 Damansara condominium. He also claimed that his request for the building plans for Ken 3 Damansara condominium had been ignored by council staff. Mak claimed that the approved building plans stipulated 18 storeys, but another two floors had been included without approval. Roslan has instructed both the engineering and planning departments respectively to verify if the additional floors were approved.

Councillors: Act against unlicensed event

KLANG: The Klang Municipal Councils (MPK) failure to act against organisers of an unlicensed event at Klang Central raised eyebrows during the councils full board meeting on Monday. The organisers have accumulated rental arrears amounting to RM63,000. Why is the unlicensed event still allowed to go on even though the organisers dont have a permit and have not paid the licensing fees? MPK councillor Norain Eusoff. MPKs Licensing Department assistant director Nurul Hada Baharom said the company had been given numerous warnings to stop operating. She explained that the company did apply for a licence which was approved, but failed to pay the fee for a permit. Councillors urged the Enforcement Department to close down the function.

Proper lots for hawkers

KLANG: The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) hopes properly designated lots drawn in yellow will help ease longstanding complaints against morning traders at Taman Chi Liung. We want to ensure all vendors are licensed and only trade in their allocated lots to avoid misunderstanding, said MPK Licensing Department assistant director Nurul Huda Baharom. She told the council during its full board meeting that the move would enable MPK to monitor traders who have been accused of causing traffic congestion and dirtying the neighbourhood.

NEWS 10
JULY 1 3, 2011

Competition to promote biodiesel

By Brenda Chng

PETALING JAYA: A competition to get communities to recycle their used cooking oil for biodiesel is under way to promote a sustainable green environment in the city. This competition, starting July 9-Aug 12, will be the first phase of the project targeted at staff of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), school students and neighbourhoods. The second phase of this project will be long-term, aimed at individual households and restaurant operators around PJ. We hope this competition will act as an awareness programme to educate all restaurants and house owners to recycle used cooking oil the proper way, said MBPJ deputy mayor Puasa Md Taib. While prizes for the competition have yet to be determined, Puasa hopes the move willcurb the illegal dumping of oil into drains. He said the effort will also put a stop to the unscrupulous who buy used oil for RM 3 per litre beforemixing it together with new oil and reselling it to the public for consumption. For the competition, residents are encouraged to dispose used cooking oil into containers which will be provided by CGV Industries Sdn Bhd, a company specialising in the collection of used cooking oil. These containers will be given to all participating schools, residents associations (RA) and MBPJ departments to be placed at a central location. The barrels will be collected daily by CGV lorries and sent to Sime Darby for processing into biodiesel. We will pay the public RM1.20 per litre of oil disposed to help encourage more people to see this as a rewarding project,

said CGV managing director Cha Guang Voon. Cha said there are currently 200 containers available for the project, which will be given out for free to all participating schools and RAs. The containers come in four different sizes: 25kg, 50kg, 100kg and 200kg. Our aim is to get the community involved in recycling oil and to create an awareness that converting oil into biodiesel can help preserve the environment for generations to School, RA and MBPJ representatives with the containers for disposing used cooking oil. come, said Cha. On an average basis, munity blog and giving out flyers and sending e-mails. one household can accumulate up to minimum 1.5 litres of To date, 13 schools and 10 RAs have already registered to oil every month. Imagine what would happen to the environ- participate, along with the 13 departments in MBPJ. ment when a whole neighbourhood of 500 houses disposes Other schools and RAs in Petaling Jaya are encouraged to oil into their back-alley drains daily. apply with MBPJ by the end of the month. Already agreeing to participate is the RA of Taman Gasing Those interested in learning more about the benefits of Indah, which has 450 houses in the area. biodiesel and how it is converted can visit IKEA Mutiara DaWe will be needing the biggest container due to the num- mansara for the launch of the programme on July 23 from 10am. ber of residents and restaurants in my area, said Taman Gasing There will be demonstrations by Sime Darby on how oil is Indah RA vice-president Eric Chew. converted, along with other environmental exhibitions. Chew is already in the midst of educating \residents about The recycling project event will be launched by executive the benefits of this project by writing about it on the com- councillor for environment Elizabeth Wong.

Know your councillor: Latheefa Koya

By Alvin Yap

PETALING JAYA: Human rights lawyer Latheefa Koya was selected as one of the 24 city councillors here because of her professional background. The first-term councillor is now in her 10th year practising public interest law, which includes migrant, refugee and criminal cases. While I am a political appointee, I was also chosen because people recognise that councillors should be well-versed in legislative and development policies, Latheefa says. She is responsible for parts of Old Town here, including Sections 1, 1A, 3, 4 and 18. As the area has been settled since the early 1950s, the infrastructure, especially drainage, is in need of replacement. She points out that residents in the area approach issues with a sense of urgency and want their grouses to be solved immediately. She understands their concerns, as some issues have been outstanding since 15 years ago. Latheefa says ratepayers now have better access to Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) policies, claiming that the latter has been more transparent since the Pakatan Rakyat coalition formed the state government. Residents are empowered nowadays, and they work closely with residents associations and their respective councillors to get information, she explains. She says the practice of ratepayers making complaints through their state assemblypersons and even the Menteri Besars office is over. She says councillors and MBPJ will try to channel complaints to other authorities like the Public Works Department, the state, or other concessionaires. Latheefa believes that communities should run their own programmes, and their agendas should

not be dictated by any level of government. She feels that residents should d e c i d e o n th e community programmes and activities the y want to hold. M B PJ, she says, will provide the material and logistics support like providing tents, chairs and other equipment. Latheefa, an adviser to Lawyers for Liberty, a pro bono public interest group of legal practitioners, sits on various committees of the local council. She is on the Audit, Corporate and Good Governance Committee, as well as the Health and Licensing Enforcement Committee. She also sits on the Sustainable Development Committee, as well as the One Stop Centre committee that deliberates on approving development projects in the city. She is the chairperson of the Committee on Hygiene and Cleanliness, which oversees the hygiene standards of food service outlets in Petaling Jaya. The work of a local councillor, while categorised as part-time, is in practice a 24-hour job. The city never sleeps, issues dont sleep or take a back seat when we are on the job, she explains. She salutes her peers in the council and wants to learn from their own experiences as decision-makers in MBPJ. We are all from various walks of life, and we are increasingly exposed to different ideas on how to make Petaling Jaya a better place to live and work in, she concludes.

Developer to fix damaged homes

Lee on a visit to a home where cracks have appeared on the walls.

AMPANG: Residents whose homes incurred cracks due to development in Taman Melur have secured assurance that the damage will be fixed. Ive met with developers and they have agreed to fix all houses affected, said the Teratai assemblyperson Jenice Lee last Friday. Cracks began to appear on the walls of the homes afterdigging and construction work began on the project in the neighbourhood. Lee said owners ofnine houses have so far complained, but there could be others who have yet to come forward. She said it was hard to identify other houses that might have been damaged because the owners are not allowing developers to enter their premises to conduct checks. I hope all house owners on Jalan 35, Taman Melur will cooperate with us so that developers can fix all houses at once, she said during a site visit on Saturday. Developers will have to enter the houses to check on the cracks before a date for repairs can be fixed. Residents can also rest assured that all digging work at the construction site is completed.

views 11
July 1 3, 2011

s we turned the corner, bright lights greeted us from a distance. With the dark of the night in the background, shades of red, blue, green and white burst into view. We were entering a neon forest. At the entrance, we had to pay RM10, although the ticket said RM5. Its a weekend,said the ticket woman. The lights are switched on for the same duration whether on a weekday or weekend, so paying for electricity must not be the reason behind the price hike. Regardless, there was a queue. It was a busy weekend at i-City. There were a lot of people out and about families and friends. It was my first time there. The lights were intoxicating, piercing through my pupils, forcing their way into my retinas. But the spectacle left an unconvincing feel on me. The mash-up of colours seemed gaudy, distasteful. The accompanying figures of a life-size giraffe and Santa Claus complete with his reindeer seemed disjointed and awkward, as if they were just plonked there. There is no specific theme to this light show is it winter wonderland, is it Africa, is it supposed to be local with the Chinese lanterns? Yet none of the other visitors seemed unperturbed. They were happily posing and snapping pictures with the LED-infested trees, coloured shadows cast upon their figures. Those with Instagram would have had a blast. There is a Tourism Malaysia office at the business centre. I wonder if i-City is meant for tourists or locals, but I would think tourists would not be impressed. The only localised displays would be the Chinese lanterns and peacock designs. It would have been great to have a Sharyn Shufiyan traditional Malay house with the festive lights just to complete the Ali, Ah Chong and Muthu formula. of art were judged democratically But instead, the displays were very that is, according to how many much foreign. people like them kitsch would Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen easily defeat all its competitors. I believes that the Snow Walk would dont know how much the visitors be a great tourist-puller, especially to i-City actually consider the disthose from the Middle East, Asean plays a work of art, as it seems that and South India. Dubai already has for Malaysians, the concept of art Ski Dubai; just north of India is is still confined within the walls of Nepal, which only houses the high- the National Art Gallery or Petroest mountain in the world. And lets nas Art Gallery. not even talk about Eastern Asia. So Theres no doubt the magic of who are we really attracting? i-City lies not in its art form, but in To me, i-City seemed utterly its ability to wow us with a play of pointless. I sarcastically muttered colours. But it also goes beyond that it was no wonder we want nu- colours; the displays are representaclear energy to power such ostentatious displays. i-City is fundamentally kitsch, a worthless and pretentious form of art which largely appeals to the masses. Ouch. Fahmi Fadzil Whitney Rugg wrote that kitsch tends to mimic the effects proIM not sure if youve been followduced by real sensory experiences, ing the news, but earlier in June I presenting highly charged imagery, was kind of in the news as I had to language, or music that triggers an apologise for some things that I automatic, and therefore unreflechad tweeted in January. tive, emotional reaction. I cant really talk about the matBut then I walked around and ter because as my meticulous saw that people were actually having lawyer advised I shouldnt do the time of their lives. It was a night anything that may jeopardise the outing, and I, for one, have always settlement. And so I wont. But encouraged people to spend time what I would like to do is to maybe outside and make use of public just go through some thoughts spaces rather than being cooped up about the idea of saying sorry. in malls. So I bit my tongue. What does it mean for someone They didnt care that Santa Claus to say Im sorry? What does it appears six months prior to Christtake for people to say sorry? And mas; they didnt care that the exisin fact, how does apologising affect tence of dinosaurs contradicts their the wider society? concept of creation; nor were they First of all, what is an apology? bothered that a giraffe stole the show It is, as my laptops dictionary puts rather than our own Malayan tiger. it, a regretful acknowledgment of The displays were just displays for an offence or failure. I guess we photo ops. It was a smart move: uscan also see it as an attempt of coring light as its main attraction, recting an erroneous stance, posipeople get to enjoy the nights cool tion, or observation by first stating air so that they actually do want to ones cognizance of said error. It is, venture out. Thomas Kulka wrote: If works

A play of lights
tions of things beyond our reach. Blogger Triplets plus One wrote: [S]ince this was the closest we could get to snow, it was okay I guess. Perhaps we like to see things we do not have, and unlike the art that hangs in solitude on a cold wall somewhere obscure, the displays at i-City are approachable, warm and friendly, and it doesnt take much for the public to enjoy them. Only idiots like me would try to comprehend something that doesnt need comprehension. And maybe we should also adjust our views on art, that art transcends mere aesthetics. After all, art, as we have come to know it, is largely a Western concept. And the real prized possession, I think, lies in the human bond among the people who visit such places.

Tripping Zero 3

Kthxbai!

Maafkan kami
in effect, a confrontation with ones self, whereby the idea of the self is the measure of all things is disputed, challenged, and replaced. Basically, someone proved you wrong and youve accepted it. But what is the value of an apology, particularly in our Malaysian context? In these turbulent and interesting times, do apologies really amount to anything more than that feeling of Im right and youre wrong? Is it about bragging rights? Or is there something more to this acknowledgment? I propose that there is, and that it is virtuous action in the form of accountability, transparency, and responsibility for ones actions. It is, in my thinking, about integrity and credibility something that often appears to be in high demand in the high-octane contact sport that is Malaysian politics. To me, when someone says sorry, that person is taking responsibility for the statement or action that he or she had made. What does taking responsibility mean? Perhaps it means that whatever after-effects of that statement or action is attributable to him or her. This involves another concept which is thought to be rather mythical these days: honour. When you own up to your mistake(s), you are also saying that you have caused your honour disrepute, and that your honour is an important quality of your self that must be restored. Okay, maybe thats a bit romantic and too bushido-like (Im seeing Japans Tepco administrators saying, We are extremely sorry for the grievances weve caused the world due to the Fukushima nuclear plants near-meltdown), but I think you get my point: that some things are worth more than any ringgit figure we stamp on it. And this brings me to my next point: the act of apologising has many ramifications beyond the act, and this demands consideration as much as the idea of the apology itself. Forcing a person to grovel in public may potentially be damaging not just to the person making the apology, but also to those who thought up the act; likewise, letting someone off with a gentle slap on the back of the hand leaves little room for thinking about the mistake that was made. In this sense, an apology is also about the image that one wants to impart beyond the act itself. It is not only you, but all of us must learn from this I think is the key takeaway from the act of an apology. Ultimately, an apology is about justice as much as it is to those wronged as it is to the wrongdoers. Just remember that while justice should be blind, it should never be without heart.

12 JULY 1 3, 2011
By Danny Lim

InsIght

eres a wild idea: surround an island with barricades from the seabed up, effectively damming the waters around it in order to stop trash from washing ashore, and cultivating freshwater shores that will allow for agriculture. That, according to Pulau Ketam village chief Cha Keng Lee, was the ambitious plan that the Selangor state government had in mind for the island 30 years ago. My friend took the government officials on a boat around the island to make measurements, he says. The plan was to be implemented within 10 years.Then people wont call this place Garbage Island. That loopy, gargantuan plan came to nought. And garbage drifting through the Klang and Langat rivers all the way from Kuala Lumpur and beyond continues to wash up on the coast of the islands that sit just off the Port Klang river mouth. Pulau Ketam village, almost entirely perched on wooden stilts, is suspended a few metres above the water level. Beneath the shops and houses of approximately 6,000 residents is where decades worth of imperishable refuse come to rest. Plastic bags, styrofoam boxes, glass bottles and rubber tires congeal in acolourful morass that is almost inviting from a distance, like a childrens playpen filled with strange, exotic toys; until, that is, you catch a mild whiff of rot permeating the air. Ah, the funky reek of modern-day detritus. Its why taking out the trash is of utmost concern to Cha, and for many of his predecessors. We feel this village has been neglected in terms of waste disposal over the years, Cha laments. Until just over 10 years ago, we used to dump everything into the sea. This is because we had nowhere else to dispose of it. Please dont think we are uncivilised people. In 2000, Alam Flora, the concessionaire for solid waste management, was given the contract to collect rubbish and maintain cleanliness in the village. The villages waste was collected and hauled back to the mainland for proper disposal. But theres still not enough manpower to take care of the rubbish, says Cha. There used to be eight Alam Flora workers, now theres only six. Thats only six workers to take care of 6,000 peoples rubbish. [Plus] they also have to collect the rubbish from the nearby Sungai Lima village [which is also on the island], which has about 1,000 people. Cha suggests adding more workers and assigning villagers the responsibility to organise collections. Despite the evidence accumulating beneath the homes, Kampung Pulau Ketam today is rather undeserving of its unsavoury nickname. Above the stilts and all along the narrow concrete pavements that serve as the villages main thoroughfares, the place is clean and well maintained. The faint odour is not discernible from that of any other fishing village; certainly it does not distract from all the idyllic charms of a seaside settlement that has survived for over a hundred years. For the villages saving grace is also its raison dtre: the sea. As much as the rivers bring in the trash, it is the powerful sea breeze that washes away the stench, not to mention the haze. On the peninsula, Klang is usually the worst-afflicted place when the haze wafts in from Sumatras smouldering peat, and Pulau Ketam bears the brunt of the smoke. Its very thick, but it also comes and goes very fast, because the sea wind is very strong, says Cha. People come here to look at the sea, says Cha. Tourists find it cheap and convenient to come here for a getaway. Its only RM4.30 by KTM Komuter from KL Sentral to Port Klang. And then its half an hour by ferry. They also come here to savour the fresh sea breeze, clean and unpolluted, and the quiet ambience of a village that has banned all motorised forms of transport since 2007. A traffic jam here consists of cyclists ringing their bells as they wheel down the concrete pathways between shops and houses. In one of those shops is Hong, a 57-year-old shopowner, who enjoys the serenity. The best thing about this place is the quality of air. And the relationship between villagers is very close. We have no worries, no problems. [Whereas] KL is very bad. The difference lies in the surrounding seas that form a natural moat that helps to impede criminal elements and maintain that kind of peace. No crime, no problems. Its very safe here, says Cha. Night and day, we have maritime police and customs doing their rounds. The last time there was any incident was 20 years ago when somebody tried to rob the floating oil gas station. They came in a speedboat and tried to escape with about RM6,000, but they were killed by the police. The number one attraction, though, is the glorious plethora of seafood everything from oysters and prawns, to pomfret, garoupa and threadfin fish. And of course, crabs. The village was started by Hainanese fishermen who came to this island to catch

Laidback ch amid the ru

crabs and dock their boats. They found this spot to be the outermost landing for their fishing trips that was also well-protected from the robust tides of the Malacca Straits, their boats safe and unmolested even during the fiercest storms. Fishing remains the chief industry of the village, with almost 80% of the villagers being fisherfolk or involved in fish farming, which feed the numerous restaurants around the island. Fresh seafood is also shipped to the mainland, where most of it end up in wet markets as far as Selayang. Cha, who has spent all 45 years of his life on this island, was himself a fisherman, as was his father. I was very happy being a fisherman, he reflects. You can catch as many fish as you want, you dont want to go back also can. You just stay in the sea as long as you want, and catch until your boat is full. The fortunes of Pulau Ketam are thus intimately linked to the fishing industry. If the fishermen dont earn enough, they dont have spending power, and dont buy clothes, says Hong. In the 1980s, the island had as many as 20,000 people. But fishing has declined, thats why the population has shrunk, says Cha. Its not that the catch has dwindled, he insists, but it has become more dangerous to fish. We got harassed by the Indonesians when we fish near the borders of In-

donesian waters, Cha e Thirty-odd years ago to Tanjung Balai, off S ransom was paid, Cha other places like Johor Hong, who was him tive. The industry is s out to sea, they might should be more unders Surrounded by man velop. Old-timers like island, but faced with a are pragmatic about th I dont know what going to go down. Onl I wouldnt encourage th goes out, while more In it will turn into an Indo

Ten-year-old Hua Lien relaxing by the river after school.

A traffic jam at the villages busiest street.

Locals peeling fresh prawns for the seafood restaurants

harm bbish
Fishing boats docking after a days work. Trash from the Klang river mouth washes up in Pulau Ketam, giving it the unwanted nickname Garbage Island.

Village founded by Hainanese fisherfolk

PULAU Ketam consists of two villages on the island Kampung Pulau Ketam and Kampung Sungai Lima. Only sea transport links the two villages. According to PulauKetam.com, three Hainanese fishermen from Bagan Hainan near Port Klang were the first to arrive on the island to catch crabs. They built huts in the mangrove swamps to stay in. By 1883, the population reached almost a hundred. Later, Chinese Hokkiens and Teochews came to the island to earn a living, living in wooden houses. World War II saw an influx of people from the mainland seeking safe haven from the Japanese Occupation. This population boom continued in the 50s with the advent of diesel engines and fishing technologies spurring the industry. The big fires that destroyed about 300 homes in 1967 and 1972 saw the formation of the Volunteer Fire Department. In 1991, a new jetty was built and water was piped in from Pulau Indah. Twenty-four-hour electricity supply was only available from 2001 via an underwater cable. Previously it was provided via generators, with daily interruptions. The islands infrastructure includes a post office, a hospital, a Maybank outlet with ATM facilities, three kindergartens, three primary schools, a secondary school, a police station and a surau frequented by a handful of Chinese Muslims.
More garbage.

explains. o, his uncle was caught by Indonesian authorities and taken Singapore, along with his boat. He was only released after a a claims. Since then, a lot of fishermen have left to fish in or Penang. mself a fisherman until 10 years ago, has a different perspecshort of manpower. If you hire Indonesians and take them t get arrested for not being legal workers. The government standing, and make it easier to hire foreign workers. ngrove swamps, the village has little room to expand or deHong are determined to spend their twilight years on the a dwindling population and declining fishing industry, they he future. t will happen to this place, says Hong. The population is ly the elderly live here. All my children live on the mainland. hem to do fishing. Its a hard life the old gets old, the young ndonesians come here to live and work. Who knows, maybe onesian island.

s.

The dwindling youth population spends their free time playing foosball by the street.

The main jetty to the village was built in 1991.

A Buddhist temple gate, which has the words Great gain in fishing industry engraved on it.

VIEWS 14
JULY 1 3, 2011

The qualities of a lawyer, and why vote?

s my biggest dream become lawyer. How should I do become good lawyer practise? But no need is famous. Tanks you. @Fengtau_2901, by email WELL, uh, first up, Mr Fengtau_2901, were not sure whether that is a Chinese or Russian accent youre writing in. But anyway. One of the key things that a lawyer requires is a good command of the language of trade. In Malaysia, this means Bahasa Malaysia and English. This duality of language use is not a hindrance but rather a necessity, and one that lends its certain charm and flavour to the practice of law. More importantly, it demonstrates the courts flexibility and width of accommodation. A good command of the language facilitates articulating an argument or opinion in a receptive manner. The next thing is industry i.e. diligence, thoroughness and meticulousness in ones work. This part in truth is the nuts and bolts of lawyering. This is the research or thinking part. This is the part that the television series like Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, etc. dont really show the layperson. There is nothing exciting about watching a person pore over the book or type while gazing at a computer screen for hours interrupted only by lunch, toilet or smoke breaks. Real lawyers dont wear sharp suits or pencil skirts every day, perform miraculous and hilarious feats of justice-preserving eloquence in court, and hang out at the bar downstairs laughing their cares away. It is hard work, but a fulfilling profession. Intelligence, if applied, will ensure that industry is properly directed and spent. You do not have to be terribly clever to be a lawyer. What is important is that you have a healthy dose of common sense and reasonableness about your approach to problems and have an awareness of the situation. Your job as a lawyer does not entail showing off and doing things that are not in the clients interest. But industry and intelligence are dangerous if corruption guides them. That is why a lawyer must have integrity. By this is meant honesty, accountability, and discretion where necessary. This is very important because as a lawyer it is likely that you would at one time or another act as stakeholders for some legal transaction involving important documents or large sums of money. Then there is independence. A lawyer must be able to think and work things out for themselves for the most part. They should be independent in thought as well as ethics, in the sense that they cannot be swayed with tempting offers from other parties. It is difficult to trust a lawyer who is not confident in or trusting of his own opinion. Finally, all that would be futile if you lack initiative. This means keenness to do things enthusiastically with the right attitude. This means looking forward to challenges, and being
Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by LoyarBurok (www.loyarburok.com) where all your profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic, recondite, sagacious, and other thesaurus-described queries are answered!

The legal geniuses of Boston Legal.

eager to develop oneself. This is the fuel for all the other traits. Regrettably, this trait is especially lacking in many graduates. It is sufficient if you are competent, which means you avoid mistakes as much as possible. But there are many more traits that one requires to be a competent lawyer never mind a good lawyer, which is much more difficult. will be celebrating my 21st birthday soon. Some friends are asking me to register as a voter but Im not sure why I should vote. Does it really matter? @StopNagging, via email ACCORDING to the Election Commission, 15.8 million Malaysian youths are eligible to vote, but only 11.8 million have registered as voters. Out of this, not all will actually vote during elections. In the previous general election, 76% of the voter population turned up to vote. In fact, were n o t doing too bad when compared with the United Kingdom, which sees a declining voter population year after year. However, Indonesia scores higher than us. Hence, it is understandable when one asks whether voting matters or not. Well, it matters in Malaysia. The 2008 political tsunami proves that everyones vote does matter. Here are top six reasons why you should vote: 1. You get to shape your future. Twenty years from now, most of the people running the country will not be there (note: the operative word here is most). So, why would you let them shape your future, especially if they havent been looking out for your interests? 2. National issues such as economic growth, inflation, budget allocation, education, health, employment, wages, security, human rights, and environmental policies often affect you

more than you realise. By voting, youre telling the government who you think is more competent and capable of running the country. By voting, youre choosing who should represent you. 3. If you dont vote, youre actually saying that you dont care if youre being represented by a moron. No amount of teeth gritting, hair pulling and name calling would change the fact that you are more than happy to accept this moron to be your state assemblyperson, member of Parliament or prime minister. You can either choose to lose your teeth and hair by the time you reach your 30th birthday, or you can vote for someone better. 4. You should vote simply because you can. It hasnt always been like this for many other people. Malaysians are blessed because we didnt really have to fight hard to earn the right to vote. This wasnt the same for countries like the US. Voting in America started as early as 1776, but for close to a century, only white men with property were allowed to vote. Women could vote only in 1920, and American Indians in 1924. Women could not vote in the Unite Kingdom until 1928, France in 1944, and Portugal as late as 1975. Your right to vote is not permanent and can be taken away. This happened in Spain when women could vote from 1931 to 1936, but when it fell under Francos regime, women lost their right to vote for the next 40 years. 5. Voting makes you feel good. In 1960, a documentary about John F Kennedy called The Primary showed multiple shots of peoples toes curling up while they vote. 6. Its the easiest thing you can ever do for your country. Really. Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok. com, with your full name and pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. The first 100 questions published will receive monkey-riffic LoyarBurok merchandise courtesy of Selangor Times.
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may 13 recoll: reconcections & 12 & iliation

13

TI-M he ad disputes Christia state cl n aim

Wesak a time Day: giving for

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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) 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) 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

commun

15

ity

May 20

22, 2011

/ issue

25

By Will

iam Tan

Petal ed low- ing Jaya: cost Dila angor may flats through pidata pilot progget a new lease out Selsuch hom ramme to rehaof life if es The amb is successfu bilitate kind proj itious and l. first the Peta ect is being carr -of-itsied out by ling Jaya Keeping (MBPJ) City in safe: Faizabandoned tas Design collaboration Council bab demons ah Mohd Tahi ies pan y, and Group, a privwith Veritrati baby hatc ng the use r (left) commun Rum ah Air ate comof the Datin Sofi h as local ity-b Pan as, celebrity a The sing ased charity. a STory Jane looks on. Maju Jaya le block at on pag the houses 59 apartments here Taman e 10 fam , which to und ergo ilies, will be which inclu the tran sfor the first furb ishm des renovatio mation, ns physical ents whi le keep and reaspe ing the "All wor cts intact. sions mad ks are based on social active by the resid the decients," said ist Won Wong, g Hay pointed who mooted Cheong. out dents were that many the idea , of flats whe forced to mov the resie demolishn squatter settleme into the facilities ed, but the buil nts were were hard dings and ly adeq The Gro up, entr y of Veritasuate. RM100 whi ch has con Design ,000 and architect the skill trib uted Wong said change, s], means that s [of their ryin the priv is going said Won to Cor g out the proj ate firm is carg. As man ect as part porate Their relocate y as 50,000 fam Social of its (CS d technolo architects, usin 2000 and to low-cost flats ilies were last R) programme, Resp onsibilit g the gies y teri Besa 2008 under formbetween for two years layin having spent the rem ode l the and techniqu latest arch itect Iska g the grou es, the proj Squatter r Dr Khi r Toy er Menect. ndwork budget, whic buil ding on a will Iskandar ndar Razak. The tight than RM h is estimated LB_24 added that icised for policy which has o's Zer o with company 6391_ 500 to be less difficult to has been creating Sun_m14.ai critbeen obta the fam It is very ,000. high-rise liaising 1 from vario obta in comit was very busi in what they feed ghettos.5/12/11 back on ilies regularly chal need from ness cont 9:56 the proj usparties at mitments to get ever ything need leng ing; alm them deci PM their need acts. their ect, with the De wiring is ost s to be redo s and de on prac funding start of port spite it all, ticalsolu help and the horrible, the roof ne. The ous issue. this is still a seriant proj tions. septic tank The succ is leaking, that a city ect for us as a very imstench, ess of the emit spon should not we believe saidVer itas Des s an awful nent sorships for the project rests on by the wea lthy only be inhabite ign Gro various com strat up part s, such as the po- juve a of society. In , but by ever d supp s, and the y a way, we nating the compan ly of metal y hopes If the pilo city, said Iska are reto t is successfu ndar. l, the com Turn To pag e2

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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

Pasar Seri Setia SS9A/1 Pasar Kg Chempaka Taman Tun Dr Ismail Hospital Forrest Medical Centre Colleges Help Institute College Bandar Utama (KBU) Universiti Kebangsan Malaysia

Tesco (Puchong, Kajang, Mutiara Damansara, Rawang, Bukit Tinggi, Setia Alam, Ampang, Extra Shah Alam, Kepong)

By Brenda Chng

PORT KLANG: Waking up from her five-month-long coma was a miracle, but Fatin Farhana, who has part of her skull implanted in her abdomen, needs financial aid to get a fighting chance for full recovery. The 20-year-old was on a motorcycle which was involved in an accident with a car when she fell and hit her head on a rock. To save her life, doctors at the Sungai Buloh Hospital had to remove part of her skull andimplant it inside her abdomen to keep it viable while swelling in her brain subsides. Fatin, who is paralysed, is now on a waiting list to surgically reattach her skull. She was discharged from the hospital three weeks ago and is now under the watchful eyes of her older brother and mother in their two-room wooden home in Kampung Raja Uda. Handling her is hard. Ive to make sure she is held the right way or it might hurt her stomach a lot because of the implanted skull, said Norlia Mat. The 53-year-old single mother of four said she faces daily financial

Miracle girl needs assistance

challenges, in addition to taking care of her daughter. On a daily basis, Fatin consumes two bottles of special-formula milk powder which costs RM40 each, making it RM80 a day. Due to her paralysis, she has to be fed via a tube, which is surgically placed, to take the food straight to her stomach. She has another drainage tube known as the shunt placed between her brain and her abdominal cavity to eliminate internal pressure and drain off fluid. The brain fluid will flow to the abdominal cavity where it will be absorbed back into the blood. To make matters worse, she also suffers from bedsores, which are also known as pressure ulcers, on various parts of her body. Fatin has to be turned on her sides carefully by her mother and brother to ease blood flow and to relief pressure off her body. However, friction while changing positions can also cause more tearing to the wound, making bedsores worse. The wounds also have to be tended to frequently with the dressing changed and washed properly. No one is working in the family now. Even my oldest son stopped working just to look after her sister, said Norlia. She has four children, with the oldest aged 29, the youngest aged 16, and the third aged 18. Every month, she has to come up with at least RM3,000 just to cater to the needs of her daughter. She also has unpaid medical bills in the hospital amounting to RM1,000. To help ease her burden, Klang MP Charles Santiago has pledged to help pay off her hospital bills. My office has made a commitment to support her and will be giving her RM1,000, he said last Sunday. Joining him is Klang local councillor Ismail Arsat, who will be donating RM400 to the family. This wont be the last of it. I will

News 15
July 1 3, 2011

Norlia, Ismail and Santiago (right) with Fatin in the room where the whole family sleeps.

be giving them more money, especially during the coming festive season, he said. Ismail will also be helping them apply for welfare funds and look for other means to help them.

Donations and contributions from the public are welcomed. Those interested, contact Norlia Mat at 010-2998933 or contact the MPs service centre at 016-6267797 or 03-33232122.

Property development the way up for Hartanah Selangor

By Basil Foo

S H A H A L A M : Kumpulan Hartanah Selangor Bhd (Hartanah Selangor) is hoping to turn around its balance sheets and make a profit this year through major projects in the state. We are targeting the current year to be profitable for the property arm, said Hartanah Selangor chairperson Raja Idris Raja Kamarudin (pic). Har tana h S elang or is the property division of Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd (KPS), of which Raja Idris is also the chairperson. He spoke to report ers after Hartanah Selangors ninth annual general meeting on Monday, and said he expected a turnaround after a loss of RM35.1 million in 2010. He said the company is looking to develop 3.64 hectares of land in Section 14 Petaling Jaya, and 2,023.4 hectares in Bestari Jaya, Kuala Selangor, including 607 hectares in Pulau Indah. We have acquired land in the Section 14 commercial zone. This development should bring in a gross deve lopment value of RM800 million in the next five years, he said. Hartanah Selangors development plan for their commercial zone in Petaling Jaya is expected to be launched this year. This development will consist of shop offices, SOHOs (Small Office, Home Office), office towers, and service apartments. The company has also looked at

Batavia Demons (in yellow) and majority-female team Nova before their group match on Saturday.

By Basil Foo

conceptual development plans for Bestari Jaya, but insufficient infrastructure in the area is expected to delay development. As long as the infrastructure is not there, even if we build, there will not be any buyers, said Raja Idris. He said discussions with the state for installing infrastructure like roads have commenced, and response has been encouraging. It is learnt that the state has earmarked the Bestari Jaya area for development and has included Hartanah Selangors development in its plans. The 607 hectares to be developed in Pulau Indah come out of the 2,023.4 hectares owned by the company in the area. Rather than just houses and industrial units, we are looking at developing resorts and water theme parks, said Raja Idris.

PETALING JAYA: The girls battled it out with the boys at the third Malaysian Inline Hockey Tournament on June 24 and 25. During a match on Saturday, female-dominated team Nova from Singapore fought tooth and nail against all-male team Batavia Demons from Indonesia at the group stage before being knocked out by the boys. The tournament, held at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Arena, saw local and international teams competing against each other. The tournament was founded and hosted by local inline hockey team Team Underdogs, who aimed to further promote the game. The good thing about this sport is that the players are doing it for the growth of the sport, said Team Underdogs captain Craig Matthew Lee. Lee said the weekend saw teams from Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong bearing their own travel costs to attend the tournament. He said as there were no cash prizes for the winning teams, the players were in it to help elevate the sport in the Southeast Asian publics eye.

Bringing back the heyday of inline hockey

Since 2009 ... we have received a positive response as more new teams join the tournament each year. The RM400 entry fee per team is also considered quite cheap, he added. Lee said the tournament was an attempt to bring back inline hockey, which enjoyed a more bustling tournament over a decade ago. He said inline hockey tournaments in 1995 managed to attract enrolment from more than 30 teams, from under-12 categories to adults. The sport is coming back. It is gaining popularity. Through this tournament, we hope more people will see and join, Lee said. International referees certified under the International Roller Sports Federation were present to oversee the games. The games were executed in a round-robin manner, consisting of 12 minutes per half with two halves per match. As it was an open tournament, the teams consisted of both genders and players, whose ages ranged from 14 to 56. Participating teams consisted of locals Inferno Ice and Underdogs Selangor; Project Strikers, Piranhas and Nova from Singapore; Wild Panthers and Batavia Demons from Indonesia; team Hong Kong KPCC ; and team International. First-placed Strikers, secondplaced Hong Kong KPCC, thirdplaced International, and fourthplaced Underdogs were presented trophies by MBPJ mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman. Sponsors for the event included Tourism Selangor and Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee, who paid for a temporary roof for the competition.

NEWs 16
July 1 3, 2011

Three-in-one flea markets at Jaya One

PETALING JAYA: On top of offering a great variety of restaurants and the PJ Live Arts centre, Jaya One is also now host to three exciting flea markets. From limited-edition garments and handmade accessories to organic and eco-friendly products, the 3-in-1 market attracted hundreds of youths and families as the goods were unique yet competitively priced. They want to know what theyre buying is not one of thousands of factory line products, said Charles Wong, who is the executive director of Jaya One developer Tetap Tiara Sdn Bhd. Now jointly called Markets @ Jaya One, the three markets Chic Pop Street Market, Crafty Art Market and Bettr Weekends were combined for the first time and held at Jaya One last Saturday. Fashion, handmade cosmetics and crafts The Chic Pop Street Market, which focuses on fashion, has around 50 stalls selling clothes, cosmetics and skincare products. One of the vendors that stood out for Selangor Times was Shelby from Bisou Bonbon, which sells handmade body scrubs, lip balms and other body products. I have a passion for bath and body products and have learnt to make them myself, said Shelby, who is a doctor by profession. She added that she does not use any artificial fragrance, preservatives or colouring in her products, and usually sells them online through her blog bisourose.blogspot.com. Another vendor Sal from the Crafty Art Market also sells handmade skincare products such as facial cleanser, toner, serum and face powder using natural ingredients. I started making my own products when I began to develop sensitive skin at [the age of ] 25 and stopped using commercial chemical-based products, said the homemaker, 30, from PJ. Sal has been selling her skincare products online through her blog preciousmecares.blogspot.com since two years ago. There are 30 other interesting stalls in Crafty Art Market, which sell handmade accessories, soaps, notebooks and stationeries, art prints and various handcrafted items. Melysa Yeap, 26, makes her own jewellery including necklaces, earrings, rings and jewellery organisers and markets them through www.carbriniceart.com. All designs are unique and none has a duplicate, she told Selangor Times. Yeap, who is an advertising executive during the day, sells her items at a reasonable price range from RM5 to RM30. Healthy living Besides fashion and crafts, consumers can also find homemade bakeries, organic and eco-friendly products from the 20 stalls at Bettr Weekends. Lee Fook Sun, 47, and Simon Rayan, 52, are two freerange farmers Selangor Times met at the market. Flea market in progress. Lee, who was previously in the financial industry, set up the farm more than three years ago. Our chickens are naturally bred. They are only fed with natural food, no antibiotics or growth hormones are used, said Lee. He added that the chickens and ducks are given sufficient space to run around, and are fed following the day and night cycle instead of every 24 hours as with commercial farms. Sick birds are treated with natural herbs as alternative medication, and only under extreme circumstances would they be treated with appropriate veterinary medicine. The chickens and ducks are priced from RM16 to RM25 per kilo depending on species. The farmers welcome visitors to their farm and also offer home delivery for their products. They can be contacted at 016-2019621 or www.happyfarmer.webs.com. Customers are also encouraged to check out the homemade breads and cookies and other stalls. Community-driven markets Market organiser Adrian Yap said 80% of the selected vendors are part-time entrepreneurs who are doing their businesses out of passion for their craft. Indirectly, our markets help to support and nurture local entrepreneurship and creative development, said Yap.

He added that these markets are more personal as customers get to meet the vendors who made the products face-to-face, unlike in shopping malls where customers often have to deal with shopping assistants. Yap added that the vendors are not selected based on a firstcome-first-served basis but based on their product quality and Lee (right) and Rayan. potential. Customers may not see the same vendors at the next market. This also helps to keep the vendors on their toes, said Yap. Markets @ Jaya One is held once every two months from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, and the next is scheduled for Aug 20. Interested vendors for Chic Pop Street Market can find out more information at www.tonguechic.com, Crafty Art Market at www.etsymalaysia.com and Bettr Weekend at www.bettr. com.my.

Going organic in Kepong

The public shopping for fresh organic groceries at Hari Organik at Tesco Kepong Village Mall last Sunday.

KEPONG: Families enjoyed an educational and fun day out learning all things about eco-friendly living at Hari Organik last Sunday. Held at the Tesco Kepong Village Mall, the event hosted around 30 vendors from organic farms and home grocery deliveries to health and eco-friendly household products. Among them, Cottage Farm (www.cottagefarm.com.my) delivers organic groceries to working parents and single people around Klang Valley who have no time to shop.

Its co-founder and marketing manager, Clarissa Chong, said their most popular products among families is the classic cooking package (3kg for four people), which is priced at RM45 per week. We plan the meals and always include leafy and non-leafy vegetables, roots, fruits, and a variety of organic food in our package, Chong told Selangor Times. Organic farms like Tito Eco Farm Resort, Vision Eco Farm and Ho Organic Farm were also present to sell their fresh groceries to the public. The public also had the opportunity to learn about composting and green living through demonstrations on how to recycle your waste into compost and the making of eco-enzyme. Talks on organic living, food, and recycling of used cooking oil were also held. The event was launched by Datin Nafesah Raja Nong Chik Abidin, wife of Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin. Hari Organik is organised by the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, Malaysia (Cetdem) every three to four months in various locations around the Klang Valley. Participants are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags and food containers to the event. Cetdem also published a Malaysian Organic Guidebook that listed organic wholesalers, retailers, importers and food operators for the public in 2009. To find out more about organic living or information about future Hari Organik, visit www.cetdem.org.my, or call 0378757767.

Summonses for indiscriminate parking

KLANG:Lorry drivers who park their vehicles indiscriminately on road shoulders are warned that they risk fines from the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) for posing a danger to other motorists. These lorries also endanger the public when obstructing roadways in residential areas, said MPK acting president Ikhsan Mukri. MPKs Enforcement Department have to date issued 2,524 compounds since operations started throughout the municipality in March. Ikhsan said the compounds issued by MPK officers were based on the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, and MPK bylaws. The highest number of compounds issued was 1,077 in March, he said. He explained that the decline in the number of compounds subsequently issued was due to the strict enforcement by the council. He added that MPK officers are regularly sent out to ensure road shoulders are free of illegal parking. Ikhsan warned that MPK would not compromise on the matter because it involved public safety. MPK has also put up signs on road shoulders warning lorries and heavy vehicles not to park there.

Teacher bags car in Giant contest

KOTA DAMANSARA: Suzanna Ain Abdul Rahman, an English teacher and regular Giant customer, has a hobby of taking part in contests, especially those that require slogan writing. Her hobby paid off handsomely when she was named the grand-prize winner in Giants Famous Word Search contest. The 36-year-old teacher from Taman Melewar said, I never expected that I would one day be a grand-prize winner of one of Giants contests. I have participated in many, many contests, including Giant ones, over the years and twice won small prizes, but not the grand prize and never a car! The Famous Word Search contest, which ran from March 25-May 5, was held in conjunction with the hypermarkets annual Famous Brands promotion. It was open to all shoppers who spent a minimum purchase of RM70 in a single receipt. Each receipt had to include items from two participating brands that were featured in the Famous Brands catalogue. The participants only had to find all the Famous words hidden in a crossword puzzle that was in the contest form and complete a sentence in under 15 words, stating why they loved the Giant Famous Brands promotion. Suzanna received the keys to the car from GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd marketing director Ho Mun Hao at a prizegiving ceremony held at Giant Hypermarket Kota Damansara recently. Besides the grand prize, Giant also gave away a total of RM100,594 in prizes. In addition to the grand prize of a Proton Exora 1.6MT worth RM62,500, there were two prizes of RM10,000 travel vouchers, three Samsung 42-inch LED televisions worth RM3,299 each, four Apple iPads (16GB) worth RM1,599 each, and 10 prizes of RM500 Giant gift vouchers. Suzanna said her win was timely. I had plans to buy a new car for my father this year. I am now able to give this car to my father as a special present for fathers day. It is really a dream come true for me. Ho said the contest was organised to reward its loyal customers as well as promote the Famous Brands that are partners of the business. It is one of the many ways we say thank you to our loyal customers who have helped us to maintain our position as Malaysias leading hypermarket chain.

MEDIA 17
JULY 1 3, 2011

All the winners of Giants Famous Word Search contest.

Grand-prize winner of Giants Famous Word Search contest Suzanna, accompanied by her daughter, receiving the keys to the brand-new Proton Exora 1.6MT from Ho recently.

Fiction by Julya Ooi

Two of a Kind

I can believe how dumb boys are! Stephanie threw her hobo bag on the floor and jumped onto the sofa next to her mother. He doesnt even know Im angry with him! Let alone what Im angry about! Sylvia, her mother, removed her reading glasses and set aside the novel to accommodate her daughters teenage crisis of being in love. She held back a tickling sensation rising from her throat as she patted her daughters clenched hands. Mom, is it always like that? Like what? Boys! Men! Are they will they always be so so dumb as to not know how women feel? Sylvia could not restrain herself anymore and released the giggles she had accumulated over the years from having gone through the battle of the sexes herself. Whats so funny, mom? I said the same thing once when I was about your age, she said, stifling her laughter. Her body shuddered from the humour. So why is it funny? Sylvia looked into her daughters eyes and smiled. I dont know how it started or whether it is a true fact that men are that way. But I was in the same dilemma as you are now when I first met your dad. But you and dad look so good together. It wasnt always that way, Sylvia said. There was a lot of give and take on our part. What, does one have to compromise to make a relationship work? Stephanie cringed. Compromise sounds like a business transaction. Its not like that. Or at least it shouldnt be. What is it then? Well, its not about sacrificing the things you love for the sake of the other person. Its about sharing yourself with someone while keeping your personal space at the same time. Sounds impossible. Sylvia smiled. Youll know what to do when the time comes. I dont know if it will ever come. Im, like, so fed up already.

I mean, its not like Im asking too much is it? I only want them to know how I feel. Sylvia clasped her hand over her daughters. This thing about love is quite a handful. Mom, how did you and dad end up knowing you were meant for each other? Stephanie propped herself up sideways to realign her gaze at her mother. Sylvia fell into a quick reverie as she recalled the times when she was young and restless like her daughter. We didnt. In fact, we didnt even want to be together in the first place. Really? Then why did the two of you get married? Stephanie suddenly turned ashen and opened her mouth wide enough to let out a sigh. You didnt plan to have me? Of course we did, she reassured her daughter. You were and will always be a part of our plans. When your father and I met, we started out as friends. It was through our heartbreaks and failed relationships that we found each other. At first, I was reluctant to start anything because your father was not my type. I was always searching for that true loves kiss and waiting to fall head over heels in love. Although I did experience that feeling a few times, it didnt happen with your father even once. You mean never? Not at all? Stephanie juggled her hands in disbelief. No. But, but Sylvia laughed. I know. I thought so too. All my friends said it wasnt real love when that happens, but I continued seeing your father. And through the years we learnt to love each other much more than we both realised. How did that happen? I mean, is he romantic? You father is far from romantic. He always gets me the things that I dont like or the things that I have no use of. His romantic dinner is going to a pasar malam, and his idea of romance is going for a hike in Gasing hill. Sylvia laughed heartily and her daughter laughed along. Hes not as good-looking as the other guys I used to date and he cannot even charm a cat to a bowl of milk. But his ability to make me laugh and look at the world from the bright side is more than anything anyone has ever given me. We are

both two of a kind. We are so different in so many ways, and everyone thought it would be over before it could even get started. I really dont know much about love, Stephanie. I dont know what are the rules or criteria to make it last for as long as it can. But the one thing I learnt from your father is the honesty of being who we truly are to each other. Its because we had no expectations, we also didnt have any pretenses. The door creaked open to draw their attention away. Dad! John, youre back early. Hey, Stephanie. He waved. Look Sylvia, I found this vase at a garage sale which I thought you may like. He presented it to them with his hand held high: a gaudy-looking vase embellished with mismatched beads and shells. Sylvia and Stephanie laughed so hard and got John to laugh along, although he didnt know what exactly he was laughing about.

MEDIA 18
JULY 1 3, 2011

Liverpool FC products available at Reject Shops

By Brenda Chng

KUALA LUMPUR: A wide range ofLiverpool Football Club (LFC) merchandise is now available at Reject Shops, the official retailer for the clubs Asian Tour 2011. On the shelves at all Reject Shop outlets are genuine LFC T-shirts, caps, scarves, mugs, keyrings and much more, with prices ranging from RM 29.90 to RM 79.90. We have more than 30 styles of T-shirts for fans to choose from. I dont think fans here had this many choices before, said Metrojaya executive director Pel Loh Pooi Ling. She said men, women and children of all ages can choose which shirt to buy based on their favourite Liverpool player. The shirts are uniquely printed with the image of the footballer on the front and his respective jersey number on the back. The shirts are styled in both round-neck and Liaw (right) presenting the framed original jersey to Loh. polo tees, with three colours to choose from: red, white and black. Reject Shop, which is a subsidiary of MetroLoh launched the merchandise on June 22 at Reject Shop jaya Berhad, was appointed official retailer due to the strategic Midvalley together with Retro Development director Richard locations of its 40 stores across Malaysia. Liaw. I believe the abundance of stores will be able to cater to all Retro Development is the official licensee for the merchanLiverpool fans, and I can assure them that the merchandise is dise of the LFC Asian Tour 2011. brand-new, [of ] quality [and] affordable, and not rejects, said During the launch, Liaw presented Loh with an original Loh. signed LFC jersey as a token of appreciation.

Tickets for the Liverpool vs Malaysia match at National Stadium Bukit Jalil on July 16 are also sold in stores. In addition, Reject Shop is giving away exclusive free gifts with every purchase of LFC merchandise. Customers who spend RM 150 will receive an invitation pass to watch the Liverpool in action during their training sessions, and RM 200 spent will get you a collectible LFC poster worth approximately RM80. Those who spend RM1,000 will be presented with a VIP pass for the match. For more information, contact 03-21175899 (Alice Tan) or email alicetan@metrojaya.com.my.

GSC Dataran Pahlawan turns three

We are community newspaper which focuses on events and happenings in Selangor. If you are interested to join a passionate team of young people bent on contributing to Selangors development through the media, join us. (Basic salary + allowance + commission) We are looking for young men and women with the following qualities: Responsible for media sales and marketing activities Proactive and self motivated Pleasant disposition with interpersonal skills Diploma or degree in any discipline Ability to converse in English and/or Mandarin Target and sales oriented Possess own transport Computer literate Those with sales experience would be an added advantage Training and coaching provided.

Sales and Marketing Executive

Accounts cum Administrative Executive

Candidates should have a Diploma or Degree in Accounting or LCCI Higher Minimum 1 year experience in keeping full set of accounts Familiar with accounting software SQL Accounting Software Computer literate Able to speak good Bahasa Malaysia and English Self motivated with good communication skills Able to work with minimum supervision

SHAH ALAM: GSC Dataran Pahlawan will turn three on Sunday, and this special occasion will be marked with freebies and special offers for GSC Dataran Pahlawan patrons. The first 500 patrons who use the GSC Self-print ticket or GSC iPhone app at the checkpoint will be rewarded with a GSC Buy 1 Free 1 voucher, while the first 1,000 patrons who purchase a minimum of two tickets from the box office counter from July 3 onwards will receive a GSC Buy 2 Free 1 voucher. Vouchers are limited, so head over to GSC Dataran Pahlawan before it runs out.

At the concession counter, GSC patrons will receive a free Real Steel folder with every purchase of a GSC Combo 3. The offer begins July 3 at GSC Dataran Pahlawan and will only be valid while stocks last. After the movie, GSC patrons can redeem a free personal pizza from US Pizza in Dataran Pahlawan Mall, valid for dine-in or takeaway with a minimum purchase of a regular pizza at a normal price. This promotional offer is only valid from July 3-Aug 7, on condition that GSC customers produce two GSC Dataran Pahlawan ticket stubs upon ordering the pizza.

Job Description Prepare and submit monthly accounts, billing statements, monthly payroll and expenses statements, prepare and distribute employees monthly pay slips and yearly EA Forms. Monitor and update staff leave Other administrative functions as assigned Attractive remuneration package will commensurate with qualification and experience. Interested applicants must send resume and letter to editor@selangortimes.com
Shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Food 19
July 1 3, 2011

J-Ribs.

Pig out at J Tean Kitchen

J-Knuckles.

By Basil Foo

he first thing that strikes you when you walk into J Tean Kitchen, located on the ground floor of SStwo Mall, is its bright white interior. A far cry from the dusky cafes that have sprouted up in vast numbers around town, the restaurants design has a modern youthful appeal. From the colour theme to the fusion dishes, we are hoping to attract the younger generation, said managing director James Tean. S e ver a l sma l l w o o d en couches with red cushions sit on the alfresco balcony area, which Tean calls opium chairs, overlooking the malls indoor garden. The replicas from a bygone era of those used by opium smokers, who would recline on them lend the restaurant a traditional feel. J Tean Kitchen specialises in Bak Kut Teh, a traditional Chinese dish of pork ribs in herbal soup that many in Klang Tean: Fusion dishes would claim to have started. to attract the younger Born and raised in Klang generation. The bright interior of the restaurant. himself, Tean to ok thre e at fusing cuisines together. months to come up with the With his long career in the food wide variety of fusion pork industry, Tean has not been a dishes on the menu. stranger to trying out new dishes. Our specialties include the He presented his new creations, the J-Ribs and pork knuckles. Our J-Burgers and Hoggy Buns. spaghetti is also different as it The round burgers and oblong is cooked with curry, he said. buns came in choices of pork and The J-Ribs (RM34.90) was chicken, both of which retained the a savoury dish, firm enough for rich taste of meat that has sat for a satisf ying bite; a definite hours in Bak Kut Teh broth. crowd-pleaser that would apThe buns were slightly fried to peal to those hungering for give it a crispy texture, and custompork. ers can look forward to sinking Pre-stewed with a herbal Teans Bak Kut Teh. their teeth into these creations in spices recipe, marinated with a the coming month. in Bak Kut Teh spices in a tangy have been easily mistaken for a special sauce and cooked to Of course, the meal would not tenderness, the meat fell off easily concoction true fusion cuisine, mild-tasting chicken pie. But once be complete without including the indeed. the pastry was pierced through, the mainstay of the restaurant and the from the bone. A seemingly innocuous-sound- dish burst with flavour. A large hunk of golden-brown source of Teans inspiration Teans Chunks of tasty pork pieces in- Bak Kut Teh. pork knuckle, the J-Knuckle ing pie, the J-Porky Pie (RM19.90), (RM38.90) was a mammoth un- arrived looking like something out fused with a mild spiciness were The dish comes in choices of uncovered, which lent an interest- Single Bone (RM10.90), Pork dertaking requiring the appetites of a menu for Western dishes. Topped with puff pastry, it could ing take on the restaurants attempt Bel ly (R M10.90), Pork L e g of everyone at the dining table. Bound to be the centrepiece at family reunions and gatherings of friends, the pork knuckle was ovenbaked, leaving its interior tender and its exterior delightfully crispy. Both dishes come with side dishes of salads, potato wedges, and a customers choice of one of three special sauces: char siew, pumpkin, or salted egg. The Curr y Ribs Pa sta (RM19.90) was an interesting local twist on an Italian favourite, with spaghetti or fettuccine topped by curry pork ribs. Not as spicy as it looked on the menu, the curry sauce blended with J-Burgers. the ribs which were pre-marinated J-Porky Pie.

(RM10.90), or a mixture of all three in Combi 1 (RM20.90). Stewed in a broth of 17 herbs using high fire to bring out the taste of myriad ingredients, Tean adds salt using an in-house secret timing method. Only after softening the meat do we add the salt into the broth for the meat to absorb, he disclosed. A practitioner in the art of cooking Bak Kut Teh, he pegs the success of his method on his own tastebuds. I wont let people try bad food. Ill usually try it myself while cooking until Im satisfied before letting close friends try, he said. With that assurance of satisfaction, customers dropping by the SStwo mall can be assured their interests will be piqued, appetites sated and bellies filled.

Food 20
July 1 3, 2011

Imagine a place where sun, sea and sand meet and theres great food available. LIN ZHENYUAN returns to a familiar seafood haunt that always creates happy moments
athers Day is one of the few days when dads of all ages do not get to have their say, because daughters, sons and wives all want to take the old man somewhere and give him a treat, even if he cant really eat that much any more. At the wide river that separates Carey Island and the mainland in Klang are two restaurants. One is called Kang Guan Restaurant, and the other, Seri Langat Seafood Restaurant. Kang Guan Restaurant has the lions share of customers for very good reasons. On public holidays and weekends, the restaurant is filled to the brim. It is admittedly less attractive than its opposite New customers find the surrounding views at the restaurant fascinating. neighbour, but regulars at this place like it because it has character. And more importantly, the dishes are preferred. I have been to a number of places in Klang for seafood, but I always return to Kang Guan because of its proximity and its wonderful food. From Petaling Jaya, on a public holiday when the traffic is light, it would take about 35 minutes on the North Klang Valley Expressway the river, otherto reach the restaurant. wise these anParking space is not a problem glers wouldnt because of the ample empty land come here rearound the eatery. peatedly. There are about 40 ceiling fans There is a to generate cross-currents of air in major road and around the restaurant. For project in progthose who prefer cooler climes, ress next to the there is an air-conditioned, enrestaurant at presclosed space that has about eight ent. The huge cranes tables. It is just nice for private in the distance reveal parties. that Carey Island is experiI believe Kang Guan has been in encing a revival of sorts. existence for more than 25 years. Other than that, there are just There were several old newspaper oil palm trees and a couple of cuttings which have turned yellow Orang Asli villages on the island. from age. Due to the aging of the It is easy to identify the new papers, it is presumed that Kang Butter prawns that make your mouth water even before you taste them. customers at this restaurant. The Guan had humble beginnings and The size of the crowd is a good Occasionally, a boat cruises newcomers gather near the veranmade much business progress indication of its popularity. The down the wide, lazy river. On the dah and scan the surrounding through word of mouth. Today, Kang Guan is the spark- surroundings are not only pleasant; day I was there, three people on a landscape. Regular customers just plug of Carey Island. It draws out- the environment acts like a balm small boat were out to catch some- plunk themselves on the chairs thing. They pulled aside the river- and rattle away their orders in the siders and local residents from near for tired city eyes. Right now, there are few build- bank and a man was seen casting a local dialect, Hokkien. Thats and far. Kang Guan probably has the ings on Jalan Bandar Lama, Telok net. It wasnt exactly the kind of Klang Hokkien, mind you. Our dishes on the recent Famost mixed clientele on Carey Is- Panglima Garang , where Kang place where one would cast a net, land. On any given day, there will Guan is located. So serenity is very but he did it anyway. As far as I thers Day were Oh Chien, or fried oysters with eggs; veggies; yam could see, he caught nothing. be Malays, Indians and Punjabis much part of the package. If your hearing is keen, you may Lonely anglers usually park them- basket; bittergourd soup; butter sitting at different tables. The number of mixed races who just hear the chirping of birds in the selves on the large boulders next to prawns; and a separate plate of frequent the restaurant regularly is distance and notice the slight shift- the restaurant to try their luck. I mantis prawns. As usual, the cooks did themample proof that Kang Guan is not ing of the water beneath the restau- havent seen any angler catching only popular for its dishes but also rant which partly rests in the river anything on my numerous trips there, selves proud and gave us a jolly on stilts. but I presume there must be fish in good time. The portions were just for its ideal location. adequate for a table of four people. Not too much and not too little. I dont know about the others, but the dishes were not oily for me. The yam basket was superb. It had a certain crispiness on the outside that belied its ordinary appearance. The prawns were from the sea and not reared on a farm, declared the domestic engineer sitting at our table. How do you tell the sea prawns from the farm ones? From experience, of course, said the chief chef at our house. The restaurant is pork-free, as it Greens to complement a hearty meal of six Mantis prawns are a favourite among Chinese proudly proclaims on a sign plasdishes. diners.

By the riverside on Fathers Day

Yummy yam basket.

tered outside its air-conditionedroom window. The mantis prawns were excellent, while the fried oyster was definitely better than a lot of places in Penang that claim that they have the best Oh Chien north of the peninsula. The bittergourd soup must be personally sampled for its authentic flavour. If you dont want to pay KL prices for Klang seafood, Kang Guan may just be the place for you. The final tally on our bill was RM93, and that included four wet towels, a plate of dessert peanuts, and a pot of hot Chinese tea. It is more than reasonable, considering the beautiful and tranquil scenery comes free of charge. And you dont have 10-tonne trucks hauling huge containers rushing down the highway within earshot. Kang Guan is open from Monday to Friday from 12pm to 2.30pm and 6pm to 11pm. On Saturday, it is open from 12 to 4pm, and 6 to 11pm. On Sunday, from 12pm to 4pm; and from 5.45pm to 10pm on public holidays. It is located on the left next to the bridge that goes into Carey Island. You cant miss it. If you do, backtrack or ask the locals.

Asean+ still very attractive

I
have been struggling with this bi-monthly column, neither being able have current reports nor to announce upcoming events effectively. I have come to the conclusion that it is best that I provide a commentary of the most important local happenings, together with the big news of the moment and an in-depth featured game. I would like to touch on the Malaysian performance at the recent Asean+ Age Group Championships organised in Tarakan, Kalimantan, by the All Indonesia Chess Federation (Percasi). The Asean+ Age Group Championships is now in its 12th edition and is held in multiple age group categories with open sections and for girls only, beginning with under eight years old all the way up to the under-20 category plus seniors (a special above-50 category). The Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) in the last year or so has been trying to rationalise its selection criteria and develop a policy regarding the participation of young players in the numerous international events, which, besides permitting for the official national chess federation entries, allow anyone who can afford the entry fees to participate. So now only the top three finishers at the National Age Group Championships have the right to play in the World Youth and Asian

Features 21
July 1 3, 2011

Get smart! Play chess!

By Peter Long peterlong@aol.asia

Youth Championships. As a result, the Asean+ Age Group Championships has become less important. But with the Asean+ Age Group Championships designed to cater for more groups of players, this event remains very attractive. With the inclusion of the under-20 section, which gives the winner an automatic international master ti-

tle, it is no surprise that our current national champions decided to take part. Despite still being juniors, Lim Zhuo Ren and Nur Nabila Azman Hisham are both very experienced players and were seeded sixth and 16th re sp e c ti ve l y. L i m i s coached by IM Mok Tze Meng, and his winning the national championship this year was his real breakthrough. Meanwhile, Nur Nabila benefits from a strong chessplaying family that includes her father-coach and an elder brother who is the current National Junior Champion. I have touched upon many times

in the past that our young players (between eight and 10 years of age), can compete successfully with just about anyone else in the world. But those between 12 and14 years of age find themselves middling as just one of the many, and those between 16 and18 years find themselves unable to match their peers. In the Asean+ Ag e Group Championships, Lim, who started with three losses, had the indignity of getting a bye before finally ending the tournament 17th out of 18th. Nur Nabila, who is 14 years old, did better than her seeding but still finished 13th out of 19th, 2.5 points behind the three joint winners who all picked up Womans International Master titles.

Determined Chelsie shows her mettle

INDoNeSIA has been grooming three girls who they feel represent their greatest hopes for the future. All three took part in the U-20 Girls Category, hoping for gold and the Woman International Master titles. one of the three, Medina Warda Aulia, had already won the blitz competition. Going into the last round, it was Chelsie Monica Sihites turn at winning the Classical event.Chelsie did so by beating Vietnams Thi Van Anh Doan in great fashion. Doan, Thi Van Anh (1966)Sihite, Chelsie Monica (2039) 12th Asean+ Age-Group Chess Championships 2011 U-20 Girls, Round 9 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 c5 The best reaction to the solid London System. 4.c3 cxd4 Not the best. Now White can place her Knight on c3. Better was 4....b6. even 4....Qb6 is a good approach. 5.cxd4 Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 White plays it safe and goes for the standard set-up. 00 7.e3 d5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.00 a5 I suppose Black was looking at playing a4 after a3 to get play going on the Queenside with ideas like Knight to a4 and then to b3. But instead we see a lot of drifting. 10.a3 Be7 11.h3 b6 12.Rc1 Bb7 13.Qe2 Bd6 14.Ne5 Bxe5 15.dxe5 Nd7 16.Nf3 h6 17.Bb1 Re8 18.Rfd1 Nf8 19.Bg3 DIAGRAM 1 Strong and natural would be 19.Nd4! 19.... Rc8 20.Bh4 Qd7 21.Bd3 Na7 22.Ra1 Rc5 23. Nd4 a4 24.f4 Nc6 25.Qg4 Ne7 26.Be1 Ra8 27.Bb4 Ba6 White has been trying to win without any risk, while Black has been content to hold and wait for an error. Now, however, Black offers the exchange! 28.Bxa6 Rxa6 29.Bxc5 bxc5 30.Qe2 Rb6 31.Nf3 Qb7 32.Rab1 Surely 32. Rd2 was a better try? Now Blacks game plays itself. 32....Nd7 33.Qc2 Nf5 34.Kf2 Rb3 35.Rd3 Rxd3 36. Qxd3 c4 37.Qd1 Nc5 38.Nd4 Ne4+ 39.Ke2 Nxd4+ 40.Qxd4 DIAGRAM 2
Glenmarie Court Houseowners Association chairperson David Ting (third from left) handing over the cheque for RM2,181 to CWS vice-president Teoh Teik Hoong (fourth from left).

Residents raise RM2,181 for charity at durian party

S U B A N G : Residents of Glenmarie Court Houseowners Association raised RM2,181 for the Childrens Wish Society of Malaysia while having a durian feast last Sunday. More than 200 residents showed up at the neighbourhood gazebo to enjoy their durians, mangosteens and rambutans as part of the communitys regular get-together party, according to organising chairperson Datin Lata Sharma. We o f t e n h a v e s u c h gatherings. over the past few years we have been organising durian parties, and this time around we thought it would be great to do our bit to help the Childrens Wish Society in their efforts to fulfill wishes of lessfortunate children, she said. Lata said 500kg of durians were ordered and were consumed in less than an hour. The youths also took part in a durian-eating contest without using their hands. Their prize, apart from enjoying the durian, was a ticket each for this weekends JOM Durian IV at Subang Parade, which is being co-organised with CWS Malaysia. CWS vice president Teoh Teik Hoong, who joined the residents, said it was heartwarming to receive the donation from the residents, who had all come out to enjoy durians while having charity in mind. We are humbled by their gesture, and hope that many more will think of chipping in for charities whenever they treat themselves to a good time, he said. JOM Durian IV, which is taking place this Sunday, is expected to draw a crowd of 2,000 people, who will get to eat all they can in one hour for a donation of just RM20 per person. The event is expected to experience a sell-out crowd as most of the 1,400 tickets up for grabs have been sold out. The event will see the highest number of corporates lending their support to raise funds to help fulfill the wishes of terminally ill children nationwide. They are Hektar Group, New Straits Times, SJ echo, Mydin, empire Shopping Gallery, Sime Darby Property, Pfizer, Cocoaland, Panda Security, UoB Bank, Telekom Malaysia, Yuki Ha na, Nestle Malaysia and Greenhill Residence, together with Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh, Kelana Jaya Member of Parliament Loh Gwo Burne, and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council. For more information on the durian fest, call 03-50329778.

The decisive blunder. 40.exd4 allows 40...c3 41.Qxa4 Nd2 and ideas like Qxb2, c2, etc. but what was played is worse. 40....Qb5 41.Kf1 c3+ 42.Kg1 Qb3 43.Qb4 c2 44.Re1 c1Q 45.Rxc1 Qxe3+ 46.Kh2 Qxf4+ 47.Kg1 Qxc1+ 48.Kh2 Qf4+ 49.Kg1 Qxe5 50.Qxa4 Qxb2 51.Qe8+ Kh7 52.Qxf7 Qxa3 53.Qxe6 Qc1+ 54.Kh2 Qf4+ 55.Kg1 d4 56.Qd5 Nc3 57.Qc4 Qe3+ 58.Kh2 Ne2 59.Qc2+ d3 60.Qb1 Qf4+ 01 Great determination in a very tense game by young Chelsie.

Gallery 22
July 1 3, 2011 A Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, Malaysia (Cetdem) representative demonstrating how to compost garden waste during Hari Organik at Tesco Kepong Village Mall last Sunday.

Residents of SS20A Sea Park in Petaling Jaya during a gotongroyong organised by MBPJ councillor Anthony Jeyaseelan on June 19.

Teratai assemblyperson Jenice Lee with engineer Robert Ang (right), speaking to residents on behalf of developers who have agreed to repair damage caused to houses in Taman Melur, Ampang, following development work in the area.

An enforcement officer from the Klang Municipal Council issuing summonses to large vehicles parked illegally on road shoulders.

A Nova player (in pink) tries to steal the hockey puck away from a Batavia Demons player during an inline hockey tournament in Petaling Jaya last month.

Culture 23
July 1 3, 2011

Editors Pick
Theatre; until July 3; Stor Teater Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur; 013-2364846 / 013-3626846, email: pgroundproductions@ gmail.com; RM25 / RM20 (group booking)
A compilation of four plays by local writers: Energia: I love you, it doesnt matter if you were a can of sardine amongst many other cans of sardines in a production line, even if you came in a body of a cow ... it doesnt matter because its your energy Im really in love with. I love you. Written by Redza Minhat, directed by Megat Sharizal. Finalist of Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLpac)s Short+Sweet Theatre festival 2010. Post Modern-isms: Three men discuss the best seat in the theatre. Written by Alexis Wong, directed by Alfred Loh. Finalist of Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (Klpac)s Short+Sweet Theatre festival 2010. Money: You know that blip sometimes between taking your ATM card out from your wallet and inserting it into the ATM machine? What happens during that blip? Written by Redza Minhat, adapted from Amir Muhammads Rojak; directed by Megat Sharizal. Faith: The story of a woman who planned her entire life for this one moment: the end. She labels, categorises and boxes her entire existence. Who says death has to be dramatic? Written by Aminda Faradilla Omar, directed by Esnani Elias. Finalist of Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (Klpac)s Short+Sweet Theatre festival 2009. Featuring the talents of Tuan Faisal, Oliver Johanan, Razif Hashim, Phoon Chi Ho, Dino, Nalina and Vicky Vickneshawarn. Playgrounds Comedy Ensemble, Projek Disko Baldi, will also be featured during the show.

Main Dalam Stor

CAlENDAR

Compiled by Nick Choo Email: nick@selangortimes.com

A Night of Cantonese Opera V

Musical; July 1 & 2; The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 Kuala Lumpur; 03-2142 2009, www.theactorsstudio.com.my; RM35 / RM20
Two nights of exciting performances. The first night will see Madam Kam and her troupe performing The Thundering Battle Drums, The Red Tassel, and Goddess of The Luo River. The second night features excerpts from The Lion Roars, Beating the Princess and A Chinese Ghost Story. A great chance to step into another magical world and relive this extraordinary art form with traditional colourful costumes, distinctive make-up, fascinating voices and music. Featuring Kam Sin Kiew, Lai Mei Yoke, Lee Yuen Lin, Ronald Poon and Sam Yip.

INTERVIEW
By Nick Choo

IN November 2010, local film actor Redza Minhat (Pisau Cukur) and TV and stage personality Megat Sharizal, along with their friend Tuan Faisal Azmy decided to form a theatre company called Playground Productions. Esnani Elias Their aim was to uncover more original Malaysian plays by providing a platform for performances and bridging the gap between Malay and English theatre communities. Its debut production, Main Dalam Stor, features four plays, three of which were featured in KLpacs Short+Sweet Theatre festival comprising plays spanning ten minutes or less in 2010 and 2009. Selangor Times speaks to Megat (M), Ashraf Zain (A), Alfred Loh (Al) and Esnani Elias (E) on the plays they directed for Main Dalam Stor. What is the significance of the title Main Dalam Stor? M: The title came about when we decided to stage it at Stor Teater Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. Literally translated, main dalam stor means play in the store, which is true in this context. But when translated to Malay, it has different meanings on different levels, depending on how you view it. Plus, its a catchy title. What drew you to the script that youre directing? What is it that you think audiences will particularly enjoy in your respective plays? M: Ive always been a fan of science fiction. Ive watched everything from Star Wars and Star Trek to Stargate anything with the word star in it, Ive probably watched it. So when it came to Energia, a script that deals with aliens, I jumped at the chance. But worry not, its not gonna have aliens with pointed ears or grey skin or Princess Leia in it. The most appealing thing about the script to me is the fact that it actually is a love story and accepting someone the way they are. A: The play I direct is about money, or lack thereof. Since Im going through a freelancing phase right now, the script is close to my heart (laughs).

Anyone who has at any point of their life had to survive with very little money and will do anything for more will very much enjoy this story. And I think thats about 85% of the population today. Al: I think its a wonderful testament to Alexis Wongs writing that were still discovering so many facets about Post Modern-isms even though its the second time were putting it up. That in itself is what drew me to the piece in the first place: its wordy, confusing, complicated, and yet despite all that, still so naturally human. And the wit and variety of options it allows is quite the actors and directors dream come true. I think this is the kind of play that will make you want to sit up and listen for its wordplay, but also comes across as the kind of conversation that you cant help but be drawn to eavesdrop on for its entertainment value. E: Faith is about Alfred Loh ending your own life. Perhaps audiences will question it; it makes you wonder why. When I first read the script, I wondered why, too What are your personal thoughts about theatre in Malaysia today? Is there room for growth, or have we reached a plateau? To play devils advocate: local audiences tend to view Malaysian productions with a very laid-back, almost apathetic attitude. If mistakes are made, or if plays are mediocre at best, audiences tend to be too forgiving: Aiya, its local theatre mah, must support. What is your view of this assumption? A : I beg to differ, the audiences I see in Malaysia are the most critical ever (laughs). Local audiences now are exposed to so many things and their expectations can be quite high even for a local production, because at the end of the day, they want to be entertained and to know that the play is worth the money that they have spent. There will be always room for Malaysian theatre to grow. More and more groups are coming out with plays, all do-it-yourself, and

this is very exciting. We just need to make sure that the products Music; July 1 & 2; Alexis Bistro Ampang; 03-42602288, www.alexis.com. are at the highest of quality, my; RM25 good publicity, good production teamwork, and the audience will The Lawrence Wright Jazz Ensemble comprises both locally and appreciate it. internationally acclaimed performers from all over the world. The Al: Totally disagree with the members of this band have performed in China, US, Japan, Indonesia, plateau. As for audiences, Italy, Singapore, UK and Greece. Featuring Greg Lyons and Patrick the audience is always an Terbrack on saxophones; Christy Smith on double bass; Lewis uncontrollable factor in the theatre, Pragasam on drums; Marques Young on trombone and Wei-Siang on and its an education that cant be piano. Table booking for diners only. forced. But I think good work is always appreciated, and I dare say Surreallusion there are many young performers out there who are truly passionate Exhibition; until 17 July; Core Design Gallery; 012-6674348, email: anni@ about what they do. I personally coredesigngallery.com; www.coredesigngallery.com; free admission feel that its exciting times for Malaysian theatre, and itll just Physiological illusions utilise stimulation of contrast, angles, colors keep getting better and better. and even movement that changes the way our eyes and brain Just keep watching! interpret information. Optical illusions play tricks on your mind, by E: Theatre in Malaysia needs using unconscious inferences to influence what you see. What your support, obviously, especially eyes visually perceive vastly differs from reality. Nothing is quite as from the media. Most of the public it seems. only recognises a Featuring theatre production works of 14 when the media writes artists of about it; otherwise diverse arts they tend to ignore it. backgrounds Most local audiences as they just want something challenge to entertainment and fun capture these to watch. illusions in M: As long there their own are people doing it surrealist art or watching it, it will style. Mindalways have a chance boggling to grow. I personally works that think, the problem lies will make you with the government. If rethink your only the government supported the perception of arts in this country, we will have a dimensions. lot more opportunity to grow. In Singapore, the National Arts Council supports the arts totally, and they even use it as a means to attract tourists. As for the local audiences, I dare say that the audiences in this country consist mostly of friends and family. They usually are the forgiving ones. I say this kind of mentality should be changed. I myself am notoriously known for being critical. I see a lot of bad acting, bad scripts, bad directing in a lot of the shows Ashraf Zain Megat Sharizal nowadays. But when I criticise, they blame Datanglah! me for being snobbish. We have to should people come and see Al: Because its fun, its buatan learn to be critical, and at the same Main Dalam Stor? M: If someone asks you, Jom Malaysia, its relatable, and its time accept criticism if we want main!, in a store some more, got some pretty good-looking theatre in this country to improve. people in it. Okay, three out of If every time we see a show and be would you decline? four aint bad forgiving, all we will end up doing is A: I dont know about you, but I always like to main dalam stor. E: Its different, its fun. Four plays community theatre. It can be quite uncomfortable at with interesting topics. One will first, but in the end youll enjoy it. wonder who main dalam stor Finally: in a nutshell, why

Alexis International Jazz Series

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