in the dark, faced with eviction

Tax rebate soon for PJ green homes

p

10

rights to freedom of assembly

p

12 & 13

community

August 5 7, 2011/ issue 36

Thumbs-up for EC roll petition grant

By Alvin Yap

Choo Hock Son, 88, arriving at the polling centre in a trolley with the aid of his neighbour to cast his vote in Pulau Ketam's historic village head election last Sunday.

STory on page 7

shah alam: Election watchdogs are welcoming Selangors move to set aside RM1 million for the public to challenge irregularities in the electoral roll. The grant is being lauded by Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) and the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0). The move by the state come in the wake of allegations that foreigners with permanent-resident status are being given MyKad or citizenship and are being registered to vote. It is justified, said Mafrel chairperson Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, who added that the initiative was important as those who detect discrepancies can use the funds to file cases to the Election Commission (EC). The electoral roll has also been criticised for being inaccurate and outdated, and for containing names of deceased. There are a lot of doubts and concerns about the electoral roll, said Syed Ibrahim. He pointed out thatthe public, rather

than political parties, stands to benefit from the fund, as filing a challenge to the EC on irregularities found in the electoral roll costs RM10 per name. Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim announced the grant on Wednesday. The funds can be used by those who find discrepancies in the electoral roll in Selangor constituencies. The state government is concerned by ongoing complaints regarding irregularities of the electoral roll and the registration of new voters, the Menteri Besar said during a post-exco meeting. This week, online news portal Malaysiakini carried an expose that a permanent resident, one Mismah, had been added to the voter roll in a matter of hours. Turn To page 2

news
July 22 24, 2011

By Alvin Yap

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Islamic Affairs Department ( Jais) has been told to account for a raid on a church in Petaling Jaya during a multiracial dinner on Wednesday night. Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said he regretted the incident and has instructed Jais to prepare a report. The Menteri Besar has also spoken to the Damansara Utama Methodist Churchs (DUMC) senior pastor Daniel Ho about the incident. I called personally and told him that the state has instructed Jais to provide a full report detailing the incident, including their justifications for their actions that night.

I hope to meet the pastor again once the report is completed, said Khalid in a press statement. A group of officers from Jais and the police raided the DUMC building in Section 13 during a thanksgiving dinner for Harapan Komuniti social workers. Jais has questioned Malay guests at the dinner. Khalid said the state viewed the incident seriously as Selangor fully respects freedom of religion and

State probes raid on church

the rights of religious groups to manage their affairs. Selangor is always open to engagement and dialogue to reach harmonious and mutually respectful coexistence among different religious communities, he said. Ho yesterday told the press that between 20 and 30 religious officers and police personnel had entered its Dream Centre premises without warrant. They subjected guests, including

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love, to promote peace, harmony and unity in the true spirit of 1Malaysia, he said. The pastor said the dinner was attended by 120 guests of all races, including 15 Malays. The dinner was non-religious and was to celebrate the work of volunteers among HIV/AIDS sufferers and victims of natural disasters.

Musl ims, to questioning, he said. Ho said not all of the enforcement officers had been in uniform, and they failed to produce a copy of the complaint when asked. We call on all Malaysians not to condone this breach of freedom of assembly and association as provided by provided Article 10 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, but to live in mutual trust and

Wong: Selangor not facing water crisis

SHAH ALAM: The state has refuted the forecast by a water concessionaire that taps will run dry with current usage patterns. This is because the data is outdated as the study was commissioned in 2000, and was based on economic growth that has slowed down since the global economic crisis of 2009. The projected water shortages will not happen, said Elizabeth Wong (pic) during a post-state exco press conference on Wednesday. Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) chief Datuk Lee Miang Koi had claimed recently that taps would run dry with a surge in demand for water. The state executive councillor pointed out that Syabas and Putrajaya were relying on the National Water Resources Study (NWRS), commissioned by the Economic Planning Unit over a decade ago. The NWRS study said water consumption in 2010 would be from 500-1,224 litres per capita per day (l/c/d). However, Wong said the figure was inflated and higher than other major cities like Singapore (328 l/c/d), Sydney (214 l/c/d) and even New York City (420 l/c/d). She said Selangor was commissioning its own water management study to ascertain the amount used by consumers, and said preliminary figures suggested that current and future water usage in the state would be 30% lower than the NWRS numbers. She reiterated that Selangors own study showed that there is sufficient water production with additional reserve capacity. Wong claimed that the inflated estimates were also used as a basis to justify the costly Pahang-Selangor Water Transfer Project, which could see water tariffs in the state balloon. She said Non-Revenue Water wastage and water leakage through old water infrastructure was one of the reasons for the discrepancy in demand estimates between Syabas and Selangor. If that is the case, Syabas has been unable to contain its gross water losses, Wong said. Wong also slammed the water concessionaire for suggesting that an increase in water tariffs would prevent water wastage and reduce demand and usage. She pointed out that the hike in tariffs would be passed on to ratepayers. Wong nevertheless advised consumers to be wise and prudent in using water, saying one way to address the issue was to adopt recycling and rainwater harvesting methods.

From page one

Selangor WeaTHer
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The report said she was a permanent resident with a red MyKad but was issued a blue MyKad four hours later following checks with the online National Registration Department (NRD) system. When her name and her MyKad number were entered into the EC online verification system, Mismah appeared as a newly registered voter. Khalid insisted the public had the right to demand an electoral roll that is free from irregularities. Echoing Khalids call, Syed Ibrahim said the governments move was a step in the right direction. He said the group had encountered a case where 60 individuals were listed to be residing in one house. When we arrived at the address, we found only six persons on the list staying at the house, he said. Syed Ibrahim pointed out that at RM10 per name, it would have cost the petitioner RM600 to file the case. The chairperson and co-founder of the polls watchdog said such cases were prevalent as Mafrel had encountered the situation many times since its founding in 2003. He said the public was more concerned that foreign residents are being included in the voter rolls and given the right to vote. It is an issue of democracy when illegal migrants are given the right to vote, he said. On Wednesday, Pakatan Rakyat MPs gave Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak seven days to call an emergency parliamentary sitting this month to debate the issue of permanent residents who have been registered as voters. Bersih 2.0 has also came out to sup-

Ensure rolls are current and error-free

port the move by the state ers permanent-resident status government. and registering them as voters We are even considering was treason. the possibility of utilising the Someone or some group funds for our own petitions is allowing foreigners to gain to the EC, said chairperson citizenship. Its same as selling Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan rights, a danger to our soverin a phone interview. eignty, he explained. She said the state should The EC on Wednesday now follow up by publishing refuted claims that permathe Terms of Reference to nent residents have been identify which kind of voter registered as voters in the irregularity cases can be filed pua: need experts latest draft supplementary to evaluate the to qualify for the funds. electoral rolls. cases. Does the funding include Its chairperson, Abdul all kinds of voter fraud? she asked. Aziz Yusof, further denied that their Bersih 2.0 has also expressed concerns status had been upgraded to that of about multiple persons registered under citizens in just a few hours in the NRD a single address, or nonexistent addresses online verification system, as claimed in on the electoral roll. the news reports. Bersih 2.0 steering committee memHe reiterated that only Malaysians can ber Wong Chin Huat said Selangor was apply to register as voters, and shifted the taking positive steps to address the serious blame to the NRD, saying it was techniproblem of fast-tracking foreigners to cal negligence on the departments part. permanent residency and allowing them Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya Utara MP the right to vote. Tony Pua also welcomed the substantial He pointed out that it was the ECs RM1 million fund that Shah Alam is and NRDs responsibility to ensure that setting up. residency and voter rolls are current and He pointed out that political parties, error-free. who are obviously concerned over voter Wong suggested that petitioners irregularities in the electoral rolls, do not should also lodge police reports against have the financial means to support such any voter irregularities, with the view that a project. the move is illegal and unconstitutional. Pua said the state government should If anyone finds their voting area also identify a pool of lawyers and other changed, say, from Petaling Jaya to Sub- legal experts on electoral-fraud cases to ang Jaya without their approval, someone supplement the initiative. is tampering with public and private reWe need people to evaluate the cases cords, he said. we are going to file with the EC when the In light of that, he said giving foreign- time comes, he said.

news

Selangor welcomes Aussie investments

SHAH ALAM: Selangor welcomes Australian businesses along with assurances that the state will do all it can to facilitate investments here. Australians can make Selangor the gateway to Asean countries where markets are large and

August 5 7, 2011

Funds for Ramadan

By Brenda Chng

KLANG: Mosques and surau were among the parties that received a total of RM35,400 in aid from the state last Saturday in conjunction with the fasting month. The state funds were handed out by Sri Andalas assemblyperson Dr Xavier Jayakumar. Also receiving the aid were two Islamic schools, two residents associations (RA) and two ParentTeacher Associations (PIBG), in addition to the 33 surau and five mosques in the constituency here. The aid is a token from the state and can be spent on food or necessities during the fasting month, said Dr Xavier. Each mosque and surau was given RM500 and RM300 respectively, while the Kampung Pandan and Telok Menegun Islamic schools each received RM10,000. The PIBG of Sekolah Rendah Agama Kg Jawa and SMK Sri Andalas were given RM1,000 each, and RM500 was given to the RA of Taman

Bunga and Taman Bukit Jadi each. Boxes of dates were also distributed to all mosques and surau in addition to the financial aid. Im thankful for the funds. It may seem like a small amount, but there is plenty we can do with it if used wisely, said Telok Menegun village chief Mohd Sadek Wali. The 61-year-old, who has nine surau and a mosque in his area, has been receiving the Ramadan funds since 2008. However, the allocation will only be enough for food, but not for repairs or maintenance of the mosque and surau. There are several older mosques and surau that have holes in the roofs that need to be repaired. Officers from the Public Works Department, the Klang District Office and other government departments were on hand to address their complaints directly. I hope their issues will be noted and tackled by heads of those departments immediately, said Dr Xavier.

welcoming, said Teresa Kok during a visit to the country last week. The state executive councillor for investment, trade and industry met investors in several cities. She said the political situation in Malaysia was stable due to warm relations between the federal and state governments. While in Melbourne, Kok attended a dinner with Members of Parliament from Victoria, and members of the Australia Malaysia Business Council and Melbourne City Council. Also present were Malaysian consul-general Dr Mohd Rameez Yahaya and Sydney-based Malaysian Investment Development Authority director (Investment) A Khairuddin. Kok also held meetings in Brisbane and Sydney to promote Selangor.

Kok speaking during a dinner to promote investments in Selangor.

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MB: Be prudent during Ramadan

SHAH ALAM: Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim urged Muslims to be thrifty when planning their personal and family expenditure during the fasting month. The Menteri Besar reminded his fellow Muslims to be moderate and mindful as they prepare for Hari Raya, and avoid excessive spending on meals while breaking their fast. Take advantage of Ramadan to enhance and improve our [spirituality], said Khalid said in a press statement issued on Aug 1, the first day of Ramadan. He also encouraged Muslims to take the opportunity to share knowledge and stories about Islam with non-Muslims. Hopefully this will instill tolerance and foster closer relationships among us all, he said. In addition, Khalid urged Muslims not to use Ramadan as an excuse for tardiness in work. To be honest and trustworthy in work is a virtue, he said. May this Ramadan bring us more enlightenment and strength to be the best and most faithful servants of Allah in everything we do, Khalid added. The Menteri Besar wishes every Muslim selamat berpuasa.

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4 August 5 7, 2011 SELANGOR TIMES

47 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
In conjunction with the 47th Anniversary

Leading property development in Selangor

he Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) was once known only as one of the developers in Selangor, but today, it has expanded its property activities and is undertaking luxury and high-end projects to benefit its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. Its general manager Othman Omar said PKNS is involved in several huge projects such as Datum Jelatek, PJ Sentral Garden City, Kelana Jaya Sports City and PJ Elevated City. These urban regeneration projects are set to transform the under-developed brownfields. PKNS Executive Commitment Index or ECI increased from 7.6 to 8.7 through the cultivation of a new vision, mission and shared values, as well as work culture and staff commitment. Currently, PKNS has more than 60 projects under its wings in Selangor, not including 30 subsidiary-operated projects. PKNS is also involved in 50 projects in strategic partnerships with the private sector. PKNS is utilising all its financial resources and 900-strong workforce to ensure the success of the projects. Through this ventures PKNS hopes to attract more foreign and local investors, thus providing more job opportunities, he said at his office in Shah Alam recently. PKNS excellent work

B R

Othman Omar - PKNS General Manager

Aquavilla @ Section 7 Shah Alam

Recognition

International Business Review - Excellence Award 2009 for Excellence in Government Delivery Services

Presently, PKNS has more than 60 projects under its wings in Selangor, not including 30 subsidiaryoperated projects. PKNS is also involved in 50 projects in strategic partnerships with the private sector.

culture has earned it several local and international awards, and established it as a reputable developer. Among the triumphs are the International Business Review Excellence Award for the implementation of smart-private partnerships; BrandLaureate Top 10 Masters Awards 2010 for property development in the Asia Pacific category; BCI Asia Top 10 Property Developers Award by the Building Construction Interchange based in Australia; and on July 22, PKNS was awarded the Global Leadership Award 2011 in the Infrastructure Development category. PKNS also collaborated with Transparency International Malaysia in executing an integrated corporate integration system (Integrity Pact). Because of all these, PKNS experienced a positive effect in the form of improved credit ratings from A1 to AA by the credit rating company, RAM Rating Services Berhad. This has led to a reduction in funding costs for upcoming property projects by PKNS. PKNS recorded a pre-tax profit of RM206.3 million in the 2010 fiscal year, an increase of RM40.2 million from 2009. This year PKNS is targeting a higher profit of RM480 million. "PKNS also saved RM115 million through the implementation and calls for

PJ Sentral Garden City (GDV RM2.6 Billion)

open tenders, e-procurement and value engineering. This is an increase of RM100 million compared with 2009, he said. The corporation is also focusing on the Selangor Science Park 2 project in Cyberjaya (SSP2) which will be home to industries and residential SoHo units (small office home office), developing the first Science Center in Asia and higher learning institution hubs to increase the attractiveness of SSP2 and the population. Other projects include international hotels, theme parks, commercial centres and factory outlets. Othman added that PKNS is aware of the importance of sustainable development. It goes to great lengths to ensure very little damage is done to the environment in all its projects. A project that was identified for the Green Building Index (GBI) was the Worldwide Tower in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. It was the first building developed by PKNS to

receive the GBI standard and MSC status. The new PKNS headquarters in Shah Alam, known as Laman PKNS, will be completed in 2013. It is expected to receive GBI Platinum, while Datum Jelatek will receive GBI Gold. In line with its corporate philosophy, PKNS has launched a new concept of affordable housing for people of lower income households by ensuring safe, comfortable and organized housing facilities. This concept was initiated in line with PKNS endeavours to assist low-income people to own a property. The purpose of the affordable housing program is to improve the quality of life by providing better access to all facilities, ensuring better living for residents at their own comfort. The development is carried out to create an integrated and caring community in line with neighbourhood values and adapting lifestyles of city life.

f d h s m w F v m s ( e p

t t o e t l

Business of The Year Award - Best State Economic Development Agency (SEDC) 2009 by SMI & SME Worldwide Network

BrandLaureate Top 10 Masters Award by Asia Pacific Brands Foundation (Property Development) 2010

Top 10 Property Developers Award Best of Malaysia 2011 by BCI Asia

Global Leadership Awards 2011 (Infrastructure Development) by The Leaders International

SELANGOR TIMES August 5 7, 2011 5

47 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
In conjunction with the 47th Anniversary

Building Communities, Enriching Lives... Realising Dreams

New concept of a ordable housing by PKNS

The new PKNS headquarters in Precint 8.8 Tasik Indah Shah Alam is expected to be completed in 2013 with GBI Platinum Rating

s n n e m

e d e r g d t S t a

e s y ll g n s n g h d

PKNS is adamant to provide better facilities for potential owners. Physical development includes mosques, community hall, kindergarten, library, tuition centers, shops, playgrounds, parks, cultivation areas, management offices and covered walkways will be built to cater the needs of residents. Furthermore, residential units are built in various structures with dedicated units made available for the elderly, disabled, single parents and families with no income (hardcore poverty), as well as to newly employed youths and physically-challenged people. The capacity of the houses is not less than 850 square feet and tagged not more than RM120, 000 per unit. These houses will only be offered to those who are truly eligible with household income of not more than RM5,000 per month, as the units are limited. As such, priorities will be given to

first-time buyers and those who are under the age of 35. In addition, PKNS will also cooperate with other private developers to develop 30,000 units of affordable houses within the next five to seven years. The development of affordable housing projects are also boosted with profits generated from the high-end projects, ensuring the meet to high demands for affordable houses. Six areas have been identified for developing new projects, such as at Bangi, Antara Gapi, Kota Puteri, Selangor Science Park 2 (SSP2), Bernam Jaya and Gombak.

SOHO @ TSSP2

Visit our website www.pkns.gov.my/ www.pknsproperty.com or call 03-5520 1234.

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PKNS Urban Regeneration Projects

Kelana Jaya Sports City (GDV RM1.8 Billion)

PJ Elevated City (GDV RM2.2 Billion)

Datum Jelatek (GDV RM900 Million)

NEWS
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

Tight race for Pandamaran chief s post

By Gan Pei Ling

PORT KLANG: A multi-cornered fight is expected in the election for the Kampung Baru Pandamaran chief on Aug 14. Seven nomination forms were sold at press time, and Selangor Times spotted community leaders Yap Kim Huat and Tan Yu Tiam getting their forms from the Klang District and Land Office yesterday. Nomination will be held at the Pandamaran village security and development committee hall on Sunday. Former local councillors Tee Boon Hock and Ang Mah Chai, and former village chief Yap Hock Siew are said to be still weighing their options. However, Tee is doubtful because he could be disqualified due to his run-ins with the state. Tee was sacked in August 2010 from the local council and DAP for allegedly issuing a support letter to a company in which his son was one of the shareholders. But Tee has denied the accusation. Ive asked my [representative] to get the nomination form, Tee told Selangor Times in a telephone interview yesterday, but refused to confirm if he would contest. He said he would only make an official announcement today at 10.30am at his service centre in Pandamaran. The state has specified that candidates must contest on a personal basis and not on party platforms, but party politics could still come into play in the New Village election. Another contender, Tan Yu Tiam, 54, is a DAP member and retiree. Tan said he was not afraid of competition. The residents will have more choices if there are more candidates. Born and bred in the Chinese New Village, Tan is a respected grassroots leader in Pandamaran and sits on many temple and school committees. Another contender, Yap Kim Huat, is seen as an independent candidate as he is not known to be linked to any political party. Yap, who heads the Klang Night Market Hawkers Associa-

tion, expressed his readiness for the polls. He told Selangor Times that his supporters are sponsoring the printing of his campaign b a nn er s a n d RM1,000 deposit to stand in the election. The villagers have been really supportive, they are the ones who have been encouraging me to contest, said Yap. He grew up in Pandamaran, but now lives in Klang District and Land Office officers put up a notice about the upcoming village polls on the neighbouring doors of the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) hall. Bandar Bukit Tinggi. He also leads the community policing teams in Bandar The villagers have been very supportive but I need to look Bukit Tinggi 1 and 2. after my business first, said the seafood distributor. Meanwhile, former village chief Yap Hock Siew remained MCA Klang youth division chairperson Datuk Dr Ching tightlipped about his candidacy. Well see on Sunday, he said. Eu Boon said none of their members are likely to contest. Yap was sacked from his post and DAP last year for issuing (Executive councillor) Ean Yong (Hian Wah) had openly a support letter to a company in which he was a partner. said that the state does not welcome candidates who oppose Another former municipal councillor, Ang Mah Chai, is its policies. one of the favourites, but he told Selangor Times that he is In other words, the state may refuse to appoint the winner unlikely to contest despite encouragement from villagers. if he or she is seen as a rebel, so whats the point in our Ang said his business dropped by 30% when he served as a member(s) contesting? asked Ching. local councillor from 2008 to 2009 due to difficulty in juggling Nevertheless, the polls in Pandamaran look set to be more two demanding responsibilities. exciting than the previous two in Pulau Ketam and Jenjarom.

Excitement builds ahead of historic polls

aware of the election and its significance. They will be able to elect their own village security and development committee chief for the first time. Weve heard our elders talking about it, said dried-meat seller Lim Seng Koon, 26, when met at a coffee shop during lunch hour on Tuesday. Nomination falls this Sunday, and the expected multi-corner fight among local community leaders is adding to sense of excitement in the village. Tr a d e r L e e Yo n g Hock, 30, said it does not matter which candidate wins, as long as the winner is sincere in wanting Thew (left) hopes for a woman to contest in the village polls. to serve the public. However, 41-year-old PORT KLANG: Anticipation is growing among residents mother Thew Kim Hong hopes to see a woman candidate in Kampung Baru Pandamaran ahead of their village chief in the election, even though chances are slim. election from Aug 7-14. I would support a woman candidate to be our village Unlike the Jenjarom and Pulau Ketam New Villages, chief, said Thew, who runs a traditional Chinese pharmacy which went to the polls on July 31, most villagers here are with her husband. Most residents learnt about the village polls from reports in vernacular press on the Pulau Ketam and Jenjarom elections, as coverage has been scant in the English press. But there are residents who remain unaware of the elections. The Klang District and Land Office, which is organising the elections as the federal-controlled Election Commission has refused to lend a hand, has yet to put up banners or notices to inform villagers about the polls. A total of 13,896 voters in the Chinese New Village will be eligible to cast their vote on Aug 14. A 50-year-old grocery store owner, who wished to remain anonymous, praised the state for its pioneering effort to restore local democracy in Selangor. [But] this is just the first step; I hope we will be able to elect our own local councillor too in future, said the owner. Selangor is holding the three village polls in Jenjarom, Pulau Ketam and Pandamaran as test cases. The state may hold elections for all villages, including traditional Malay kampung and Orang Asli villages, if the three pilot village polls are organised successfully and are well received by the people. The move is seen as a precursor to the restoration of local government elections in Selangor as Pakatan Rakyat had promised to reinstate local elections in their 2008 general election manifesto. Local government elections were suspended and later abolished by the Alliance government in 1965 due to the Confrontation, an undeclared war between Malaysia and Indonesia over Borneo from 1962 to 1966. It was not reinstated after the Confrontation.

NEWS
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

Age and illness no barrier to voting

By Alvin Yap

Incumbent stays as village head

PULAU Ketams incumbent village head retained his position with a tally of 749 votes over challenger Chua Chin Sons 450 votes. Cha Keng Lee, 46, a hotel owner, is the islands first elected head in 46 years. The direct elections saw the two challengers campaigning and canvassing fellow islanders for their votes until the close of polls on Sunday at 4pm. The oldest resident on the island, 101-year-old Thia Yee Keong, also voted. Residents and voters said they want Selangor to further develop Pulau Ketam into a tourist hotspot. They also want the state to build a much-needed sewerage system, as well as barriers and walkways so that people do not fall into the water. When the result was announced at 5.35pm, Cha was declared the winner with 299 majority by Klang District Officer Datuk Bakhtiar Husin. Turnout was 34.2%, with 1,221 votes out of 3,568 eligible voters. In his victory speech, Cha said: I am happy that my fellow Pulau Ketam residents saw fit to retain me as village head. I will use this opportunity to develop the island, and ask the state for more infrastructure projects. The election also saw the inaugural use of indelible ink for the voting process to prevent multiple voting and fraud. It is proven to work. The ink is cheap and available in the market, said state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah. Selat Kelang assemblyperson and state executive councillor Dr Halimah Ali congratulated Cha, and also spoke to Chua and said the two should work together for Pulau Ketams future. The official result was delivered to Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim at the State Secretariat on Monday for endorsement.

PULAU KETAM: Being elderly and invalid did not stop 88-year-old Choo Hock Son from coming out to cast his vote during historic village head elections here last Sunday. He wanted to come to vote for the village head. He was adamant to vote for our village chief, said Choos neighbour, Lee, who pushed the octogenarian to the voting centre on a makeshift trolley. I remember voting for local councillors around the 1960s. We knew the candidates and what they aspired for Pulau Ketam, said Choo. Choo, who lost the use of his legs a few years ago, insisted on casting his vote this time around. He recalled that in the 60s, candidates carried out door-to-door campaigns or met with villagers in coffee shops and restaurants to canvass for support. Direct elections for village head were stopped in 1965 when the Alliance government suspended and later abolished local elections due to the Confrontation, an undeclared war between Malaysia and Indonesia over Borneo. Pulau Ketams direct election for its village security and development commitee is Selangors initiative to revive local elections in the state. Tan Hee Kow voted with his 76-year-old mother, Lee Fui Chin, to determine if incumbent Cha Keng Lee would be retained

or replaced by rival Chua Chin Song. During the door-to-door campaign, Lee said both candidates had visited her house on separate occasions to canvass for votes. When asked what development projects she wants for Pulau Ketam, Lee said: I want the village head to ask the government to build a sewerage system. When its low tide, the smell is awful due to the human waste we discharge into the water. Similarly, Tan said the state should not neglect developing Pulau Ketam as the island had the potential of becoming a top-class tourist attraction. The state government should build a resort on the side that faces the Straits of Malacca, he said. He pointed out that local as well as A senior citizen who said she didnt want international travellers flocked to the miss out on the chance to vote for her village island in search of cheap and delicious head. seafood. Keong, also voted for his choice of village Tan said Selangor should develop the head in the tightly knit island community. island so that the younger generation would Thia, who appeared sprightly despite not be forced to find jobs on the mainland. being 101, was fussed over by the civil He explained that the younger genera- servants running the counters. tion did not want to toil in the fishing His attendance stopped conversation industry, but there were limited vacancies and turned heads when he arrived, accomin the service sector. panied by his relatives. Seah Chin Mooy was beaming when He declined the use of the wheelchair she came out of the voting centre, and and walked into the hall while supported proudly showed her yellowed thumbnail by well-meaning fellow voters. where officers had painted it with indelible Its good that we can choose the village ink as proof that she had voted. head again after all these years, Thia said Pulau Ketams oldest resident, Thia Yee as he was escorted out of the voting centre.

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News
August 5 7, 2011

EvEnts
Ramadan buffet
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centres Ramadan buka puasa buffet offers over 500 dishes with specialties from around the world. A specially constructed ablution area and prayer room with on-site imam has also been prepared for Maghrib, Isya and Tarawih prayers. The buffet will be available daily from Aug 11-23, 6-10pm, at RM98++ pax for adults and RM49++ pax for children aged between four and 12.

Residents suffer while MPK and JKR argue over turf

By Brenda Chng

Pre-wedding course
Ever wondered about the stages involved in planning a wedding? Join a free preview wedding course and learn about the latest trends and ideas in planning a wedding from start to finish. A certified wedding specialist will be on hand to impart industry knowledge. For more information, contact Emily at 017-6389168.

Jumble sale
The Passionately You 2011 campaign will hold a donation drive in the form of the Buy4Love Jumble Sale at Jaya One on Aug 20. Proceeds will go to the Assunta Foundation, which helps fund treatment for breast and cervical cancer patients from the low-income group. Other fundraisers include the Dont Duck It Party in Jaya One on Oct 22. At the party, participants may buy Passionately You t-shirts and raffle tickets, and take part in the Go-Kart Mania and Quacky Kart Race telematch.

Election agent training

A training session for polling agents and counting agents will be held at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) headquarters this Saturday, Aug 6. Attendees are expected to watch several videos on the training beforehand which can be found on www.tindakmalaysia.com. Part 1 of the training for polling agents will be from 9.30am12.30pm, while part 2 will be for counting agents from 1.30-4pm. Limited copies of the videos, Election Commission guidebooks and election laws will also be prepared.

KLANG: Longstanding flood woes face by residents in Bandar Puteri are set to continue as the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) and Public Works Department ( JKR) use jurisdiction as anexcuse to do nothing. Jack Tan Yew Lee said it took five complaint letters over the span of six months before he finally got a response from MPK. Ive been sending in the complaints since I moved in early this year. All I got in reply was my complaint number, but no explanation or feedback, said the 30-year-old resident He was left infuriated when MPK responded to his latest complaint on July 29 after flash flooding hit the housing estate again. According to the municipality, the clogged drains, which are the main cause of the flash floods, are under thepurview of JKR. Tan was asked to refer his complaint to the department. Following MPKs advice, he called JKR, only to be told that the drains are

under MPKs jurisdiction. Tan pointed out that both MPK and JKR should stop shirking their responsibilities and fix the problem. It shouldnt matter whose jurisdiction the drains are under, a solution must be found, he said. Ta n , l i ve s o n Ja l a n Keronsang 10, told Selangor Times that he gets into a state of panic every time it rains. Luckily the water doesnt seep into houses as it is on a slightly higher ground. If it did, it would definitely spell disaster, he said. But the two feet of water after heavy downpours are Flash floods in Bandar Puteri are testing residents an inconvenience to cars patience. and pedestrians. Tan said he referred the complaint Ive been putting up with this for half back to MPK but has received little a year, but my 30 other neighbours on the reassurance from the council, which told same street have suffered for about five him that the matter would be studied by years, Tan said. their engineering department.

Book sale
The Payless Books Warehouse Sale is back at YMCA Kuala Lumpur this Aug 5-7 between 10am and 7pm in the Lee Kong Chian Hall. The YMCA can be located on Jalan Padang Belia with GPS coordinates E03.13372, N101.68997. For more information, visit www.paylessbooks.com.my.

More irregularities found in electoral roll

By Basil Foo

Town Hall meeting

A meeting for residents in Section 20 Petaling Jaya will be held for them to know the goingson in Parliament, the state assembly, and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). Residents can engage in Q&A sessions with their elected representatives. The meeting will be on Aug 11, 8pm, at the basketball court on Jalan 20/19. PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San and MBPJ councillor A Jeyaseela will take questions from residents.

SELAYANG: The inclusion of 31 new voters in the Taman Templer state constituency has raised eyebrows among local Pas leaders here. Mohamad Abdul Rahman, who is Pas election coordinator for the Barisan Nasional-held constituency, said they
Mohamad: Suspects the individuals are foreigners.

Selangor accepts resignation of V-C

SHAH ALAM: Selangor has accepted the resignation of Datuk Dr Rosti Saruwona as Universiti Selangors (Unisel) Vice-Chancellor. Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said his resignation was received by the state on Tuesday. The Menteri Besar said a temporary three-person committee comprising Datuk Dr Muhamad Zohadie Bardaie, Datuk Dr Adnan Alias and Datuk Dr Mohammad Ariffin Aton will manage Uniselsaffairs. They are highly qualified and have extensive experience in administration, said Khalid on Wednesday. He added that the committee was also established to look into the universitys internal problems. Khalid refuted claims that Rosti resigned due to pressure from above to dismiss three Unisel officers. He said the matter had already been discussed in advance with the vice-chancellor and his three deputy vice-chancellors. Dr Rosti was involved in this discussion [to dismiss the three officers], and he knew the decision was made. In fact, he had signed it, Khalid said.

Raya funds for civil servants

SHAH ALAM: Civil servants of level 50 and below who are celebrating Hari Raya will receiving a cash token of RM500 from the state. The money is a bonus to help them celebrate the festive season, said the Menteri Besar. Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim announced the allocation of funds on Wednesday, during the states executive councillor meeting.

suspect the individuals are foreigners with Permanent Resident status. We urge the police to investigate this issue in detail and expose this subversive activity which can undermine national security, he said in a statement sent to Selangor Times. A police report was lodged at the Gombak district police headquarters on Wednesday morning. Mohamad, who is also a member of the Pas Selangor state committee, said the irregularities were detected after checking the recent voter draft list. After checking the Second-quarter Additional Voters draft list 2011 published by the Election Commission (EC), we grew suspicious of the citizenship of the new voters, he said. The newly registered voters owned IC numbers bearing the state code 71, which does not correspond with any state codes in Malaysia. Mohamad suspects the 31 were given citizenship so they could be registered as new voters. The move involves both the EC and National Registration Department (NRD), and he wants both agencies to respond. Mohamad added that they are ready to cooperate with the police to ensure speedy investigation of the case to restore the peoples faith in the EC and NRD.

news

Living in the dark, faced with eviction

By Lee Choon Fai and T Tharshinaa

August 5 7, 2011

CHERAS: An ailing widow who has been living without electricity for the past six years is now facing eviction unless she pays RM9,663.28 in outstanding rent and bills. Lee Bee Kooi, who has been suffering from high blood pressure since her husband passed away in 2000, was told to pay the overdue amount before Sept 2. She has been served a court order by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to pay RM2,000 before the deadline and RM638 in the subsequent months. I dont have enough money to live. How can I suddenly fork out so much? said the 47-year-old, who has been living in the DBKL Sri Johor Public Housing Unit for 15 years. Lee said as she still needs money to survive, she currently only works odd jobs because her medical con-

Lee Bee Kooi showing her medicine for high blood pressure.

Teoh Pin Yee was reported missing on July 21, 2006.

dition prevents her from working long hours. She stopped paying rent after her eldest of four sons and sole breadwinner, Teoh Pin Yee, did not return home from his work as a delivery boy in 2006. He was 20 years old. Lee said she lodged a police report on July 31, 2006 and another

on July 6 this year, but has not received any updates from the police on the search for her son. Lee continues to hope that she will someday be reunited with her son. She was also forced to send her two youngest sons to a welfare home, and her second son, who is mentally ill, to live with her sister.

After losing her family, she almost lost all her possessions save for a Buddhist altar, some kitchenware and a chair when her unit was burgled. She is not bereft of help, however, as close friend Ong Joo Thye plans to use his Employee Providence Fund (EPF) money to pay off her debt. I tried to ask DBKL to delay the payment for one and a half years as I will get my EPF by then, but they wouldnt allow, said the

53-year-old odd-job worker. He said the pittance Lee earns every month mostly goes towards her medicine. DBKL Housing Management Department director could not be reached as he was away when contacted. Ong is pleading to the public for monetary assistance. Those who wish to help Lee or have information about her son can contact Ong at 016-6536974 and 017-2697814.

Roundabout traffic conversion delayed

Hee (left) and Cheremi with consulting engineers looking at draft plans at Rothmans roundabout.

New Zealand Education Fair 2011

Find out all you need to know about studying in New Zealand. Visit the New Zealand Education Fairs and meet with participating institutions. Please bring along your academic transcripts/school records and/or forecast results.
KOTA KINABALU Le Meridien Sunday, 31 July 2011 Fair Times: 11.30am 4.30pm Seminar: 2.00pm 2.30pm

By Alvin Yap

PETALING JAYA: The upgrade of the Rothmans roundabout to convert it into a traffic junction, which was supposed to have been completed this week, has been delayed and will only be fully completed at the end of September. Engineering consultants involved in the RM4.28 million road upgrade have detected water pipes under the construction area. The delay is due the realignment and repositioning of a few pipes that the consulting firm did not detect during the start of the project, said Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) head engineer Cheremi Tarman during a press conference at the site on Tuesday. Cheremi pointed out that the old pipes, which are of non-metallic material, had not been detected by metal detectors when construction begun in March this year. The pipes were only discovered when excavation work was carried out a few weeks later. The realignment of the 0.3m-diameter pipes, which cut across the length of the roundabout, will take about a month. The consulting firm, Produktif Sepakat Consulting Engineers Sdn Bhd, and city council engineers will meet with Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to move the pipes. The additional work is estimated to cost

RM300,000, which will be footed by MBPJ. He said the process will not disrupt water supply to the surrounding areas of Section 13, 14, 17 and 19. The roundabout near the headquarters of Chinese daily Sin Chew is being converted to a four-way junction to route traffic from SS2, Section 19, Jalan Universiti and Jalan Semangat. The cost of the project is borne by a group of developers in the area as a requirement to receive their development licence from the city council. Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian said the delay in converting the roundabout to a junction was causing inconvenience to road users. Ive been receiving a lot of complaints from residents that traffic congestion is a daily occurrence, he said. He expressed disappointment in the delay, and hoped that the parties will meet as soon possible to expedite the project. On a related matter, Hee said the roundabout on Jalan Othman in Old Town will also be converted into a traffic junction by middle of next year. He confirmed that MBPJ has earmarked allocation for the engineering works.

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news 10
august 5 7, 2011

Tax rebate soon for PJ green homes

By Gan Pei Ling

Mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman.

PETALING JAYA: The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is developing a tax rebate scheme to reward owners of houses with environmentally friendly design and features. Were still in the process of finalising the scheme, but it should be ready by the end of this year, said mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman after chairing the MBPJ monthly full board meeting last Friday. He said house owners will have to register with MBPJ, and the city councils Green Building team will assess whether their houses are qualified for a rebate. There will be a point system. For example, if owners have solar panels installed, theyll receive a certain number of points; and if they have a rainwater harvesting system, theyll receive additional points, Roslan explained. He added that the amount of tax rebate given which is expected to be around a few hundred ringgit will depend on the total points calculated. Well announce the details once the scheme has been

finalised, said Roslan, adding that MBPJ plans to allocate RM50,000 to fund the tax rebate scheme. This scheme for eco-friendly residential houses in Petaling Jaya is part of a series of MBPJ initiatives to encourage city dwellers to go green. The city council is also having an ongoing competition to encourage residents, schools and MBPJ departments to recycle their used cooking oil instead of pouring it into the drains and polluting the citys waterways. Computers, cash prizes of up to RM2,000, and electronic products are up for grabs respectively for schools, residents and MBPJ departments that collect the most used cooking oil to be recycled. The city council is also cracking down on litterbugs with the launch of its anti-litterbugs campaign on July 21. Those who are caught throwing small items like cigarettes butts or tissue paper will be fined RM50 on the spot, while those littering larger items will be fined RM100 starting Aug 16. Roslan said the campaign not only aims to keep Petaling Jaya clean, but also to instill civic-mindedness among its residents.

MPSJ warns Bubur lambuk Ramadan bazaars draws Shah Alam crowd to maintain hygiene
By Brenda Chng

Containers of bubur lambuk being handed out by SSAAS mosque officials to the crowd on Monday evening.

By Basil Foo

SHAH ALAM: Bubur lambuk is being distributed daily after evening prayers at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (SSAAS) mosque during the fasting month. We will hand out 1,000 containers of bubur lambuk every day of the first and fourth weeks of Ramadan, said Datuk Abu Bakar Abd Hanid. The representative of the state mosque said due to high demand in previous years, the mosque will distribute 1,200 containers daily during the second and third weeks. Datuk Abu Bakar said the containers this year were also bigger, for parents who wish to share the porridge with their children at home. We have also been taking orders for the porridge from various groups. Just let us know in advance, he added. Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who at-

tended the event, said the distribution of bubur lambuk during R amadan is a meaningful tradition. He said the move would help foster closer relations between the Musl im an d n onMuslim communities. While we Datuk Abu Bakar may pray for the Muslim community to succeed, dont forget to help those who need our charity, said Khalid.

SUBANG JAYA: Filthy food stalls will be notified, summoned and then shut down, warned the Municipal Council (MPSJ) president during his visit to the USJ 4/5 Ramadan bazaar on Monday. We take hygiene very seriously, especially when it comes to food handling. We will not tolerate vendors who do not adhere to our cleanliness standards, said Datuk Asmawi Kasbi. He said all 160 lots had been briefed and given a set of guidelines to follow when they applied for licences to trade. During the month, random visits will be made by MPSJ enforcement officers to check on cleanliness and stall operations. Officers will then issue notices or summonses on the spot as necessary. Last year, MPSJ issued a total of 167 summonses, one warning letter

and 154 written notices to vendors who violated the rules. The same thing will be done this year if the vendors do not cooperate with us. Worst-case scenario, their licences will be revoked and their stalls shut down, said Asmawi. This year, he is aiming to attain a zero-summons and notice-free Ramadan bazaar. Meanwhile, 12 Ramadan bazaars have been selected by the council to go green. These bazaars have been asked to use styrofoam and biodegradable plastics, and to recycle their cooking oil. Cooking oil will be collected by MPSJ contractors every day at 8pm to be sent to factories for recycling into biodiesel. Among the 12 chosen are bazaars on Jalan SS18/6, USJ4/5, Jalan Perdana 2, Jalan Prima 5/3, Jalan BK 5A/1, Jalan 18/35 and Jalan PUJ3/2.

Asmawi and MPSJ members during the visit to the USJ 4/5 Ramadan bazaar.

Biometric verification and online banking

MAN IN BLACK
wong chin huat

VIEWS 11
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

Iskandar breaks fast with constituents

KUALA LUMPUR: Members of Surau Raihan in Pandan Indah here had a special guest for the breaking of their fast during the second day of Ramadan on Tuesday. Selangor state executive councillor Iskandar Samad visited the surau to share the meal with those gathered. The state Housing, Building Development and Squatters Committee chairperson joined them and their children on floor mats as they dined on simple mixed rice and tea. The residents included those from housing estates in Pandan Indah.

HE hottest technology in town is perhaps biometric verification. Not only it is used in registering foreign workers, the government wants it to be applied to Malaysian voters, too. It will be expensive, but it ishigh-tech. So, why do so many people still reject it and insist on using indelible ink, which is used in primitive countries like India? The simple answer is that they are for different purposes a dog cannot catch a mouse like a cat does. Indelible ink can only prevent multiple voting but not impersonation. It rejects someone who has voted and has his or her finger inked, but this person could be an impersonator in the first place. In other words, indelible ink cannot eliminate phantom voters, but it can stop recycling of phantom voters. Hence, with indelible ink, to rig 10,000 votes, you would need 10,000 phantoms and cannot use 5,000 multiply registered voters to vote twice, or 2,000 IC-ed foreign workers to vote five times. This would make the phantom operation so expensive that it cannot be employed widely. In contrast, the main function of biometric verification is to prevent impersonation by identifying any mismatch between the data (e.g. fingerprint in database) and the person (fingerprint on thumb). It does not rule out multiple voting directly. Only if there are no multiple registrations in the database, and the biometric readers are all connected and programmed to reject a repeated biometric profile, then technically multiple voting can be prevented, too. But what if the voter database is tampered with, and the biometric readers are not connected and programmed to reject a repeated biometric profile? Not only both impersonation and multiple voting can happen, they will actually be legitimised because nothing is detected on the system! A more philosophical understanding of this polemic is that high-tech gadgets can sometime be inferior to low-tech tools, if you dont have the commensurate degree of trust. The higher the technology, the greater the trust needed. You need to trust the operators on two fronts: competence and integrity. If the operators are not competent, then the system may be hacked or hijacked to legitimiseimpersonation

and multiple voting. On the other hand, if the operators lack integrity, then they may tamper the system themselves to legitimise their crimes. Think about our daily examples. Who is there to testify that you just withdrew RM1,000 from the ATM and not RM10,000? Who can provide evidence that you have transferred RM2,000 and not RM5,000 to your suppliers account? All the evidence of your electronic transactions are held by your bank. You will be on the losing side if you have a dispute with the bank. So, why dont we videotape each of our banking transactions at ATMs or online? Because we trust the banks. We believe the bank wont cheat us and wont allow others to break into their system to swindle money. If either of these premises does not hold water anymore, we would cease using ATMs or e-banking. Its just common sense. Now, would you trust the Election Commission with your money? The constitution treats the commissioners appointment and sacking like it treats top judges, yet they call themselves an election management body. The EC cant remove dead people from electoral rolls even when the deaths are already recorded in the National Registration Department database. But they can register permanent citizens as voters. And to justify the vastly varying size of constituencies, the EC can come out with a three-tier classification of urban(for a state constituency, >25,000 voters), sub-urban (15,00024,000 voters) and rural(below 15,000 voters). The EC hence makes the oversized Meru and Sementa (outskirts of Klang) urban, the average-sized Sungai Pinang and Kota Alam Shah (in the heart of Klang Town) suburban, and the undersized Sekinchan (a coastal town) rural. They just redefine geography. Can you trust the EC with your money? In daily life, we deal with the people we dont trust with the simplest method. We avoid anything fancy to be safe. When in doubt, we dont accept credit card or even cheque. We go for the most primitive way: cash transaction. Analogously, biometric verification is internet banking, even more high-tech than credit card or cheque. In contrast, indelible ink is like cash transaction you can see and touch the money. If I were to do any business with the EC, I would always ask for cash. No cheque. No credit card. No online payment. Wouldnt you?

Members of Surau Raihan in Pandan Indah breaking fast during the second day of Ramadan on Tuesday.

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

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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 successful. bilitate kind proj itious and 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 the first which inclu the tran sfor 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 be ign Gro various com s, such as strata of lthy only, but inhabited up part s, and the the supply of po- juvenati society. In a way, by ever y metal ng the city, compan we are rey hopes If the pilo said to t is successfu Iskandar. l, the com Turn To pag e2

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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)

12 August 5 7, 2011

InsIght

Freedom oF Assemb
Freedom of Assembly in Britain
By Alvin Yap

Twin pillArs oF righTs To expression & congregAT

L
In the United Kingdom, rights are enforced under the Human Rights Acts 1988. The Freedom of Assembly and Association is found under Article 11: 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests. 2. no restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights other than such as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This Article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the state. There are two aspects to Article 11. It protects the right to peaceful assembly, which includes the freedom to hold public or private meetings, demonstrations, rallies and sit-ins, without interference from the State. This may include a positive obligation on the State to ensure that demonstrators are protected from counterdemonstrators trying to prevent their demonstration. Article 11 also protects the freedom to associate with others, including the right to form or join a political party or other group or association, and the right to belong to a trade union. Like some rights, it is not absolute, and state interference is justified to protect the rights of others. Like Malaysias Police Act 1967, whether an assembly or procession on English soil is permitted or with certain restrictions is vetted with an interpretation of the Public Order Act 1986. The act draws a distinction between public assemblies and public processions. Organisers do not have to notify police of the proposed assembly. However, senior police officers may impose restrictions on the organisers if the latter believes that the assembly may result in harm to life and property. There will be a limit to both the assembly duration and participants allowed to attend, among other terms. This is done, if the officer believes that the assembly my result in harm to life and property. However, there is no question of preventing the assembly from taking place, as conditions are only imposed to avoid any untoward incidents. For processions, organisers are required to notify authorities six days before the scheduled event. Information must include date, time and proposed route. If senior police officers have a reason to believe that the procession may bring harm to life and property, restrictions are set to the timing and routing, among other conditions. Under this the section the procession will not be prohibited. Prohibition of processions is only carried out if circumstances exist that may result in serious public disorder, or damage to life and property. It is only invoked if it is not possible to stop serious damage from occurring even with condition imposed on organisers of the procession.
(Sources: Suhakam 2001 FOA report and The National Council for Civil Liberties UK)

iyana Ridzwan, 25, shortened her holiday tour of Europe when she decided to return for the Bersih 2.0 rally. The political science graduate is no stranger to street demonstrations, having taken part in numerous street demonstrations against what she claims are unfair neo-liberal economic policies. Liyana, who is from Ipoh, pays her own way to travel to places where G8 and G20 summits are held for heads of industralised nations to discuss global trade and economics. Most of the locations are in western countries, where individuals have the right to peacefully march and hold protest rallies. That is democracy at work, she said. Democracy is not representative enough if its a round of general election every five years. It certainly isnt representative democracy if, like in Malaysia, its 27 million citizens are represented by a mere 222 Members of Parliament, she said. She said the peoples freedom to assemble is a constitutional right of any democratic country, something that constitutionalist supporters envisioned to safeguard against a powerful executive branch of the government. Liyana explained that rallies mobilise citizens to act politically towards issues they feel strongly about, and that support for any political party is the last thing on civil societys mind. Liyanas comments bring the debate on Freedom of Assembly to the forefront again, as the Barisan Nasional (BN) government has always declared marches and rallies without police permits illegal. The federal government says the culture of street protests is not Malaysian which historians have pointed out is not true, as the decades before Merdeka were replete with street protests against the then British administration. As for the July 9 Bersih rally, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the event was to pressure Putrajaya to accede Police presence during the Bersih 2.0 to electoral reforms and was therefore not rally. (Pic by Hafiz noor Sham / Wiki commons) necessary, for elections were fair and free so as to paint the former as heavy-handed in Malaysia. Najib, who is widely expected to call an and authoritarian to fellow Malaysian and election before the full parliamentary term foreigners. The Malaysian Bar Council and the Huis up, says rallies such as Bersih have been hijacked by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat man Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) have stayed out of the political wranto gain support of the masses. The federal government also claims that gling, preferring to debate the issue from a Bersih supporters went down to the ground legislative and human rights perspective. In universal human rights law, as esto provoke the authorities to take action, poused in the United Na t i o ns f o u n d i n g Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Freedom of Assembly is a basic human right. Malaysians ought not look further to find the right to assemble as it is found in the Federal Constitution the highest law in the land. Freedom of Assembly is the right and Citizens assembled and holding posters calling for the freedom of Malaysians release of police detainees. (Pic by Ang Chung Vi)

(Illustration by nick Choo)

to gather together and express their view peaceful manner, said Bar Council pre Lim Chee Wee. The constitution guarantees this by providing that all citizens have the to assemble peaceably and without he explained. However, the right is subject to r tions imposed by parliamentary laws clamp down on rallies and marches interest of national security and public Lim pointed out that Malaysians are narrow liberties and broad restrictio exercise their rights.

bly:

Tion

The crowd during the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9.

(Pic by Hafiz Noor Sham / Wiki commons)

Police charging at protesters who were regrouping during the Bersih 2.0 rally.
(Pic by Hafiz Noor Sham / Wiki commons)

Holding lit candles and singing songs to express solidarity.

(Pic by Ang Chung Vi)

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restricwhich in the c order. e given ons to

For a rally to take place, organisers have to apply for a permit from the police, based on the Police Act 1967. However, the Bar Council and Suhakam say the government and authorities have included too many restrictions for civil society to receive rally permits. This, they say, is unconstitutional and stifles the peoples right to exercise their democratic freedom. Their twin freedom of assembly and expression is curtailed, Lim explained. He said it is ironic that Malaysia sits on the UN Human Rights Council and

was even elected to chair a committee on the upcoming General Assembly session to tackle social, humanitarian and human rights issues. Lim pointed out that there is a disconnect between the domestic policies and the image of a moderate and progressive nation the leaders have often showcased to the world. The government must speak and act consistently, both domestically and internationally, by protecting and promoting democracy and human rights, not restricting or stifling their exercise, he said. Lim brushed aside claims by certain quarters who are adamant that rallies and demonstrations constitute mob rule, saying that such acts, if carried out peacefully, are democracy in action. On whether the police is justified in using force to disperse rallies, Lim said the threat and application of heavy-handed action had not stopped gatherings. He said the government had resorted to using more force to disperse participants in the Bersih 2.0 rally as the former was face to face with the will of the people. He said Putrajaya should see the increased articulation of viewpoints by the public as a positive development in our society. Lim further pointed out that the government should provide the democratic space for discourse to flourish. He said the recent turn of events signalled that the government was unwilling to review Section 27 of the Police Act to allow more latitude for public rallies. In a Suhakam report on Freedom of Assembly published in 2007, the commission said the government should recognise the basic right to hold peaceful assemblies. However, it also said the freedom can only be restricted by legislation for the purpose of preserving national security or public order.

According to its committee, the Police Act 1967 also known as PA does in fact restrict the peoples constitutional right to peaceful assembly. It said the current enforcement and implementation of the Act was unduly strict and rendered unattainable the right of Malaysians to assemble. Suhakam also reported that the default mindset of the authorities was to think of assemblies as dangerous and liable to become a threat to national security and public order. This is seen from statements made by them and reported in the media each time a large gathering is proposed, the report said. However, Suhakam, which had deployed its considerable resources to investigate case files on previous assemblies and rallies, said it is possible to have peaceful gatherings. It is definitely possible in present-day Malaysia to have peaceful assemblies where participants can voice their views about issues that are a matter of concern for them, the report said. It cited that several peaceful assemblies had taken place, during which time the police had maintained law and order. The human rights watchdog also mentioned an anti-ISA event in May 2001, where participants made speeches, sang songs and distributed leaflets in a one-hour programme which ended peacefully with no untoward incidents. Similarly, a walk organised by the Bar

Council during that period saw 100 participants marching with police cars in tow, and personnel controlling the traffic along the way in the heart of the city. The group walked through the busy shopping areas of Kota Raya, Central Market and Bangsar Utama, with no untoward incident occurring. The point the report was making is that the government should allow rallies, and that gatherings with or without permits do not necessarily descend into chaos as feared by the authorities. Members of these assemblies disperse peacefully, with some measure of satisfaction that their concerns have been expressed and may be considered. Peaceful assemblies are a healthy way for members of civil society to express dissatisfaction over matters that affect their lives, it said. It also reported that peaceful meant the absence of violence, but does not necessarily mean silent. Speeches and cheering do not render an assembly not peaceful, it explained. Suhakam said civil society had strengthened, and the demand for civil and political rights was becoming louder. It said the government could no longer expect the public to remain silent when fundamental rights were infringed, adding that Putrajaya had to respond positively to the changing political climate in civil society.

vIEWS 14
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

Laziness, naughty students and patriots

D
ear Lord Bobo, why is my Member of Parliament so slow in fixing that clogged drain in front of my house and the broken row of lamp posts by the community hall? Is he sleeping on the job or what?! @Unhappy Monkey, via email and potholed roads, should be directed to local authorities or local councillors. So please, think before haranguing your MP/ADUN. Let them focus on what they should be doing, which is pushing for good laws and fair policies instead of spending their time on issues that are not within their job scope.

recently read a statement from the Minister of Higher Education that 21 students (or is it 500? The reports are conflicting) have been identified as participating in Bersih 2.0, and that their names will be sent to their respective universities for further action. Will we see more cases of students being charged under AUKU like the ISA7, UKM4 and KUIN5? @Free Our Students To Learn!, via email ITS obvious from crowd photos from July 9 that many young people participated in the Bersih rally. However, when Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, Minister of Higher Education, said what he said about releasing the names of these identified students to their universities, it begs some questions. Out of the tens of thousands (or, well, 5,000 depending on who you believe) who were there, how were these 21 students identified? How does the Ministry know that they university students? And even if these individuals were students, and took part in the rally, and the university authorities would like to scr er discipline them, under what section of the University & University Colleges Act

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!

under the UUCA for political participation and expression. Overall then, that was a very strange statement. Which is quite consistent with being a person of authority in Malaysia. The ability to make strange and unsubstantiated statements seems to be a prerequisite to being appointed to such positions.

walked on July 9. Now what? @Patriot, via email

THERE are a few things wrong with your question, and a few misconceptions that need to be addressed with regards to the job description and role of a Member of Parliament (MP). First, we must understand the role of an MP as a member of the legislative (Parliament), which is to legislate and make laws. The problems that you are facing like clogged drains and broken lamp posts, and other similar matters like volcano massage graffiti on your walls and badly parked neighbours are not within the power or authority of the MP. Those are issues which local councillors should solve. This misconception of the role of legislators results in misplaced expectations of MPs. If these problems are not solved by the MP/ADUN (Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri, or State Legislative Assembly Members), they are labelled as not working or sleeping on the job. Which is unfair. Here is an easy (though overly simplistic) way of remembering the differing roles and functions. MPs/ ADUNs are from the legislative, therefore they deal with laws and policies through their lawmaking power. Issues relating to federal infrastructure should be directed to federal agencies ( JKR, for example), and matters related to local infrastructure such as wonky traffic lights, lamp posts

HANG on. Your pseudonym is Patriot? Does that mean you walked on July 9 with the Patriot fellas, or does it just mean that youre patriotic? Anyway, it doesnt matter. All Malaysians need to educate themselves for the good of the nation. Lets not be politically partisan. Lets make decisions based on what is best for Malaysia. Lets make a stand on issues having made an educated and fair assessment of the details. Lets silence the gutter politics and make our politicians serve the rakyat again, instead of us rolling out the red carpet for them all the time. Check out UndiMsia!, which is a project being run by a few friends of Lord Bobo. It is a movement for young Malaysians to find their voice, participate, and act. UndiMsia! supports the need for accurate information on key civil, political, and socioeconomic rights that the lives of the rakyat. Learn how to engage your elected representatives. Do things meaningfully, with results that make a difference to the community, and the country. Want to know more? Go to http://www.facebook.com/UndiMsia or email move@ undimsia.com. His Supreme Eminenceness thinks you can do no better than checking out what these guys are up to. Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!

1971 (UUCA) or the university rules and regulations would they be charged under? They clearly cannot be charged for criminal offences (participating in an illegal assembly) because thats the job of the public prosecutor. Bersih is not a political party or a union, so they cant be charged

Act against MACC officers in Teoh case

THE Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, after much deliberation, has concluded that Teoh was driven to suicide by the aggressive and harsh methods of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The RCIs findings and recommendations must be implemented urgently to win back the confidence of the people and the integrity of the MACC. The officers involved should be held criminally responsible, with immediate action taken against them.Ordinary people who threaten one another can be charged for criminal intimidation and arrested.So why not these officials? Just because they were doing their duty is no excuse. Even police personnel have been charged for causing bodily injury, death or suicide of lockup suspects and detainees. Instituting disciplinary measures against the MACC personnel or suspending or transferring them will not suffice as government servants regard these actions as nothing more than a short holiday. This is why government officials keep repeating their errant ways. Teohs family might perhaps be partially satisfied if penal action is taken against the three officers. An outright dismissal should also be contemplated. The errant officers have dented the image of the anti-graft body. Whistleblowers, informants, witnesses and others will be henceforth reluctant to provide any info or cooperation, and this could dry up the commissions pool of information sources. More importantly, the MACCneeds to understand that bribe-takers are usually white-collar officials, mostly in senior positions, and are usually middle aged. Unlike hardened suspects who end up in the police lockups, those taken in by the MACC are easily intimidated by harsh words or physical threats. These people could break down easily and be fearful and do the unthinkable. The MACC has to be more psychoanalytical or psychological to coax the evidence, not blackmail or threaten them to get answers. The MACC needs to get quality staffers with good personal attributes, who are disciplined and well-trained for this tactful job. It would also be better if the MACC becomes more multiracial as diversity can contribute to creativity and proactivity in the anti-graft body. The image of the MACC has been badly damaged by the two unexplained deaths within the last two years. To what extent it can win back public confidence depends on the organisational reforms. A new batch of investigation officers and competent heads of department are also needed, to ensure that the commission becomes an effective force to fight graft in both the public and corporate sectors. Corruption is a major problem in Malaysia, and what is needed is not more halfbaked foot soldiers but a small and highly capable unit of graft busters. The government, too, should take the initiative to eliminate corruption by getting rid of overlegislation, excess bureaucratic red tape, cronyism and favouritism. It should ensure good governance, transparency, accountability and efficient auditing, and not expect the MACC to create a miracle of a corruption-free environment when many government practices and procedures breed corruption. V Thomas

Amplitude
Fiction by Lee Ee Leen

FICTION 15
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

aves are disturbances in a common medium, such as air or water. When you travel to the northern coast, you see waves from the South China Sea hurling themselves against the sea walls, propped up with boulders from an inland quarry. Last year you witnessed the front section of the village pier collapsing into the sea. The walkway and struts floated away like a shipwrecked raft, while the supporting sand crumbled into the warm water like brown sugar into the local coffee. Now only timber houses teeter on crooked stilts and faded batik flutters on laundry lines. The ribs of fishing boats jut out of the sand like the remains of beached whales. You step up onto the remains of the pier and light a cigarette. The truncated structure is still sturdy, but you feel the wood creak when a teenage girl follows you onto the walkway. You flick ash into the sea and walk past her to finish your smoke away from the pier. She angles her head down towards the splintered slats, and yet, she keeps looking at the packet of cigarettes in your shirt pocket. After making sure no one is near the pier, you offer her a cigarette. Are you waiting for someone? you ask after you light her cigarette. You stay on the opposite side of the walkway to maintain a discreet distance from her. No one will miss me, the girl replies. She shakes her head, adjusts the hood of her sports jacket and continues staring at the waves through a square gap in the walkway. From this position, the foam ripples like static interference on a TV screen. These low-amplitude waves will never appear on the news, not big enough to be tsunamis; they belong in a

childs wading pool. You make out the shape of a large bottle concealed under the bulky folds of her jacket. When she begins to talk you look away and consider returning to the ruined beach. As a tourist, you dont want to be seen with her. Too late, she traps you on the pier. Her lilting local dialect lends rhythm and cadence to her rambling monologue about the stars. But she stuns you with flashes of lucidity when she reels off scientific facts. The light from the moon is reflected from the sun as electromagnetic waves travelling through space. The constellation above the beach is called Orion. The sun is a star like many others in our galaxy.

Glowing orange ash from her cigarette plummets into the sea. The girl takes a detour from listing facts to expressing a series of statements. She had dreams of becoming an astronaut. But she cannot leave the village and go to college. Her family has shunned her since they knew about her problems. Which teenager doesnt have any problems? You just nod and mumble something about the global recession and how too many young people are moving away from villages to the big cities. Youre leaving? she asks when you toss the butt of your cigarette through the hole in the walkway. Soon, you mumble as you check your watch. Buses back to town are scarce after sunset. The girl staggers to the end of the ruined pier and unzips her jacket. You glimpse her rounded belly. The child inside her already practises space walking, just like an astronaut tethered to the side of a craft. The pregnancy explains her awkward gait. But not why she was concealing the large blue and white plastic bottle. She counts down from ten to zero as you walk away from her. You think shes still lost in astronaut dreams until she upends the bottle over her open mouth. The acrid tang of bleach leaps at you across the walkway and you run towards her. Mouth dry, you yell at her to put down the bottle. Instead, she drops it and falls backwards off the pier. Ripples disperse as they mark the spot where she landed. You inhale and jump in after her. Mother and child have crossed the boundary between air and water. Although sound waves travel faster through water, your screams will not summon her back.

Defying stereotypes in motorsports

By Basil Foo

BEING a lone female in a testosterone-fueled activity like motorsports, Leona Chin is determined to hold her own by defying stereotypes and working on what she loves. Cars are powerful, and they give me an adrenaline rush when I drive them. Its something I love very much, the 25-year-old tells Selangor Times. Chin shares that was bitten by the racing bug when she got to sit in a drift car for the first time five years ago. She has since has participated in over 20 different racing and drifting events, most of which were held in race tracks around the Klang Valley. When I first sat in the drift car in 2006, I thought, wow, this is so fun! I just had to try it, the Subang Jaya native enthuses. She then converted a Nissan 180SX into a drift car, joined the Red Bull Female Driver Search, and made it into the team

Chin in action during a motorsports event.

with three other girls. The long process of setting up her car with drifting capabilities paid off when she got to compete in the Merdeka Millenium Endurance Race in 2008. My friends helped me to drift and get active in the sport, but being the only girl in a maledominated sport, its challenging to reach the podium, she admits. Chin says the challenges are mostly due to the differences in Chin has been racing and drifting for the past five years and isnt about to slow down. physical strength between gensponsors, she can now drift without worrying about sufficient ders, as a big factor in drifting is the ability to pull the hand- tyres to burn during an event. brake in a quick manner. This is a very tough sport, and it takes guts, lots and lots Another challenge she faces with the capital-intensive sport of time, and money spent to take part, the enthusiast warns. is the amount she has to spend on the primary tool of her trade But she still welcomes girls with the courage and interest her car. in motorsports to get a mentor and develop their skills in a This sport is all about the money, because the more you safe environment, and not on the road endangering others. have, the better components and parts you can afford, like Chin recommends go-karting as the most basic way to cut tyres, says the owner of a new Nissan Silvia S13. ones teeth and learn how to control a four-wheeled machine She cites the example of a driver who would perform better at moderate speeds. with essential drifting parts like adjustable suspensions and There are a few go-kart tracks in Selangor like Shah Alam bucket seats compared with a regular, road-friendly car. City Karting, Elite Go-kart track along Kesas highway, and Other modifications that would improve performance Sepang Circuit City Karting track, she says. include a Fullbody Roll Cage, a big responsive Garret turbo, Chin is confident in her ability to progress in the sport as modified ECU, and bigger tyres. more arenas have been opening up, and hopes to one day These are just some of the parts to consider when going represent Malaysia internationally. into drifting. They are not cheap as they are mostly imported, She believes the future of local motorsports is good, with the F1 McLaren Mercedes fan says. the growth of more events such as drifting in Speed City KL She also recalls how, during her first drift competition, she and Saturday Night Fever Circuit in Sepang. had to be more conservative with her tyres to prevent them Chin welcomes motorsports enthusiasts and those wanting from wearing out too quickly. to know about the latest events around KL and Selangor to However, after getting more experience and help from visit her Facebook page, Girl Drifter Leona Chin.

FEATURE 16
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

DIY cosmetics on the rise

By Gan Pei Ling

ost of us use personal care products on a daily basis, but how many of us care to find out what is contained in our soaps, shampoos and facial cleansers? Consumers tend to take it for granted that cosmetics companies do not use toxic chemicals in their products. Unfortunately, this depends on which part of the world you live in. The European Union (EU) has much stricter regulations compared with the United States and Asian countries like Malaysia. Therefore, potential harmful chemicals that have been banned in the EU might still find their way into personal care products sold in Malaysia. A case in point: you are likely to find sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) in your shower gel or hair shampoo. SLS is a suspected carcinogen that has been banned in Europe but not yet in Malaysia. As concern grows over the use of hazardous synthetic chemicals in personal care products, handmade cosmetics using natural ingredients have been gaining popularity in developed countries. And the trend is picking up in Malaysia. Selangor Times spoke to two budding women entrepreneurs. Sal, 30, makes her own facial care products, while Dr Shelby Kho, also 30, creates homemade body and bath products. Both sell their products online and at bazaars or flea markets around Klang Valley.

come from online clients. Sal also offers personal-care tips on her blog, such as how to make your own body scrubs and natural tooth powders. For those who are allergic to a particular ingredient, Sal can modify her products to suit specific skincare needs. Recently, she has developed two new products for her handmade facial line Back to Basics: face treatment powder made of silk and pearl powder, and a face serum. She designed and packaged all the products herself. Ranging from RM68 to RM180, Sals products may be pricier than those sold in pharmacies, but they are still cheaper than natural skincare products such as those sold at TNS Skin Lab. Customers are encouraged to purchase a trial set of the products, available at a cheaper price and smaller size, before deciding to buy the regular-sized ones.

Dr Kho, a general practitioner from Mutiara Damansara, learnt how to make body scrubs, bath salts and other body products The Bisou Bonbon range, which Dr Kho designs herself. when she was still in college. The 30-year-old used to make them as gifts continue to experiment with different recipes products are still a very new business here, the for her friends. and develop new products. young entrepreneur noted, adding that she I didnt think Handmade cosmetics and personal care hoped to open her own store one day. of selling them until my friends sug g este d the idea to me, she Toners, moisturisers and more told Se l a n g o r Homemaker Sal began developing sensitive 1. Read the labels. Stay away from comTimes. PEG/Ceteareth/Polyethylene comskin around the age of 25. Her f am ily mercial products that contain chemicals pounds: These chemicals are frequently My skin became really dry and there was and friends have listed below whenever possible. Better safe contaminated with suspected human carthis constant redness along my jawline. I tried been very sup- than sorry. Some chemicals like hydroqui- cinogen 1,4-dioxane. switching to different brands but it didnt portive of her none, formaldehyde and toluene are already Phthalates such as dibutyl phthalate help, she told Selangor Times. budding business, banned by the Health Ministry, but it is (DBP): Linked to male reproductive system Frustrated, Sal started to research online which started in good to remain vigilant. disorders, according to a growing number of and discovered hazardous chemicals such as Benzalkonium chloride: Especially dan- studies. Pregnant women should always December 2010. synthetic fragrance and petro-chemicals con- Dr Kho Her dad helps gerous for people with asthma or skin condi- avoid nail polish containing DBP. tained in commercial skincare products. her to deliver the products to customers tions like eczema. Usually found in cleaning Resorcinol: Usually found in hair colour Handmade skincare was becoming in- around the Klang Valley, while her friends, products, it is also highly toxic to aquatic life. and bleaching products. It is a skin irritant creasingly popular in the US then, and I found who are also her loyal customers, volunteer to Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): Sus- that is toxic to the immune system. some online recipes to make my own facial- look after her stall at bazaars. pected human carcinogen and can cause skin Retinyl palmitate and retinol (Vitamin care products, she said. Most of my sales come from the bazaars. depigmentation. BHA is banned from use A): Vitamin A is a nutrient, but excessive use Using natural ingredients like essential oils, I prefer that people see, feel and test my prod- in fragrances in Europe. during pregnancy may cause birth defects. flower powders, clay powders and flour, Sal ucts before purchasing them, she said. Coal tar and selected ingredients such as Toluene: A petrochemical commonly began experimenting with various recipes. Dr Kho sells and makes products such as aminophenol, diaminobenzene, phenylen- found in nail polish, it is also linked to Now she makes her own cleanser that can body scrubs, bath salts, lip balms, first-aid ediamine: Commonly found in hair dye, coal birth defects and is toxic to the neuroalso be used as a mask and face scrub, and a healing balms and hair spritzers. Prices range tar is a known human carcinogen and a by- logical system. toner that doubles as a moisturiser. So instead between RM9 for lip balm and RM28 for a product of coal processing. Triclosan and triclocarban: Generally of five different products, she only uses two. jar of body scrub. DMDM hydantoi and bronopol: Cos- found in liquid or soap bars and used as Sal started selling her handmade facial metics preservatives that release known antibacterial compounds, but are toxic to She calls her line of products Bisou Bonbon products around two years ago to friends, bisou meaning kiss, bonbon meaning human carcinogen formaldehyde when de- aquatic life. and online via her blog, preciousmecares. candy in French as she believes that products composed. 2. Make your own beauty treatments. Inblogspot.com. Formaldehyde: Known human carcino- stead of scrutinising the labels, make your should be treats for the body. Initially business was slow, but customers Dr Kho, who is currently reading Master of gen, asthmagen, and is toxic to our neuro- own skincare treats! Many homemade recipes would recommend the products to family and Science in Anti-aging, Aesthetics and Regen- logical system. Its use has been banned but are available online, and although this would friends after using them, said Sal. erative Medicine part-time at USCI Univer- consumers need to beware of other pre- take more time, it is cheaper and you know Most of her clients are in their mid-20s, sity, uses manuka honey as a natural preserva- servatives that release formaldehyde when exactly what is in your mask and body scrub. and although Sal sets up booths at flea markets tive in her products, essential oils like rose and decomposed. 3. Only use what you need. Regardless of around the Klang Valley, most of her orders lavender oil for fragrance, and Himalayan salt Fragrance: Make sure the product lists gender, a person may use 10 or more differdown the ingredients contained under this ent personal care products on a daily basis, for body scrubs and bath salts. I only pick natural ingredi- vague umbrella term. Otherwise, go fra- including shower gel, hair shampoo, condients that are beneficial to our grance-free. tioner, perfume or deodorant, facial cleansHydroquinone: Used to be found in skin- er, toner, moisturiser, sunscreens (one each skin, she said, explaining that some ingredients like canta- whitening cream, it can cause skin disease for face and body) the list goes on. Cosloupe oil may be natural but ochronosis a bluish-black discoloration of metics companies will try to persuade you certain tissues such as around the ears and eyes. to buy as many of their products as possible have no known benefits. Methylisothiazolinone and methylchlo- to stay beautiful or attractive. Ignore the Dr Kho makes her products on demand or a week before a roisothiazolinone: Usually used as pre- hype, buy and use only what you need. bazaar, because without artifi- servatives, they are the most common irriThe tips above are compiled and adapted tants and can cause allergy. cial preservatives, the items can to local context from How to Go Green: Parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, proplypara- Womens Personal Care published on US sites only last a maximum of six months when stored in a cool bens, etc): Commonly used as preservatives, TreeHugger and Top Tips for Safe Products, parabens contain chemical properties similar available at the US-based Environmental and dry place. She is grateful for the support to natural estrogen and may disrupt our Working Groups cosmetics database (www. and response she has received hormone system. ewg.org/skindeep). from customers so far, and will Sal selling her products at Jaya One in June.

Nothing artificial

Green personal care tips

TECHNOLOGY 17
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

Flying high
By Edwin Yapp

Android applications

ast issue, I introduced two noteworthy Android tablets that have recently hit the market, namely the Acer Iconia A500 and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer. This week, Ill review one other tablet that has entered the market since June, albeit in a smaller form. The HTC Flyer is a 7-inch Android tablet that doubles up as a mobile device/phone. Its powered by a 1.5GHz processor and comes equipped with 32GB of storage, 1GB memory, 1024x600 resolution TFT screen, 3G capabilities, GPS, 5 megapixel and 1.3 megapixel back and front camera respectively, and weighs 420g. The Flyer is one of the few 7-inch tablets that has hit the HTC Flyer market. Other than the Samsung Galaxy Tab, which debuted back in November last year, there hasnt been much traction on 7-inch tablets besides the recently launched BlackBerry Play- however, that you can only write so much on the noteBook. pad application due to its screen size. The chief advantage of the Flyer really is its lightBattery life with the Flyer is very good; I consistweight form factor. I found that at a mere 420g it was ently got more than eight hours on most days, even with a real breeze to carry around. For the most part I found my data SIM card inserted inside and surfing the net the size tolerable, but there were times I did feel frus- the whole day. With a 4000mAH battery in tow, this trated as there just wasnt enough screen space for me is quite a welcome change to some of the smart phones to do more on it. or even other tablets out there. For example, its no bother if youre quickly answerSetting up the Flyer is quite a straightforward process ing some e-mail that youve received, but if you were as the software takes you through a series of steps when typing a much more comprehensive document, you you first power on your device. Its pretty intuitive to could find it a tad exasperating as the characters can be go through especially if youre already a Google user. pretty small. The Flyer comes equipped with the latest Android Another unique selling point about the Flyer is that operating system for 7-inch tablet, which is the Gingerit comes with a digital pen, designed to let you scribble bread (Android 2.3). Currently, there is no sign yet as on the device as you would a notebook. Powered by an to when newer operating system will be available for AAA battery, and small enough to put in your pocket, upgrade. All in all, the HTC Flyer is a mini-tablet that the stylus is fairly easy to use and may be useful for those gets my overall vote for good usability and form factor, who like to write quick notes rather than type. Do note, but only if youre looking for a 7-inch tablet.

One of the best things about owning an Android is that it seamlessly connects and integrates with Google products such as Gmail and Google Docs. Apart from that, the number of developers creating apps for the Android market place has also grown in recent months. Here are some snapshots of some of the more interesting apps that i found to be useful for the average Joe and which Ive sorted into various categories. The categories comprise paid and free apps and are further sub-divided into various categories.
Productivity

This is widely accepted to be one of the best productivity suites in the mobile device market. Besides having the three main suites of a document editor, spreadsheet, and presentation software thats compatible with Microsoft Office, Documents To Go also features integration with Google Docs and Dropbox. Once installed on your device, you can easily access your files from any location, edit your documents and store in them online again. Retails at about RM45. This has to be one of the most innovative and useful productivity applications for any smartphone or tablet user. Evernote for Android is a programme that allows you to take notes down, record an audio clip, take pictures, and store them in the same text file youve created. Whats more, you can share all your files youve saved across all the different platforms you have and access them from anywhere theres an internet connection. For example, you may create a file on your PC, then go on the road and access and edit that same file on your Android tablet, and finally read it on your smartphone before sending it off in an e-mail. Evernote is free to download. Users however have the option to upgrade to access more features like bigger capacity file storage. If youre an avid user of Googles Task (to-do list), you could try GTask as it integrates fairly well with Google Task. Using GTask, you have the option of sorting through different lists for your tasks, and synchronising them all with the task list on Google calendar. GTask is free, but there is an option to remove advertisements by paying a small sum. For those who prefer synching their task list other than Google Task, check out GTD. GTD is an acronym for the famous organisational methodology known as Getting Things Done. GTD syncs itself with online to-do provider, Toodledo. One good thing I find about GTD is that it follows a standard to-do list following the GTD layout. This means the look and feel of the programme is the same as long as youre using an app that follows the GTD methodology. For example, using GTD on my Android tablet, I consistently synchronise my to do task with my iPhone app (ToDo) and my iCal on my MacBook, and ensure that every to-do category that I have will be synched across all my platforms. This may be classified as a utility but it can also be seen as a productivity tool as you can store all your documents online and access them from your tablet. Dropboxs storage is free for the first 2GB of storage, after which, you can opt to pay for more storage.
Adobe Flash Player One of the best things about the Android tablet is that it does support Flash on the browser unlike the Apples iPad. Some may not think this is a big deal, but the option is there for you. Dropbox GTD GTask Evernote

Documents To Go

Know Your Councillor: A Murugeshu

By Basil Foo

KEEPING his in-tray empty by solving issues as quickly as they come up keeps Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) councillor A Murugeshu on his toes. If I delay, the problems accumulate and pile up till they cant be solved. So I just solve them as they occur and move along, says the Zone 4 councillor. He fields complaints from townships like Bandar Baru Selayang, Taman Selayang Baru and Selayang Segar, and says he usually gets called up over public issues. Murugeshu frequently receives phone calls from residents in his area about faulty streetlights, potholes in roads, and clogged drains, which he attends to by assessing the area for himself. I then channel the complaints to the relevant departments in MPS like licensing and enforcement, or Alam Flora for rubbish collection, the three-term councillor says. The urgency to solve issues comes from encountering residents who expect much of him during his site visits. He says he does as much as possible to pacify the complaints of residents, who look to the councillors as wakil rakyat, even if they do not have the same allocations.

We on l y get a token allowance as c o un c i l l o r s , which is hardly enough, says the former property agent, who adds that he now has less time for his job due to his councillor responsibilities. Ho w e v e r, Murugeshu says he derives a more personal satisfaction serving the people, especially by hosting programmes to benefit those in need. He even holds motivational talks for those who need counselling as some complainants bring up their personal problems to him. Not only general matters, but sometimes those with family matters come to see us councillors, so we need to counsel certain people, the 60-year-old says. Apart from managing his official duties, the father of three cites reading books and three to four newspapers a day as his favourite pasttimes.

Next issue, I shall continue my introduction to more applications for the average Joe.

Media 18
August 5 7, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR: WEVents, a women-only social gathering, organised a talk on marriage preparation recently, with the primary objective of raising awareness and educating women on the practical aspects of marriage, which include family planning, financial planning and relationships. The event, themed Now That Ive Said I Do, was held at Delicious Caf, Marcs Residence, and was sponsored by Bayer Healthcare and supported by Wedding Guide Asia. Other sponsors involved were Caron Boutique, I Do Jewellery, United Italian Malaysia, Malaysia Bridal Guide and As You Wish Florist. Many of us dream about that fairytale wedding where the bride and groom live happily ever after. In reality, it is important to know what we are getting into with marriage. We hope that through this talk, we can inspire more ladies to be more prepared for married life, whether they are planning to get married soon or are recently married, said Jeanisha Wan, founder of WEVents. Invited to share their thoughts w er e X a n d ri a O o i , auth o r, columnist and TV host who was recently married; Stephanie Chai, founder of Wedding Guide Asia; and Associate Professor Dr Nur Azurah Abd Ghani, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. It is important to note that a marriage is not about the wedding; it is about spending the rest of our lives together with someone. That translates into a lot of planning and preparations: Do we want to buy a house or rent? How many children do we want to have, and when is the right time? As well as thinking of how to make it all financially feasible, said Ooi, who tied the knot in November last year. Chai added: Since I started my wedding portal over a year ago, many people have asked me as to what makes a great wedding. While I aim to help ladies ease the stress of preparing for their big day, I also feel that society puts a lot of

Preparing for the big day

pressure on women to tie the knot before a certain age, and due to this, many women tend to rush into marriage without considering whether they share similar values, goals and interests with their life partner. Addressing questions on family planning during the talk, Prof Azurah said: Family planning and contra ception is an important aspect in a marriage, but often, this is not discussed between the couple, or there is disagreement over whose responsibility it is. For a woman, motherhood should only be by choice and not by chance, as having an unplanned pregnancy can result in long-term emotional, physical and financial implications. In Malaysia, statistics showed that 56% of the young people are not familiar or are confused about the d ifferent c ontrac eption methods available, and one out of three do not use contraception because they do not have a method available at the time. The talk also covered areas such as financial planning, dealing with pre- and post-marriage stress, adjusting to the married life, dealing with in-laws, and other

Stephanie Chai (second right), pointing to Xandria Ooi, who got married last year. On far right is Prof Dr Nur Azurah Abd Ghani, while on left is Wan, founder of WEVents.

aspects that come with being married. Marriage is a lifelong commitment and it is vital for women to go into it with their eyes wide open and make informed choices, be it regarding the wedding preparation, family planning , financial management or relating with their spouse, Wan added.

An attendee posing a question to the speakers.

ELS graduates raise funds for charity

PETALING JAYA: ELS Malaysia students celebrated their graduation day in a very non-traditional way. Instead of having a celebration party, the students conducted a fundraising bazaar and collected a total amount of RM4,715 to benefit a charity organisation. At the graduation ceremony held at the language centre last Friday ( July 29), the graduating students presented the donation to Ms Pearl Thor, general manager of Kasih Foundation. The fundraising project was super vised by Ms Kavitha Gokulachandran, an instructor at ELS Malaysia. We are very proud of our students for their effort in helping others. The one-day bazaar was well executed, in which students and instructors joined forces in selling food and books as well as conducting games, said Kavitha. We at ELS are happy to support our students activities, especially when it involves helping the needy, she added.

15 teams compete in PJ futsal tourney

play a knockout match for the top three placing s and RM500, RM300 and RM200 cash prizes respectively. It was a success with teams from all over Petaling Jaya coming together in a sporting spirit to play their best, said Petaling Jaya councillor Anthony Jeyaseelen. Jeyaseelen utilised RM2,000 of his allocations for the prizes. I hope to have it every year as it fosters healthy and sporting competitition, he said. Petaling Jaya Utara Member of Parliament Tony Pua and Senator Dr S Ramakrishnan watched the games at the Section 4 sports complex. Hypermarket operator Tesco sponsored the mineral water drinks and also goodie bags for the referees and linespersons.

Jeyaseelen talking to the players.

By Alvin Yap

P E TA L I N G J AYA : The inaugural Petaling Jaya Cup futsal tournament was a success, with 15 teams battling it out at the Arena Court on Sunday ( July 24). The event saw five-a-side teams

Players and supporters at the opening ceremony.

Ramadan crowd-pleasers at Impiana KLCC

By Basil Foo

food 19
august 5 7, 2011

ucked away in a corner on Jalan Pinang amid hig h-rise ser viced apartments and in plain view of the Petronas Twin Towers sits the Tonka Bean Caf in Impiana KLCC Hotel. Located across the traffic-laden road from the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the caf seemed cozy and unassuming from the outside. It was only upon entering through the revolving doors that the ambience of a four-star business-class hotel caught my attention. Eighteen flavours of Baskin Robbins ice-cream From the glitzy dcor, plush chairs, and jazzy P Ramlee are available at the buffet. tunes rendered by a violinist-fronted band, the caf seemed like a place one could stay at comfortably for hours. offer diners an unforgettable Ramadan dining exTonka Bean Cafs Ramadan Dinner Buffet is slated perience as they can watch their own meals arrive to offer guests a wide variety of local favourites that will hot from the sizzling embers. bring back dishes loved by diners. As the executive chef and his team hail from Adapting to the tastebuds of those breaking fast over various parts of the country, their collective expethe years, executive chef Tawfeeq Steven Seow told Sel- riences have been employed to roll out famous angor Times what his kitchen would be creating this delicacies from each locality. puasa month. My assistant comes from Johor, and he After reviewing customer comments, we decided to brought with him the gulai teller itik belimbing stick with almost 90% local dishes as people tend to enjoy dish which is spicy, sour, and creamy, he said. traditional food more during Ramadan, he said. He brought sambal nyior from his own homeThat includes more than 100 dishes created by the town in Batu Gajah, and learnt the secret art of executive chef and his team, ranging from kerabu, acar, making bubur lambuk from an ustad in KLs rojak, beriyani and shawarma, to satay, cucur, murtabak, own Kampung Baru Mosque. laksa and cendol. Other highlights that have attracted an unTawfeeq called the buffet their biggest spread yet, and relenting crowd are the 18 different flavours of promised that diners would not find even a foot of bare Baskin Robbins ice-cream. space between dishes. Tonka Bean Cafs Ramadan buffet will run untilAug Among the highlights of the buffet is a bazaar-like 29, priced at RM82++ pax from Aug 1-7 and RM92++ atmosphere along the outdoor alfresco seating, where pax on other days. diners will be treated to an all-you-can-eat durian fest. Children between the ages of six and 12 will be We are in a fantastic location to serve it. Customers charged half price, and those below six will dine for free. have sat outside all night just to eat the durians. They Diners can also look forward to being entertained by are not allowed to bring them indoors, of course, he Akademi Fantasia 6 star Toi Angklung. quipped. The buffet has been serving D24 durians in recent years, but Tawfeeq is attempting to source for highly acclaimed Musang Kings due to a price drop. He said the durians would even be displayed on wooden racks designed by hotel artists to resemble roadside stalls where the fruit is usually sold. Other highlights of the alfresco bazaar include barbequed fish, where customers can pick their choice of raw fish and hand them to a chef. We also have 13 feet of grills for our satay, which is cooked on the spot for freshness and taste, he said. Tawfeeq said charcoal-roasted lambs will
A wide range of local delights.

A live band will serenade diners with popular old favourites.

Roast lamb is one of the attractions at Tonka Bean Caf.

The luxurious interior.

FOOD 20
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

Long queue at nasi kandar shop

If nasi kandar is your thing, then follow in the footsteps of LIN ZHENYUAN as he checks out one of the most popular restaurants on the other side of Jalan TAR in the heart of the city
hile I was traipsing all over Klang Valley and criss-crossing state boundaries in search of outdoor adventures and exotic eating places, a restaurant in downtown Batu Road ( Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman) was doing roaring business. I didnt know about this place until about a year ago when a colleague informed me that this was indeed one of the most famous nasi kandar restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. At that time, we were on our way to a back road near the restaurant to have dry pan mee from a stall that was equally popular, albeit only among the Chinese. The months went by rather quickly until recently when this same colleague asked whether I had eaten at Restoran Kudu bin Abdul Penang Nasi Kandar. The first thing that caught my attention at Kudu was the memorabilia on the wall, which included newspaper cuttings and movie pictures of P Ramlee and friends. According to my learned colleague, who knows this part of the city intimately, there was a cinema near the restaurant in the old days that screened many P Ramlee movies. There had been four cinemas in the vicinity a couple of decades ago. They were the Capitol, Odean, Federal and Coliseum. Only Coliseum and Odean are still in business today. A lunchtime meal Perhaps after the movies, cinema- that will please any goers flocked to this restaurant to Malaysian. have a drink and a meal. So in keeping with those times, it was only natural that the management of Kudu decided to add a little attraction to its premises. Those who have a deeper knowledge of its origins told of the times when P Ramlee and his actor friends were regulars at the restaurant. That sounds more plausible, judging by the number of pictures of the actor on the wall. However, at one time, there was a dip in business because the original nasi kandar cook had left for greener pastures. But everything returned to normal when a new chef was hired from India. My friend related these anecdotes because he was staying in one of the city flats, and was a regular customer at Kudu. The day we patronised the place, we arrived around 12.30pm because we wanted to beat the lunchtime crowd which usually became quite sizeable by 1pm. It wasnt difficult to walk from Maju Junction to Kudu. It was just 10 minutes walk across a busy traffic junction. According to amateur oral historians, Kudu has been around since 1969. You can actually tell from the back of a printed t-shirt worn by any of the workers. It seemed that the man who set up the establishment, Kudu bin Abdul, came from India before the Second World War and then settled in Penang. In Penang, Kudu learnt the ropes during those years when he was working at the Kassim nasi kandar shop. It was his uncles place. That was six to seven decades ago. Then after nearly 10 years of apprenticeship under his uncle, Kudu headed for Kuala

Patience is a virtue during lunchtime at Kudu.

Lumpur to look for his own pot of gold. That was how Restoran Kudu bin Abdul came into being. Since then, it has enjoyed a remarkable surge in business which culminated in its solid reputation as having some of the best nasi kandar dishes on the west coast of the peninsula. Some of its notable dishes are sotong rendang (spicy squid), daging kicap (soya sauce beef ), kari kepala ikan (curry fish head) and ayam sambal bawang (onion curry chicken). When I was there recently, I opted for some unexciting and ordinary items because I wasnt sure how much my Chinese stomach could handle. On my plate were cabbage, ladys fingers and a large piece of fried omelette. My friend had fried fish cutlet, soya sauce beef, half salted egg with some veggies. The black soya sauce beef looked slightly intimidating because it looked black as coal. At first glance, I wasnt even sure it was beef,

My deceptivelooking plate of very tasty ordinary items. The black beef that has won the hearts of many diners.

Dry curry crabs and curry fish are popular items.

FOOD 21
AUGUST 5 7, 2011

Take 5 minutes to fill this form up and drop it off at the nearest police station to have regular checks at your house while you are away.
The wall menu for customers who want to make the right choices.

Ibu pejabat polIs Daerah subang jaya

Tel: 03-5637 3722 Fax: 03-5631 9815

Borang maklumaT Memaklumkan tentang meningalkan rumah kediaman untuk bercuti. Kepada Kawasan pentadbiran balai polis .............................................................................................. BuTiran penduduk: nama: .................................................................................. alamat: ................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. nombor telefon bimbit/kediaman: ........................................ nombor telefon yang boleh dihubungi: ................................
This restaurant has enjoyed coverage from local dailies and magazines.

.............................................................................................. tarikh meninggalkan rumah: ................................................ tarikh dijangka balik ke rumah: ........................................... Kenderaan yang ditinggalkan (jenis model & nombor daftar kenderaan). 1. .......................................................................................... 2. .......................................................................................... 3. .......................................................................................... lain-lain maklumat: ..............................................................................................

but my experienced friend assured me that it tasted like a piece of heaven. I promised myself that I would go for it on my next outing. I found the meal reasonably appetising but others who had more culinary experiences than me have given their firm pledge that Kudu is the place to be if you want a memorable nasi kandar meal. When I was finishing my meal, the long queue which had silently formed during the 30 minutes when I was eating took my breath away. The long line of customers had curved to the side of the restaurant. There must have been at least 50 people in the long queue. It was a truly Malaysian experience to see so many Chinese queuing up at a nasi kandar restau-

rant in KL. Frankly, the menu at Kudu is not as comprehensive as some nasi kandar restaurants I have been to, but quality beats quantity any day. So in a nutshell, Kudu proves its point with the big crowd it is drawing daily. The restaurant opens every day. The address is 335, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. The easiest way to find the place is to look for the Maju Junction building, a hop, skip and jump away from Pertama Complex. When you have arrived at the Maju Junction building, ask for directions to Restoran Kudu. Somebody is bound to know where it is. Bring along at least three friends so that you can order more items from its array of dishes.

............................................... tandatangan

....................................... tarikh

Have you cHecked your electrical switcHes before leaving Home?

Before leaving your home for a holoday, have you checked all your electrical switches and turned off your gas tanks?

Call the SS17 BomBa for advise at

A closer look at the pictures of P Ramlee and his buddies.

03-5634 9444

Gallery 22
August 5 7, 2011 Sultan of Selangor Sharafuddin Idris Shah inspecting the guard of honour in conjunction with Hari Pahlawan last Sunday.

Sultan Sharafuddin laying a wreath at the Selangor State Monument, next to the State Secretariat building, in conjunction with Hari Pahlawan last Sunday. Players battling for possession of the ball during the inaugural Petaling Jaya Cup Futsal tournament on July 24.

Cha Keng Lee, Pulau Ketams incumbent village head, with his supporters after being declared winner in the historic village head elections last Sunday.

A father carries his child and a container of bubur lambuk at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah mosque in Shah Alam on the first evening of Ramadan.

Children excited at getting their bubur lambuk, distributed after prayers at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah mosque in Shah Alam, on the first evening of Ramadan.

Culture 23
August 5 7, 2011

INtERVIEW
By Terence Toh

CHRISTOPHER Ling is a directing juggernaut. In addition to being a Director at Residence at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), Ling also serves as the centres co-associate artistic director, and spearheads the acclaimed Theatre For Young People (T4YP) programme. A recipient of the Anugerah Seni Negara Young Talent Award for Theatre Directing in February 2009, his previous productions have included A Christmas Carol, The Swimming Instructor, and Birdy. His latest project, a collection of short plays titled Food, Sex and Death, is done in conjunction with the Causeway Exchange Festival, which aims to build a bridge between Singapore and Malaysia through the platform of arts and culture on the theme of humour, wit and irony. It performed in Singapore from July 28-30. Ling sits down with Selangor Times to enlighten us on his experiences with the production. Food, Sex and Death your production certainly has a catchy title. Did the title come first, or did the plays? Interestingly enough, the plays came first. I determined in my mind to direct three pieces that so happened to neatly fit into the Food, Sex and Death (FSD) thematic trio. Do you think there are major differences between the Singaporean and Malaysian arts scenes? Any forms that are better received in one country than the other? Both arts scenes enjoy similar pools of talent and resources. The themes and issues that concern the arts scenes on either side of the Causeway do not differ in any major sort of way. Ultimately, being human is our universal concern. Everything else falls into place accordingly. Opening FSD in Singapore in the last week was a wonderful experience for all of us. It was, after all, the first time a T4YP production opened on foreign turf before KL. Tell us a little about the plays featured in Food, Sex and Death. Which was the most challenging to stage, and which was the most fun? FSD comprises a mash-up of five plays. Two plays (The Durian Man and His Daughters, MRT) are courtesy of Singaporean playwright Desmond Sim, whom I have had the pleasure of working together with on annual

Theatre; Aug 4-7; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; 03-40479000, www.klpac.org

Food, Sex and Death

Editors Pick

ASIAN Culture Enterprise Singapore (ACES) and DMR Productions collaborate with The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) and The Actors Studio to present an arts and culture exchange programme between Singapore and Malaysia. The Causeway EXChange Festival 2011 comes to Kuala Lumpur for the first time with a showing of some of Singapores wittiest, though-provoking and young and upcoming artists for four days at KLPAC. Featuring a variety of collaborative theatre, films, literary arts and workshops, and visual arts exhibitions (see Calendar). As part of the theatre line-up, The Actors Studio and Singapore Arts House presents Food, Sex and Death. Singaporean and Malaysian playwrights Desmond Sim and Nandang Abdul Rahman explore the intricacies of three quintessential elements of life through a full serving of short plays. Sims plays are The Durian Man and His Daughters, the essential story of any family who has a son or daughter who goes away to study, and comes back different years later; and MRT, about two lives that connect for a brief moment, inspired by something that happened in my grandmothers life, and by an incident I actually witnessed on the MRT, according to Sim. The plays by Nandang are Assam Pedas Mama, of family history and the importance of how it links to the acceptance of who someone is by the family; Kermit & Miss Piggy Have Tickle Sex, set in a situation when the camera stops rolling and the Muppets go off at the end of the day to their own houses; and The Five Stages of Grief, about a woman who struggles to deal with the recent death of her husband. Directed by KLPAC resident director Christopher Ling.

CALENDAR
Theatre; 4-7 Aug; KLPAC; 0340479000, www.klpac.org; RM35/RM15

Compiled by Nick Choo Send your events to nick@selangortimes.

On This Emerald Hil

A monologue written by Jonathan Lim, who plays both Emily of Emerald Hill and the grandson from The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole, in an encounter in the cemetery that revisits and updates these two defining Singaporean plays. Emerald Hole is a tribute to two of Singapores greatest works, which reflect two vastly different sides of Singapore the disenfranchised heartlander that the late playwright Kuo Pao Kun understood so well, and the privileged, landed and somewhat lost class that Emily so richly embodies. Directed by Christina Sergeant; part of the Causeway EXChange Festival 2011.

4-7 Aug; KLPAC; 03-40479000, www.klpac.org; RM10 (minimum donation)

Old Places (4 Aug, 8.30pm; 6 Aug, 5pm) A documentary directed by young Singaporean filmmakers Royston Tan, Victric Thng and Eva Tang, features the voices of Singaporeans recalling their memories of disappearing places in Singapore. Nostalgic, sentimental and at times, gently admonishing; amidst Singapores rapid urban development, these spaces are our memories, our history, and our loss. When Hainan Meets Teochew (5 & 6 Aug, 8.30pm) Directed by Han Yew Kwang, it is a witty, anti-romantic romantic comedy in which a manly woman and a womanly man end up together due to the most unusual circumstances. Singapore Gaga (7 Aug, 1pm) A paean to the quirkiness of the Singaporean aural landscape. It reveals Singapores past and present with a delight and humour; we hear buskers, street vendors, school cheerleaders sing hymns to themselves and to their communities. Invisible Cities (7 Aug, 4.30pm) A documentary about documenteurs. The director interviews photographers, journalists, archaeologists, people propelled by curiosity to find a city for themselves, conveying how deeply personal their search is and how fragile histories are, hanging on only through their memories and artifacts.

Films @ Causeway EXChange 2011

4-7 Aug; KLPAC; 03-40479000, www.klpac. org; free admission

Lit Up KL: Dramalogue Workshop Communicating Through Drama (6 Aug, 4pm) Playwright and educator Ken Mizusawa reads selections from his plays and discuss ideas that inform his writing, as well as the art of playwriting in general. Lit Up KL: The City Limits (6 Aug, 8.30pm) A multi-disciplinary art project that aims to bring artists from different fields together to negotiate and collaborate on creating ways in which art can express, engage and produce narratives that deal with the city limits. It challenges artists from different genres to connect as an artistic community for a larger community. Six artists from Singapore will explore the plenitude of stories and narratives about their city using poetry, music and theatre to find the soul of the city. Lit Up KL: KL-Sin Poetry Slam Championship (6 Aug, 9.30pm) The competitive art of writing and performing poetry, staged as a friendly three-round contest with prizes, it has become a worldwide literary movement bringing thousands of listeners and readers back to poetry because of its audience-centred entertainment and social value. Poets from KL and Singapore will pitch three-minute original poems over three rounds in a Grand Slam championship for attractive prizes and a years Asian Slam League bragging rights.

Literary Workshops @ Causeway EXChange 2011

productions since 2009. The other three plays are from up-and-coming local playwright Nandang Abdul Rahman. His two plays (Assam Pedas Mama and Kermit & Miss Piggy Have Tickle Sex) are actually two of the pieces Id [originally] wanted to stage. The Five Stages of Grief, was written specifically to fit into the structure of the overall production. www.klpac.org has both playwrights personal takes on the genesis of the plays. Durian Man and MRT presented me with beautiful, heartwarmingly poignant moments to bring to life. Desmonds writing has an almost magical way of arresting your emotions in deep, meaningful ways with the simplest images. Assam Pedas Mama presented the actors with the challenge of miming the process of making the actual dish while having to deliver the drama of mother-and-son matters. You are closely associated with the T4YP programme, and their ensemble forms the cast of your production. What is it like, working so closely with young actors? Young actors can either inspire you artistically or drive you stark raving mad, whichever comes first.

But it is always their enthusiasm, their understanding of the need for discipline, commitment and sacrifice that keeps me coming back with renewed vigour to T4YP year in and year out. Every new ensemble of actors (which we hold open auditions for in late March annually) has its own individual characteristics. This guarantees us a quality of work that changes on a yearly basis and always for the better. While were on the topic of food, sex and death: describe your ideal last meal, and who would you eat it with? A Sunday roast comprising beef, carrots, celery, onions, green peas, parsnips, roasted new potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, horseradish dip, a pint of Kilkenneys, and possibly bread n butter pudding with hot custard topping. Anyone within my minisculely small circle of close friends.

Visual Arts @ Causeway EXChange 2011

4-7 Aug; KLPAC; 03-40479000, www.klpac.org; free admission
Box the Pop! Intricate layers of drawn meshed lines with delicate markings of motifs and familiar popular symbols exposed on the exterior of carton boxes built to resemble a towering pillar. An intriguing, interactive three-dimensional installation by contemporary pop artist Justin Lee. Heng on the World In his own inimitable style of caricature, cartoonist Heng Kim Song has been telling stories about the state of our world for close to 30 years. Heng On The World presents a selection of his works culled from the past two decades. His editorial cartoons have long been a staple of Singapores newspapers. Citizen-Singapore: Time to Shine A collection of Singaporeans from all walks of life. Each with a different story to tell. Some with happy tales, others with inspiring anecdotes, yet all with a common thread of making a positive contribution to the place they live in. Stripping down to their bare skin, these folks detach all class, race and religion to shine as one, morphing into a harmony of happy, shiny people.

Published by Selangor State Government and printed by Dasar Cetak (M) Sdn Bhd No. 7, Persiaran Selangor, Seksyen 15, 40000, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.