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Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim greeting a family during the launch of the Selangorku slogan at Stadium Melawati last Sunday.
Story on page 8
By Alvin Yap
sHaH alam: Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB) and Selangor Investment Corporation (SIC) have been slammed by a state watchdog for financial mismanagement and losses. Selangors Select Committee on State Agencies, Statutory Bodies and Subsidiaries noted that both companies had engaged in bad business planning and unauthorised spending under the previous state administration. PNSB accumulated RM29.12 million in losses from a failed real estate project in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi that was neither authorised by the companys board nor the Selangor government. The decision to develop the parcel of land was made between 1995 and 2009. The first phase of the project was completed in 2005, with 112 units of shophouses and offices built. However, the development,
news
JuLy 29 31, 2011
SUBANG JAYA: The council has confirmed the participation of 1,273 vendors and licensed 1,696 stalls for this years Ramadan bazaars. All stalls have been rented out and the response was overwhelming, said council president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi. The locations of the 25 bazaars were revealed at the Subang Jaya Municipal Councils (MPSJ) full board meeting yesterday. These bazaars will be operating throughout the whole month of Ramadan, in and around residential areas. There will be five bazaars each in Kinrara and Serdang/ SeriKembangan. Nine will be operating around Puchong, and another six in Subang Jaya. In Subang Jaya, the bazaars
Khalid (front row centre) with city mayors and council presidents at the retreat in genting Highlands.
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The 30-year-old company was blamed for bad management, which has led to financial losses and low dividends for its parent company, Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). The report pointed out that SIC was losing out to other large suppliers in the highly competitive industry. The auditors report also revealed that 31 claim vouchers, dated 2007, for payments ranging from RM9,000 to RM1.78 million were made for trips to foreign destinations. The committee said the unaccounted-for and unapproved payment vouchers reflected bad corporate management practice. In a d d i ti on , S I C ra c ke d up RM800,000 to RM1.46 million in losses through two subsidiaries.
One company, Casic Marketing Sdn Bhd, formed in 1992, was involved in a commercial venture to import tiles from China. However, the business failed as imported tiles became costlier when the federal government raised import duties on foreign-made tiles to protect local companies. Module Board Sdn Bhd started to make wood cement panels in 1991, but its products received a poor response in the local market. Casic Marketing and Module Board have not carried out activities since early 2008, and SIC has suggested the closure of the companies. The committee said both companies failed to carry out market research for their products before commencing operations. The select committee which made
the findings include state lawmakers Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku), Khasim Abdul Aziz (Lembah Jaya) and Hannah Yeoh (Subang Jaya). Headed by by Hulu Kelang assemblyperson Saari Sungib, the report was tabled at the start assembly on July 13. Meanwhile, at a press conference yesterday, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said he welcomed the committees findings, but said there is an inherent risk in business. For all business decisions, there are some that profit and some that make losses. We cant profit all the time, but can only ensure we profit over the long term, he said. Khalid, who is PNSB chairperson, said he welcomes questions regarding the performance of state subsidiaries as it is in line with the state's efforts to promote transparency.
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News
JuLy 29 31, 2011
PULAU KETAM: Door-to-door canvassing along with banners, buntings and flyers instead of ceramah are being adopted by candidates vying for Sundays village head elections here. Incumbent Cha Keng Lee is relying on the banners and buntings he has placed around the island to retain his post, while Chua Chin Song has been distributing campaign flyers to villagers during the weeklong campaign. Mugshots of hotel owner Cha, 46, and fish wholesaler Chua, 44, can also be seen on posters plastered all over the fishing village. Cha, previously appointed as the village head after the 2008 general election, is a PAS Supporters Club member, while Chua belongs to PKR. The state, however, has prohibited candidates from contesting on party platforms. Chas banners include slogans like Please give me a chance to serve you, Lets create a peaceful and harmonious Pulau Ketam, and Lets develop Pulau Ketams economic re-
sources and potential together. He has also printed 1,000 name cards with the campaign slogans to be distributed when he goes door to door to canvass for support. Not to be outdone, Chua said he printed 100 posters and 1,000 flyers that contain his slogan My victory is your victory and his background, including education qualification (SPM leaver), occupation and experience in community service. Both candidates said they preferred door-todoor canvassing over holding ceramah, as personal touch matters more in this century-old village populated by around 6,000 people only. Among the population, 3,568 are eligible to go to the polls on Sunday to elect their own village security and development committee ( JKKK) chief for the first time. Polling will start at 8am and end at 4pm, and will be held at the JKKK community hall. The candidates photographs will be printed on the ballot papers so that illiterate villagers will be able to vote by recognising the pictures.
Tan (third from right) wins Jenjaroms inaugural village chief election uncontested.
SHAH ALAM: The state will recognise the new Jenjarom village chief, who won uncontested in the recent village head elections despite disputes over his candidacy. The state will endorse the peoples choice. Whatever the disputes are, just make sure he delivers, said Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. Tan Cheng Hin was the only candidate nominated on July 24, and won the seat as no objection was filed against his candidacy as allowed from 10am to 11am on nomination day. He was declared to have won the seat uncontested by Kuala Langat acting district officer Siti Amrah, who is the returning officer, last Sunday. It is good that there is a person willing to offer his time for this. The reason for this elections is to give people a choice, Khalid said. Tanscandidacy raised eyebrows by some parties as he changed his address in his identity card (IC) recently to take part in the elections. He went to the National Registration Department to change the address in his IC to the address of his old house in the village, where Tan was born and his father still lives. He should be disqualified, said Kuala Langat DAP division chief Low Chai Eng, who also accused Tan of cheating the voters. It is stipulated that only residents whose home address is in the Chinese New Village and have resided at least two years there can contest in the polls. The 55-year-old community leader is currently staying in Jenjarom town, but not within the Chinese New Villages boundaries.
Candidate 1
Name: Cha Keng Lee (JKKK chief from 2008-2011) Age: 46 Occupation: Hostel owner Political affiliation: PAS supporters club Campaign slogan: 1. Please give me a chance to serve you 2. Create a peaceful and harmonious Pulau Ketam Campaign strategy: Door-to-door canvassing Vision for Pulau Ketam: Turn the village into a thriving tourism hub Plan(s) for the village: 1. Eliminate villagers habit of treating the sea as a garbage dump, and educate the young 2. Request for state funding to maintain and build more railings around the village for safety concerns
Candidate 2
Name: Chua Chin Song Age: 44 Occupation: Fish distributor Political affiliation: PKR Campaign slogan: None Campaign strategy: Doorto-door canvassing Vision for Pulau Ketam: Turn the village into a thriving tourism hub Plan(s) for the village: 1. Promote recycling programmes and tourism 2. Resolve community issues
News
By Gan Pei Ling
PULAU KETAM: The appearance of politicians during campaigning has raise the ire of a candidate, who lamented that the race is supposed to be free of party politics. Cha Keng Lee said he has reported the incident to returning officer Datuk Bakhtiar Hussin, and executive councillors Ean Yong Hian Wah and Dr Halimah Ali. I hope they can attend to the matter as soon as possible, said the incumbent village chief. Cha accused three Members of Parliament Chua Tian Chang (Batu), S Manikavasagam (Kapar) and Hee Loy Sian (Petaling Jaya Selatan) of campaigning for his opponent and Pulau Ketam PKR division chief, Chua Chin Song. Cha, who is a PAS Supporters Club member, said he had tried to invite Dr Halimah (PAS) to campaign for him but she had declined as the candidates are supposed to contest in the village polls on their personal basis, not as party members. Chua has obviously violated the election regulations, said Cha, who is seeking to be elected for a second term. However, the three PKR MPs claimed that they had visited the fishing village in the middle of the weeklong campaigning period merely to observe the inaugural village elections. They said they had not been invited by Chua to visit the fishing island and campaign for him.
PULAU KETAM: Three potential candidates for Pandamaran, which go to the polls in August to elect their village chief, were seen in the fishing village during nominations last Sunday. Community leader Tan Yu Tiam, 54, from DAP, confirmed with reporters that he would stand in Pandamarans village polls, which will be held from Aug 7-14. I was told I would be able to get the nomination form from Aug 1 onwards, Tan said. Tan, who sits on many temple and school committees in Pandamaran, said he would be observing the polling day in Pulau Ketam with his friends this Sunday as well. Its a historic occasion for Selangor. We want to be there to witness it, he told Selangor Times in a phone interview on Wednesday. Another two former Klang municipal councillors, Tee Boon Hock and Ang Mah Chai, were also spotted in Pulau Ketam last Sunday. Tee, who has been sacked from the local council and DAP due to the support-letters fiasco of 2010, would not confirm with the press if he would contest in Pandamarans polls. He said he would only decide closer to the election dates. Ang, meanwhile, said he visited Pulau Ketam just to observe the nomination process, but added in jest that he may decide to stand in Pandamaran on a whim.
www.selangorku.com
News
JuLy 29 31, 2011
SHAH ALAM: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) says it is open to the biometric voter verification system, but has recommended that the Election Commission (EC) use indelible ink if the biometric system is not ready by the next general election. Were open to any good system but will it be ready by the 13th general election? [And] will it be tamper-proof ? asked Bersih 2.0 chairperson Datuk S Ambiga, at the much-anticipated forum titled What next after July 9? in Shah Alam on Wednesday. Ambiga highlighted that the biometric systems data must be of the highest integrity to ensure public confidence, and that there must be transparency in the systems implementation, including the tender process. She adde d that polling centres nationwide would have to be equipped with the biometric system if it was
to be implemented. There must be dry runs to make sure the system works [and would not crash easily], she said. She pointed out that indelible ink is the cheapest and most effective way to eliminate multiple voting if the biometric system could not be ready before the next polls. Responding to the concerns raised, EC deputy chairperson Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the authorities were carrying out the final stage of study on the biometric system, but he could not disclose whether it would be ready for the next election. He said it was up to the government to decide when to dissolve Parliament. However, Wan Ahmad added that the biometric system is the best way to clean up the electoral roll and prevent multiple voting as
EvEnts
Hands-on experience
Hands Percussion gives audiences a preview of its latest performance titled Knocking today (July 29) from 6pm8pm. The group. who will perform at the KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) next month, will today feature six brand new pieces composed and choreographed by them. The performance will be held at their studio in Sungai Buloh, Hands Percussion Studio 18, Jalan S.B. Jaya 2, Taman Industri Sungai Buloh Jaya, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor. For more information, call 012-2412532 (Mon Lim) or visit www.hands.com.my.
(From left) Moderator Wan Saiful, Wan Ahmad, Ambiga and Prof Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin.
Meditation retreat
The Subang Jaya Buddhist Association is holding a meditation course titled Introduction to Meditation for eight consecutive Fridays from July 22-Sept 9. The course is conducted by Banthe Nyanarasmi from 8.30-10.30pm. After the eighth week, there will be a meditation retreat from Sept 16-18. For more details, call 03-56348181 (Lily).
Understanding Parkinsons
DHappy Club Activity Centre for Seniors and Malaysian Parkinsons Disease Association will conduct a talk titled Understanding Parkinsons on Aug 5 at 10am. It will be held at at Pusat Communiti Touch, 124 Jalan SS 2/6, Petaling Jaya, and will touch on causes and symptoms of Parkinsons. Admission is free. For more details, call 0123230560 (Christopher) or visit www.kairosforcommunity. blogspot.com.
Free meditation
Kevala Centre will hold a free meditation session for the public titled Healing Breath Meditation on Sunday (July 31) from 6-7pm. Participants will get to learn a simple yet powerful meditation technique to help calm the mind. It will be conducted by Dr Dhilip Kumar. Admission is free, but registration is required. For more information, call Dr Dhilip at 03-56367986 or visit www.drdhilip.com.
news
KLANG: The Municipal Council (MPK) here was taken to task for failing to regulate billboards and losing out on an estimated RM2 million in licences annually. Local councillor Winston Phua pointed out that currently MPK earns a paltry RM250,000 and that the unregulated billboards remain a public safety issue. He said MPK was moving at a snails pace in regulating advertising signage in the municipality. Were moving too slow. There are 2,000 billboards within MPKs area, said Phua during MPKs full board meeting yesterday. He pointed out that on average, the licensing fee payable to MPK to put up an average-sized billboard is around RM10,000. Phua said MPK also needed to step up and ensure that all billboards do not pose a danger to the public. I dont want MPK to get the news that a sign had collapsed due to structural failure, he said. Phua, who sits on the MPK committee that is supposed to regulate the signboards, slammed it for dragging its feet. He said he was tired of hearing the excuse that the slow response was due to land status issues. Thats not an excuse; work with the State Secretariat (in Shah Alam) and the Land Office, he said yesterday. Phua said the committee had visited the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) in late 2010 to study the latters efforts in legalising and regulating billboards
in the city. He also said the committee should be revamped if it is too slow in carrying out the move. Phua was responding to a report that came out in an English daily last week that said local councils were not following the rules on billboard placement that the state had set. Selangor has the largest share of the nations billboards, with about 1,300 licensed ones, netting a 30% share of the lucrative RM400 million advertisement industry.
With the modifications, it might cost RM10,000 to replace the missing units. Tai pointed out that the upgrades would make it difficult for people to remove units from their casing. He said MPK should opt to buy the modified units and bill the Public Works Department ( JKR), which built the flyover. He said MPK must act now as it cannot afford to wait for JKR to replace the chokes. Fellow councillor Robert Choo said he had found the flyover to be dark and a danger to pedestrians and vehicles alike.
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News
JuLy 29 31, 2011
JJ Raj Jr
By Basil Foo
GOMBAK: Children of former leprosy patients came together last Sunday to celebrate the gift of their parents and to remember their lifelong ordeal with the disease. We are proud of who we are and our heritage, said Joyce Wong at the Sungai Buloh leprosy settlement. The Valley of Hope Appreciation Day committee chairperson said although their parents were completely leprosy-free after medical treatments, they still chose to live in seclusion due to prevalent stigma in society.
Wong said the event was held to counter what she described as misinformation about leprosy, a disease which has been completely curable since the 1980s. We are not shy anymore. If there are any questions, we are glad to tell you our story, proclaimed the 40-year-old accountant. The event was attended by members of the public, who were met with a food and games carnival, performances, and a blood donation drive. Funds raised from the event will go towards benefiting those at the leprosarium, the Salvation Army,
and Agape homes. Wong, whose mother lives in the Sungai Buloh leprosy settlement, recounted instances when her peers were ostracised from society. She said some of them had traumatic experiences during their schooldays when they were called names, bullied, and shunned completely. There are some who still carry the trauma of those experiences. They dont have the courage to admit to their parents medical background, she added. Wongs 67-year-old mother, Chong Yek Lee, arrived at the set-
Valley of Hope volunteers playing telematch games during the appreciation day.
tlement when she was a 10-year-old child after being diagnosed with leprosy. She was initially anxious to be interviewed, and only spoke through her daughter about life in the settlement during her younger days. As my mother came from a poor family, this was seen as a chance for a better life as they provided medical care and school here, said Wong. Chong soon spoke up and said she was happy of her daughters success an indication that those with the stigma of leprosy could thrive as
contributing members of society. Malaysian Leprosy Relief Association executive secretary general Datuk Seri JJ Raj Jr also spoke during the appreciation day. He commended the event, saying settlements in other states hardly had any visitors. There are 121 leprosy patients in the leprosy control ward and 111 former patients currently living in the area in the settlement. The settlement was once the second largest in the world, with 2,500 patients at its peak.
(From left) State executive councillors Yaakob Sapari, Datuk Hasan Mohamed Ali and Xavier; Khalid, Abdul Hadi, Wan Azizah and Liu.
PETALING JAYA: A businessman was forced to spend almost RM5,000 to replace two tyres because of a missing drain cover near the Rothmans roundabout. The businessmans driver, Idiris Kadim, 58, was on his way to Section 14 when he drove into a 2ft-long uncovered drain outside the Sin Chew headquarters on Jalan Semangat last week. There were no signs, no warning flags to warn drivers about the missing drain cover, said Idiris, who has been working for the businessman for the past 12 years.
He was driving from Jalan Universiti when he turned and stayed on the left lane on Jalan Semangat to avoid vehicles from the right at Rothmans roundabout, which is undergoing renovations to convert it into a cross junction with traffic lights. I then heard a loud bump, and I felt the whole car sinking, he said. He continued driving for about 100 metres, but the car was already pulling to the left. Idiris got out and found that the sidewalls on the left front and rear tyres had cracked due to the impact. He also walked back to the scene of the incident, and was shocked to find the uncov-
ered two-feet long drain. The two high-performance low profile tyres cost RM2,500 each. Selangor Times went to the spot on July 19, but found the drain covered with a grate. The newspaper also contacted MBPJ officials for an explanation.
NEWS
By Brenda Chng
PETALING JAYA: Leasehold home owners in Section 2, Old Town, here were delighted after being assured that RM1,000 was all they needed to renew or extend their 99-year leases. The owners of the terrace homes, many of whom are elderly and retirees, would have had to pay premiums of up to RM300,000 had it not been for the new Private Dweller Ownership Scheme. The state scheme, effective June 1, aims to help owners keep their homes without being financially burdened. The balance of the premium, however, will have to be paid up when the properties are sold or transferred at the later date. I can finally extend my lease. I couldnt do it before because I was told to pay RM110,000 when I tried renewing, said resident Yong Lek Fah. The 65-year-old retiree refused to pay the huge sum to the Petaling Land Office, and even appealed for the fee to be reduced. The sum was decreased to RM50,000 and he was required to pay it within a month for his lease to be extended. However, since it was still a huge fee, he decided to delay it. I made a right choice in delaying as now I can pay a more affordable sum of RM1,000, he said.
His current lease will be expiring in 2022. Echoing his sentiment is Lu Ah Kee, who was also supposed to pay RM150,000 to extend the lease for his home. I was shocked when I learnt of the amount. Im a retiree and I cant pay thousands to extend my lease, said Lu. The 86-year-old was worried that he would miss out on the scheme as he did not know how to go about filling in the form to get the RM1,000 renewal rate. He also finds it a hassle to submit the form at the Tang explaining the new scheme to one of the residents. land office, which has recently shifted to Shah Alam and to provide them with the proper information and forms, Section U5. said Tang. As a solution, Petaling Jaya City Councillor (MBPJ) Tang He said it is crucial that all residents benefit from the new Fuie Koh brought the renewal forms to residents last Saturday. scheme and get their leases extended or renewed while they Im here to make sure residents are aware of the new scheme can.
PENANG Traders Hotel, Penang Thursday, 4 August 2011 Fair Times: 2.30pm 6.30pm Seminar: 4.00pm 4.30pm
PETALING JAYA Grand Dorsett Subang Hotel* Sunday, 7 August 2011 Fair Times: 11.00am 5.00pm Seminar: 12.30pm & 2.30pm
* Former Sheraton
Wellington Christchurch
Dunedin
NEWS 10
JULy 29 31, 2011
PETALING JAYA: One Ramadan bazaar from every local authority will be chosen to participate in the states green initiative pilot campaign in August. The selected bazaars will be advised to stop using plastic bags and styrofoam, and to recycle all cooking oil used. This campaign will be launched immediately after the councils provide me with a list of chosen bazaars, said state executive councillor for environment Elizabeth Wong. She said this will be the first phase of their Ramadan recycling campaign, and if successful, it will be introduced to all bazaars next year. According to her, most vendors were notified of the recycling campaign when they applied for their licences from the respective councils. It is actually stated in the licence-application guidelines, and vendors have been told to not use plastic bags and styrofoam, Wong said. A new feature during the campaign will be the recycling of cooking oil, which will be turned into biodiesel. Chosen bazaars will be provided with barrels for the vendors to store their used cooking oil.
Residents are also encouraged to bring their used cooking oil to be deposited in the barrels provided. This is to create awareness among the public and to encourage them to recycle used oil instead of dumping it into drains. Banners will be created to notif y residents of the chosen bazaars in their area. Althoug h this Wong project is new, Wong hopes it will take off smoothly, and that the selected bazaars will become role models for other Ramadan markets. This recycling programme is not only limited to selected areas. Other bazaars are more than welcome to join in, she said.
Receptacle for plastic bottles that will be recycled to raise funds for charity.
Demonstrators showing how used oil can be converted into soaps and candles.
associations and Neighbourhood Watch groups, and 10 MBPJ departments. The used oil is deposited into barrels provided by CGV Industries before being collected and sent to Sime Darby for processing into biodiesel. In addition to the prizes, participants will be paid RM1.20 per litre of oil by CGV Industries. It is important that the public knows that used cooking oil can be recycled into environmentally friendly products like biodiesel, candles and soap, said state executive councillor Elizabeth Wong. Wong, whose portfolio includes environment, urged the public to stop dumping used oil into drains and rivers. She also hopes the campaign will stop the unscrupulous from buying used oil from residents at RM3 per litre, before mixing it with new cooking oil and selling it back to the public. Wong hopes that other councils will follow in MBPJs footsteps by organising similar campaigns. My aim is to launch this campaign in the Subang Jaya Municipal Council and the Shah Alam City Council by the end of the year, said Wong. She also aims for the campaign to be carried out by all other local governments by the end of next year.
views 11
July 29 31, 2011
Tripping Zero 3
Sharyn Shufiyan
This yearsUrbanscapes was held on July 16 at a larger venue, Padang Astaka in Petaling Jaya. There were more vintage clothing, crafts and funky tee stalls set up, and girls with awfully sweet teeth selling fancy cupcakes (seems to be the trend now, huh?). It was a day out for urbanites; to chill, enjoy local music and of course shop! The marketplace is always a treat to find quirky accessories and tidbits, and I always quip about not bringing enough cash. I didnt mind the muddy grounds so much. It added value to the experience, like battle scars. It showed that you had a great time when you come out of something dirty and all pooped out. Outdoor festivals are always fun and effervescent.
But somehow, I felt like something was missing this year. Perhaps because the venue was spacious and the layout was horrendous; marketplace stalls were cramped together along the running track, while food stalls and the arts and creative areas were spread out on the field that it felt disproportionate. More importantly, Urbanscapes didnt feel like it was a creative arts festival. For an event which branded itself as such, it fell a bit short of being creative. It is an ambitious feat; after all, creativity entitles you to have originality of thought and expression, which is not easy to do, especially if youre working within certain restraints. So I couldnt expect hot naked girls in body paint forming an organic art piece, could I? But its a shame when something wacky and deviant is not encouraged because of corporate influences. And I think a large part of why our creativity is diluted and safe is because of the lack of independence from external forces. Its a pity that Urbanscapes turned out to be just another outdoor event. Klang Valleys urban culture is still so young and growing that we can learn from other established creative arts festivals. We often shy away from experimental methods that we get too comfortable with cookie-cutter interpretations of what creativity is. We couldve learned from, say, Overture: South Bank Centre, a work by UKs The Light Surgeons, or turn to light shows or projector exhibitions other than the typical concert at night. Or bring back Starlight cinema showcasing the works of local filmmakers. Even the stage setup was boring. Id love to have seen someone de-
c o n s tr u c t t h e typical performance stage and build a platform in the middle of a pool a la Katy Perrys press conferences (Im sure some people would have appreciated a dip under the scorching sun), or create a flower bed where people could bring their own colourful umbrellas and prop them up to create a tapestry of colours. It would have been a nice setting for crooning musicians, I think, bringing the performer closer to the audience; that they sing to you, not for you. The great thing about being a young culture is that weve got examples to learn from to create something better. Its all about deconstructing the norm and creating the new. We can and should be wacky and let our imaginations run wild because we have so many talented people that were not maximising the talent pool to think outside the box and create something phenomenal. Carrying a wooden house through downtown Kuala Lumpur was of epic proportions. It felt inclusive and the spirit of togetherness was just amazing. I wasnt just one of the goers appreciating art and performances; I had contributed to a performance. Last year meant so much more. To be fair, Urbanscapes fares substantially against other outdoor events that we have, and I would keep going and supporting initiatives that feature local talents. But I hope that in time, we will continue to grow artistically and creatively, pushing the boundaries and the conventional each time.
YouThologY
my Winehouse was a soul singer from a town called Camden in England. Her powerful voice was first discovered by Simon Fuller, found critical acclaim in her first album Frank and phenomenal worldwide success in her breakthrough album Back to Black. Her voice was described as the best Britain has heard in years. She catalysed the growth of future female British singer songwriters. With spunk and style so distinctive, Karl Lagerfeld called her his muse. But Winehouse was young, talented and troubled. Last Saturday, on July 23, she died from what police believe to be a drug overdose, after her long battle with weight, alcohol and drug addiction. This isnt her story alone. Its the story of troubled youths everywhere. Our youths demographic does not entirely consist of wellto-do college kids sipping sangrias in La Bodega. Society forgets the children growing up in DBKL flats and ghettos. Our education system sidelines them by focusing only on As, not attributes. Our media demonises them with phrases like sampah masyarakat (scum of society) and pembuat maksiat (sinners). Judgment is dished out as fast as a McDonalds burger but understanding is always late, if it appears at all. We mourn Winehouses death and failure to maximise her full potential. Imagine the potential of all the artists, musicians, writers and leaders among our troubled youths that we could have gained from but lost to substance abuse and death. Like it or not, our society is a merciless one. Some overcome and become stronger, while others arent
InsIght
Bukit Aman is the only key image of the British Empire that lives on in KL today.
ost of us know that Kuala Lumpur, otherwise known as KL, was founded by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy as a mining town during the 19th century. But have you ever stopped to wonder how KL, instead of older cities like Ipoh and Georgetown, ended up as our capital city? Also, how much do we know about the history of KL? In order to satisfy its members inquisitive minds, LoyarBurok invited talented writer and director Kam Raslan to conduct a historical tour of the heart of KL on July 17. Kam has been researching the citys history for his second book and has conducted a few such tours previously. Starting from the Sultan Abdul Samad building, his 90-minute tour would lead us to discover the forgotten stories and the remnants of the British Empire in the heart of the city. While we stood beside the Klang River on Jalan Mahkamah Persekutuan at the beginning of the tour, Kam told the 11 LoyarBurokkers present that KL was never destined to be the capital city of Malaya. Even when the notion of a possible independent country started emerging, it was never written in stone that this place would be the capital. We could really be standing in Georgetown, Ipoh or Singapore right now. Ive been trying to piece together how KL came to be the capital, he told the audience, which comprised lawyers, journalists, students and activists. The author of Confession of an Old Boy pointed out that similar to Selangor, Perak also had many tin mines, an older city and towns. So why was KL selected as the capital, instead of Ipoh? Remnants of the British Empire Kam is still in the midst of researching, but he believes that the striking architecture and philosophy behind the Sultan Abdul Samad building was one of the reasons KL was chosen. The century-old building is now dwarfed by skyscrapers around KL, but when it was first built by the British in the 1890s, the 40m-high clock tower and its shiny copper dome must have looked quite awe-inspiring. Ipoh also has some fine buildings, but they only came later, said Kam. He revealed that the Sultan Abdul Samad building served a double purpose. Apart from housing important government departments during the British era, the colonisers also wanted to remind the locals that they owned
The current HSBC building was where Yap Ah Loy was said to have lived.
In Sin Sze Si Ya temple, photos of pioneers lin Yap Ah Loy is also seen among the statues of
Kam describes Masjid Jamek as the prettiest building around the area.
India through the buildings Indian Muslim architecture. The rationale was that if the British could conquer a huge country like India, then no one would dare to even dream of challenging the imperial power. Not that anybody [in Malaya] had such an idea. We dont have a history of rebellion. The history books may have mentioned a few examples, but actually those can be read as inter-Malay struggle, and usually the side that teamed up with the British won, Kam quipped. Post-Independence, the Sultan Abdul Samad building was used to house the superior courts before the Federal Court and Court of Appeal were moved to Putrajaya and the High Court of Malaya to Jalan Duta a few years ago. The historical building is now home to the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture. While we stood beside it and looked across towards Merdeka Square, Kam recounted that St Marys Cathedral, located to the right of the field, was the spiritual centre of KL, while Selangor Golf Club situated behind the field was the social centre of KL where games and
ing KL asLan
fun activities were held. the site where the founder the impression that they were [merely] govThe Sikh soldiers were so good of KL, Kapitan Yap Ah erning the state on behalf of the Malay ruler, that they always won the games, Loy, used to stay. Kam said. so they ended up having separate During the civil war, I Kam described the mosque, located at the games instead But there was also heard Yap Ah Loy set up a point where the Klang and Gombak River a biscuit-eating competition, once table outside his house and converge, as the prettiest building around won by a young Malay. offered a silver dollar for the area. Im telling this story because each head of his enemies Constructed in the early 1900s, Masjid the history books now try to But after awhile, they dis- Jamek sits on a cemetery and was the citys create an impression that the covered that the same head main mosque before Masjid Negara came Malays were in a constant state kept turning up, so they along. of rebellion against the British, abandoned the practice, Before the river embankments were built, but I would like to remember this he said in jest. Kam said the river used to lap around the Malay fellow because he was Every river system was bottom of the steps of the entrance to the happy enough to take part in the controlle d by a Malay mosque. competition, said Kam. leader who would team In fact, there used to be sloping grass St Marys Cathedral and Seup with a Chinese leader along the riverside that stretched all the way langor Golf Club are no longer to exploit tin. During the down the river. It was beautiful, but now the spiritual or social centre of Kam (right): The Selangor Golf Club behind the Merdeka Square used Selangor Civil War in the weve pretty much forgotten about our river, to be the towns social centre during the British colonial period. KL today. 19th century, one Malay- treating it as a sewerage, he lamented. The only key image of the Chinese gang would fight The Central Market, situated further down British Empire that still lives on in this area Young migrants: Past and present with another Malay-Chinese group to wrest the river, has always been the market. is Bukit Aman, Kam said, pointing towards Moving on to Medan Pasar, we stopped in control of the rivers and tin mines. Believe it or not, Kam was told that Yap the police headquarters towering above front of United Overseas Bank. Many young Our last stop was the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Ah Loy used to post men with guns to shoot Merdeka Square. Bangladeshis, Nepalese and other nationali- on Jalan Tun HS Lee. Founded by Yap Ah crocodiles when animals were being transIt was where the police and army were, and ties could be seen hanging around the street. Loy in 1864, the temple was built to com- ferred ashore from boats as the predators used its still where the [national] police [headOne could imagine around a century ago, memorate Yaps former employer, Kapitan to roam the river. But he has yet to find out quarters] are today, reinforcing the image of young men from China were hanging around Shin Kap. when the last crocodile was sighted. control and mystery, he said. in the same spots after work. According to legend, Kapitan Shins blood We would definitely appreciate our counHe explained that as the British were Its essentially the same; they were here was white when he was beheaded, so the trys complex and unique history better if outnumbered, the colonisers had to rely on in search of a better life, said Kam. But, he Chinese began to worship him. only our history lessons were taught during smoke and mirrors to maintain a psycho- added, the Chinese men were mostly treated One of the oldest temples in KL, Sin Sze walks like these, involving the narratives of logical advantage over the locals. The tower as slaves at that time. Si Ya was once very popular. It used to hold the past and present. on Bukit Aman created an impression that The employer, or Kapitan, would pay for processions through the the authorities were watching the people and the workers trip from China to Malaya. As a streets during religious knew more than they really did. result, the workers were already in debt before festivals but no longer Another significant point raised by Kam they started work. does these days. was that the British settlements were intenTo add insult to injury, the workers were tionally separated from Chinatown by the only paid every six months or a year, so they Weve forgotten Klang River. would have to buy everything food, opium our river If anyone (rebels) were to cross the amd other stuff on credit for the year. Earlier on at the river, they would also have to cross the field In the end, the workers would usually beginning of our tour (Merdeka Square) and the troops would have discover that they owed more money to the at the Sultan Abdul a clear field to shoot. Worst comes to worst, Kapitan than they had earned that year, so Samad building , we the British could retreat into Bukit Aman, they were trapped in this cycle and were es- also saw Masjid Jamek Kam said. sentially slaves, Kam recounted. across the river. He added that there used to be a gun at the The system was only abolished when the It was built by the top of the hill on Bukit Aman. It would be British Empire enforced a law to ban slavery British for the Selangor fired loudly every hour to intimidate the locals throughout its colonies. Sultan because the Britand remind them of Britains military power. Across Leboh Pasar Besar is HSBC Bank, ish wanted to maintain Convergence of Sg Klang and Sg Gombak.
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July 29 31, 2011
s the news filtered in last week that the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Death of Teoh Beng Hock (RCI) had issued its findings, the conclusions seemed straightforward enough. The RCI had concluded that Teoh had been driven to commit suicide due to interrogation by three Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) officers in a manner that was aggressive, relentless, oppressive and unscrupulous. The newspaper reports of the findings were simple after considering the evidence (70 witnesses, 750 pages of written submission, 19,200 pages of written testimonies, and 256 exhibits) before them. If I had stopped at reading those reports, the RCI findings would have finally cleared up the mystery. But I did not stop at reading these convenient summaries. After downloading the RCI report and discussing it with people who followed the case closely, things were not as simple as they seemed. It is not an exaggeration to say that the conclusion that Teoh had committed suicide is in fact blatantly deceiving. The RCI, to its credit, adopted a purposeful and unflinching attitude when it came to the extraction of information at its hearings. During the course of proceedings, the media played its part in highlighting important issues and inconsistencies in the MACCs version of events. Why, then, did the RCI commit unforgivable errors of fact, and further decided not to take into account or appreciate the killer points? Consider these 10 points for yourself: The Commission held that Teohs death occurred from 7.15 to 11.15am on July 16, 2009, relying on the evidence of Dr NS Prashant and Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim. Estimating time of death is not an exact science, but Dr Khairul said the time could be narrowed down to as early as 6.30 to 7am. In fact, the MACCs expert, Dr Peter Vanezis, said it could have been as early as 11pm to 12am on July 15. Why did the Commission then say the earliest time of death was to have been 7.15am? Was it to match its theory that Teoh was driven to suicide after the fourth interrogation session after Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim and investigating officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus had left the MACC building?
2. Raymonds evidence as to the sighting of Teoh at 6am 1. Time of death Blatant deception
and jumps. Surely if the Commission held the view, as it had done in this case, that the fourth interrogation occurred, something must have happened to Teoh directly caused by his interrogators for him to have fallen either by design or accident, i.e. it was murder or homicide, and not suicide whether driven or voluntary. The time of death of about 6.30 to 7am (allowing for a small margin of error) corroborates this argument because the Bar had pointed Hishamuddin as the main culprit, and he left the building at 6.15am without stamping his punch card. On July 15, a MACC Klang officer by the name of Zulkefly Aziz was one of those specially called in by Hishamuddin to assist in the 52/2009 operation. Zulkefly is Hishamuddins junior in the MACC. At about 9.45 to 10pm, Zulkefly, along with two others, brought Tan Boon Wah back to the MACC Selangor office. Zulkefly then returned to his MACC Klang office at about 10.15pm to collect his car, and drove to the MACC Selangor office. He reached at 11pm and went to sleep at the surau. (One wonders why Zulkefly went back to the office only to go to sleep.) At about 3.15am on July 16, Zulkefly woke up only to go to another surau on the 13th floor to change his trousers, and stayed there. In his earlier statement to the police (taken shortly after Teohs body was found), Zulkefly said he had gone home at about 3.15am.Zulkefly had to change his story before the Commission because the Bar revealed CCTV footage showing Zulkefly only leaving the MACC Selangor office at 7am. So what was Zulkefly actually doing from about 3.15 to 7am on the 16th? Why did he lie to the police that he went home by 3.15am? And notice that key suspects Ashraf left the building at 5am, followed by Hishamuddin at 6.15am, and finally, Zulkefly at 7am.
3. The death window, and avoidance of it from 3.30am onwards 6. Time the MACC knew of Teohs death: Zulkefly Aziz 5. Role of Zulkefly Aziz
The Commission rejected MACC officer Raymond Nions evidence that he saw Teoh at 6am:
If this was true, then TBH must have committed suicide after 6am on the 16th. This would fit into the estimated time of death of TBH, which was between 7.15am and 11.15am on the 16th, as determined by the forensic pathologists. However, despite this, we entertained grave reservations over Raymonds evidence.
With the rejection of Raymonds evidence, it must follow that there is little to suggest consistency with the time of death between 7.15 and 11.15am, as the Commission itself points out in the paragraph above. Without any further record of Teohs movements after 6am, how could the Commission then reject Raymonds evidence and yet say Teoh died after 6am?
The Commission held that there was a fourth interrogation session of Teoh after about 3.30am. The interrogation was conducted by Hishamuddin, Mohd Anuar Ismail and Ashraf. What the Commission failed to do was to buttress this finding by also holding that every MACC officer, for the strangest of reasons, avoided the window from which Teoh fell from 3.30am onwards. For example, one officer whose room was near the window said he crammed into and slept with another officer in the latters room that was far away from the window. The Commission failed to hold that pursuant to the fourth interrogation, Teoh was brought to the window for whatever that might have taken place there that led to him falling, by design or accident, out of it. Otherwise, why would everyone distance themselves from the window in the wee hours of July 16? On the evidence of the MACC, Hishamuddin left the building at about 6.15am (and returned at about 7.55am); Anuar was sleeping throughout until 8.30am, and Ashraf left at about 5am. If so, then surely Teoh would have been free to go by 5am when Ashraf left, or 6.15am when Hishamuddin left. Would any person who was finally relieved and free to leave the building exit via the window in a sudden act of suicide, or walk out to his car and drive home? The Commission does not deal with this but assumes that after the fourth interrogation, Teoh suddenly gives up
4. Cause of death: the fourth interrogation session
The significance of Zulkeflys role in the puzzle is much clearer after he left the MACC Selangor office at 7am. On oath, he testified that he went back to his office, stamped his punch card and immediately returned home. He did not return to work the whole of the 16th. To date, Zulkefly has not explained why he did not work that day. The MACC official line is that Teohs body was only found at about 1.35pm on July 16. But the evidence presented at the RCI showed that MACC officers namely, Azhar, Amin, and Fauzi Shadollah had already been speaking about Teohs death before or at about 1pm! How could officers at the MACC Klang office be talking about a death in another office miles away even before Teohs body had been found? The answer lies here. Amin in particular said that at about 12.45pm, he overhead a group of officers at the MACC Klang office talking about Teohs death. He said that the information about Teohs death came from a MACC Klang officer who was at the MACC Selangor office on the morning of July 16,
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July 29 31, 2011
RCI verdict
with his family, he had no history of mental illness, he was of strong character, organised and had a good relationship with his employer and friends, etc. In relation to the 52/2009 operation, he as a seasoned political activist was prepared to be investigated, and had by then also informed his colleagues to be ready with documents. The positive list in favour of Teoh goes on. Mullen unequivocally said that suicide is a rare cause of death and Malaysia has a particularly low rate, being one of few countries w h er e th e rate is lower than that of homicide. His opinion was that Teoh was firmly in the lowest-risk group, where the chances of suicide are extremely small. How the RCI construed to pick and choose Mullens report to fit its pre-judgment theory of driven suicide is most unprofessional.Even Badiah and Nor Hayatis report showed how hard-pressed they were to conjure up reasons for Teoh to commit suicide without implicating the MACC. I leave you to decide if the RCI deliberately or by design chose to ignore the 10 points above. and there was therefore no evidence absolutely none to support a finding of any kind of suicide. The purpose of the RCI was to reveal the truth. Looking at the chronology of events, the findings of fact made along the way, and the sudden and inexplicable conclusion, it is obvious that it has failed to reveal the truth behind the death of Teoh Beng Hock. I am in shock. The five Commissioners are respected experts in their fields, and are held in high regard. There seems to be no reason to doubt their integrity. The way the report was written points to only one logical conclusion murder, or at the very least culpable homicide not amounting to
What happened?
and returned to the MACC Klang office that morning. Zulkefly is as described. By 7am, he already knew that Teoh fell from the window and died. Why did the MACC hide the fact they knew of Teohs death by 7am? The Commission failed to appreciate and deal with this crucial area that nails the MACC coffin of its suicide story.
7. The MACC cover-up started by 7 to 8.30am: Anuar and Hairul
murder. But suddenly, without any basis, without any evidence (and in fact with evidence pointing to the contrary), the RCI turns all its key findings on its head with one fanciful and speculative paragraph. Here is the relevant paragraph:
Lee Wye Wing testified that between 7 and 8.30am, he went to Sachis room at the MACC Selangor office to ask for his handphone and if he could return home. Sachi was asleep. Wye Wing then proceeded to Hairuls room to ask the same of him. He saw both Anuar and Hairul in discussion over a computer. But Anuar at all times at the hearings said he was sleeping at the particular time. If one accepts that Zulkefly already knew of Teohs death at as early as am and Anuar was part of the fourth interrogation, coupled by Anuar having to lie that he was sleeping at that time, the only available inference to be drawn is that Anuar and Hairul were discussing Teohs death between 7 and 8.30am. The Commission disappointingly failed to act on the clear instances of cover-up by the MACC of Teohs death alluded to by MACC officers own testimonies. Among others, evidence elicited at the RCI hearings showed how the MACC and AG top brass had meetings to streamline the statements of MACC officers and coach them, to build a wall of silence (i.e. not to freely offer information and not to reveal too much), and to distance Hishamuddin from the 52/2009 operation. The extent of the cover-up initiated by the MACC even had its own officers, namely Azian and Azeem, expressing their unhappiness and uneasiness at the state of affairs. Why did the MACC plan this elaborate cover-up? The Bars alternative theory of misadventure by accident finds support in Dr Vanezis testimony who said: that he could not rule out that Teoh was held by a neck hold with the forearm. that such a neck hold may not show bruising. that one could be restrained without having obvious marks on the body. that without marks found on the window, one could exclude the possibility that Teoh climbed out the window himself.
9. Misadventure not explored 8. The MACC cover-up blown
The Commission failed to consider that Teoh may have been asked to and/or helped onto the ledge of the window as a means to threaten him into confessing during the fourth session. Held by a neck hold, an accident occurred which led to his death. DNA evidence of an unknown person was found subsequently.
10. Positive factors to live transformed into negative factors to die
It does not take a rocket scientist to surmise that Teoh had everything going for him in terms of his personal life a baby was on the way, he was getting married, he was planning to leave his job to move back to Malacca and spend more time
MACC argued that it was voluntary suicide. The Bar argued that it was murder, or at least homicide not amounting to murder, by causing Teohs death by misadventure during the interrogation. Looking at the conclusions of the RCI summarised in the previous section, the RCI had completely rejected the version of events given by the MACCs key personnel regarding what happened on the evening of July 15 and the wee hours of July 16, 2009. The MACCs defence of voluntary suicide which had rested on the testimonies of its officers was therefore completely demolished. Neither the MACC nor the Bar at any time pursued the driven suicide theory. Cue the findings of the RCI then driven suicide. The RCI somehow concluded that Teoh had committed suicide, having been driven to do so by the intense interrogation tactics employed by the MACCs officers. As I mentioned, the MACC did not run the driven suicide theory during the RCI proceedings. The MACC must be as baffled as the Bar and any reasonable person as to how the RCI managed to come up with that conclusion. The applicable standard of proof in these RCI proceedings is on a balance of probabilities tilting towards beyond reasonable doubt. Looking at how the RCI had rejected the MACCs version of events, it should have had no other option other than to adopt the Bars contention of murder, or homicide not amounting to murder. The MACCs evidence was demolished,
Tormented by this predicament, TBH experienced a change in his state of mind. And in a matter of hours, this change transformed him from being in the low-risk group for suicide into the high-risk group. The doubts, extreme emotional conflict and the immense feeling of guilt were all intolerable. Finally, precipitating the irreversible crisis that happened to him between 3.30am and 7am on the 16th, was the last straw that broke the camels back. Finding no viable strategies to surmount the hurdle of accusations leveled, he found himself unable to escape from the suffocating quagmire in which he was trapped. Losing all hope, TBH would have felt trapped and have succumbed to despair. Since the window on the 14th floor was either open or could be easily opened and it was conspicuous and easily accessible near where he was on the sofa outside Nadzris room, TBH would have found that the only way for escape from the torment he was undergoing was by jumping out the window, even though it meant taking his own life.
Malaysia is going through some interesting times. Our judiciary is failing us. Our government is failing us. Our politicians and leaders are failing us. Our police force is failing us. So many of our institutions are failing us. With their finding of driven suicide, the RCI has most certainly failed us. It was supposed to reveal the truth, but instead has thrown up even more deception and doubt. Marcus van Geyzel is a corporate solicitor in Kuala Lumpur who tweets as @vangeyzel. His interests are varied, but he has a penchant for debates about culture, politics, football, and the idiosyncrasies of human interaction. For the full article, go to http://www.loyarburok.com/2011/07/25/teohbenghockrci-a-sham-that-deceived-malaysia/
NEWS 16
JULy 29 31, 2011
KLANG: Pilgrims and families returned to the church where the annual St Annes Feast is celebrated, but this years celebration holds extra meaning as the church turned 50. The Feast is being celebrated as part of the churchs Golden Jubilee, as St Annes Church in Port Klang was opened in 1961. A novena on Tuesday night saw 500 parishioners and pilgrims from all corners of the country joining in the event, which is part of a week-long celebration honouring the maternal grandmother of Jesus Christ. Victor Francis Kupusammy and his family of four drove from Beserah in Pahang on Tuesday morning to join his siblings for the special Mass. This is the parish where my two brothers and sister [and I] grew up. Every year, I always take leave around this time to come back to Port Klang for the Feast, said the 57-year-old shipping clerk. The church teaches us about tradition, and this is our own family tradition to honour our lady (St Anne) and the church, Victor said. When asked how his family celebrates the Feast day at home, Victor said his family members recite thanksgiving prayers around an altar lit by candles. During the mass, parish priest Rev Father Lawrence Andrew SJ pointed out that the celebrations this year were made all the more special as the congregation had multiplied since its founding 50 years ago. St Annes church began operations when the area was called Port Swettenham. Customs officer Ann Marie Dass said the celebrations were meaningful for the tightly knit community of In-
dian, Malay and Chinese here in Port Klang. Society needs grace between all ethnic communities to weather bad and good, as were all Malaysians, she said. The 47-year-old civil servant pointed out that St Annes which also serves as a community centre is open to youths regardless of ethnicity. Ann Marie said the parish, being in the middle of a housing scheme, was called to be people-centric in its interaction with the community. St Annes runs the Parish Human Integral Development Council, which has ministry of the poor, educare, migrant ministry, womens charter, kindergarten and fertility awareness services. A Filipino domestic worker who wished to be known only as Jacinto had asked her employer for a two-day leave. She hopped on a bus from Johor Baru on Monday night for this pilgrimage to St Annes. Jacinto, 36, came from Manila four years ago to work for a Chinese household in Masai. Its a pilgrimage because I was born into a Catholic family but never really celebrated the Feast, the pint-sized woman said. She pointed out that she was attending the mass in honour of St Anne for the first time, but rued that she could not stay for the entire week. Ive to go back to Johor soon and cant stay the whole week, she said. St Annes will be having a Healing Mass tonight at 7.30pm. The Jubilee Day main celebration service will be held tomorrow ( July 30) at 6.30pm. It will include Mass, procession and benediction. For details, call 03-31688530 or visit www.stanneportklang.com.
Pusat Perniagaan
CYBER AYA
PUTRAJAYA
BANGI
DENGKIL
NILAI
Pusat Perniagaan
TO SEREMBAN
PERMODALAN NEGERI SELANGOR BERHAD Tingkat 25, Wisma MBSA, Persiaran Perbandaran, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor. Tel: 03-5510 7105 / 7233 / 7234 Faks: 03-5510 7232
www.pnsb.com.my
food 17
JuLy 29 31, 2011 Butter Prawns.
By Basil Foo
ailis Place, named after the proprietors daughter,serves up a fusion of Western and local cuisine in a relaxed seaside atmosphere. Their outlet in Taipan looks like a beach restaurant with palm trees and surfboards, while the inside is divided into indoors and verandah seating. Naili, which means achievement in Arabic, looked very much like a haunt for regulars as it was packed with diners who kept the waiters on their toes, even at 9pm. Service was quick and friendly, with the wave of a hand and a quick glance at the menu confirming our suspicions about this being another self-styled fusion caf. Lush and romantic dcor aside, the dishes were typical of food courts across the Klang valley, with your chops on one side and fried rice on another. We ordered the Black Pepper Steak (RM25.90) after being won over by its menu description of grilled sirloin imported from New Zealand. It received mixed reviews from our table of three. Some appreciated the delicious black pepper sauce, while others disliked the slightly tough texture of the meat. While no option of having the steak medium rare or well done was offered to us, we still concluded its quality was better than most as it came meaty without many tendons or fat. It also came with coleslaw and a generous helping of potato wedges to sate our hunger. A signpost showing the directions to well-known beaches. The Fish & Chips (RM18.90), labelled as golden deep fried fish From the eastern and local fa- the thick and savoury butter sauce fillets, in fact came as only one big vourites portion of the menu, we was enough to win over our tastechunk of fried fish fillet. Despite the ambiguous descrip- ordered a dish of Butter Prawns buds. The rice came with fried chicken, tion, the dish was tasty and fulfill- (RM25) and the Temasik Rice Spebeef rendang, and sambal prawn, the ing; its fillet was encrusted in suffi- cial (RM13.90). We unanimously agreed that the latter being a letdown as it was cient batter, which broke apart in a prawns could have been larger, but merely prawns placed onto sambal satisfying crunch.
and not cooked together. The beef rendang stood out from the rest, with tender cutlets bathed in rendang chili paste, providing an especially good combination with the garlic butter rice. While considered more expensive than the usual casual dining outlets,
Nailis Place probably owes its high customer turnout to its beach theme and laidback atmosphere. Our overall dining experience for the night was a pleasant one, but it would still require more trips to the restaurant to unearth more affordable culinary delights.
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JULY 29 31, 2011
The rich heritage of Malaysia is expressed through the beautiful artworks that are currently on display at the KL Craft Complex. LIN ZHENYUAN takes to heart all that are small, wonderful and meticulously crafted
ever seen in the west coast of the Peninsula. A true Kelantanese with a jovial personality, Mat has brought about 30kg of buah salak from his own garden to distribute to his friends at the exhibition, including me. The salak fruit, when ripened on the tree, has a distinct sweet taste that rivals most imported fruits. I am astounded by its sweetness and freshness. In another corner of the complex are cooking demonstrations of traditional Malay cookies. Of particular interest to me is kuih loyang (honeycomb cracker), which is one of my personal favourites. A woman of regal composure from Sungai Petani discloses that her skill in making kuih loyang came from a Thai woman who had written the recipe in her own native language. She has had the recipe translated, of course. From her demonstration with a special mould for shaping the cookie Poster welcoming guests and visitors to the Metal Craft Heritage Exhibition at the Craft Museum. in a wok filled with boiling oil, the process looks quite straightforward. But only a loyang virtuoso can make it look so deceptively simple. I marvel at the magic of the dough transforming into a flower-shaped cracker in a matter of seconds. The friendly Kedahan tells me the secret is actually in the dough. Dipping the mould in the hot oil is just the final step of a long process. At her stall, she has already made a number of honeycomb crackers in different colours. A couple of free samples later, I am totally convinced that the art of making kuih loyang is not only alive but is also thriving in the capable hands of a woman who has spent decades perfecting her admirable cooking skill. A few steps away is a stall making kuih bahulu. This Malay cookie is particularly popular during Hari Raya, when it is offered as dessert for guests during the Malay open house. Under the shade of the outdoor tent where traditional cooking demonstrations are taking place, two women are quietly turning tiny white discs into putu piring. Kuih bahulu is made and sold by women who have a If there is anything that is easy to digest after a satisfying long acquaintance with this traditional food.
The Kedah woman who deftly turns a lump of dough into Traditional cooking demonstrations are held in this tent. a beautiful honeycomb cracker or kuih loyang.
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JULy 29 31, 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.
A cultural performance of keroncong and dondang sayang music.
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meal, it is putu piring , which is also known as steamed cake with palm sugar filling. Inverted aluminium cones are used in mass production of putu piring. Sold in a set of four pieces for RM2, this steamed cake is produced in a matter of minutes when steam rises from underneath to mature the combined ingredients into little cakes. These cakes are then wrapped in pieces of banana leaf, ready to be sold and gobbled up in a matter of seconds. You really need about four or five to derive culinary satisfaction from putu piring. The Aidilfitri Promotion is an eye-opener for members of the public who are unfamiliar with the different processes of making art objects and traditional Malay cakes and cookies. As with most live demonstrations, one gets to try free samples from stalls that sell their fresh edibles to guests and visitors, local or foreign.
Even the humble wooden coconut grater is on display to reveal how womenfolk in villages extract shavings from coconuts to make santan or coconut milk for their curries and other dishes. In my early years before the process of extracting coconut shavings became automated, I used to help my mother with the coconut grater. It was simple, and one didnt have to leave the house to buy a packet of this item from the kedai runcit to make coconut milk. Children and adults who are long-time residents of big cities should make it a point to spend some time at exhibitions like the Aidilfitri Promotion. It is a learning experience to walk through the corridors and halls of the KL Craft Complex. One can never discount the value and privilege of knowing more about the various cultural and traditional arts that still exist in this country.
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FICTION/MEDIA 20
JULy 29 31, 2011
e looks distant today, she thought. Distant but calm, which was a good sign. She watched him as he kept his head down studying his thumbs as they rubbed against one another. His serious demeanor made him look all the more like her dead husband, may his soul rest in peace. She reached out for him, her hand hesitant and shaking. He pulled away. Her heart broke with his rejection. She wanted to cry, but not here, not in this hospital surrounded by strangers. Not in front of her own son, who saw her as a stranger. Razifi, remember what today is? She was almost cooing in her attempt to not scare him. Silence. Its your birthday, Sayang. You turn thirty today. Small rocking movements, but more silence. Look what Ive brought you, she said, taking out a large square album from her bag. She ran her hand across the worn plastic surface. The pastel flower prints were dull, and the edges were blunt. She opened the album, wincing at the slurping sound as the plastic covering on the hardboard pages
Students who spend time in New Zealand often find that their experiences outside of school are just as rewarding as what they learn in the classroom. You can find out what courses and degrees are offered by by visiting www.nzeducated.com/ myfair or talking to representatives at New Zealand education fairs. The fees and living costs for international students are less expensive than with those in Australia, US or the UK. International PhD students pay the same fees as domestic students. Scholarships are also available. Some international students are permitted to work with a student visa for up to 20 hours per week, and can work fulltime during the holidays. There are also permits available that will allow graduates to look for work for up to a year after they complete their education. Students can explore their study options at New Zealand education fairs in Kota Kinabalu, Penang and Petaling Jaya from July 31-Aug 7. The fairs will bring together representatives from 17 New Zealands universities, other tertiary providers and secondary schools. For further information, visit www.nzeducated.com/myfair or contact Bridget Mirandah at 03-20784612, or email bridget.mirandah@ nzte.govt.nz.
Ton (third right) receiving a mock key from Mohd Rosli and Loh while Woo (left) looks on. With him are his wife Gan Hong Hoon and year-old daughter Jeun Lyng.
By Basil Foo
KUALA LUMPUR: Ton Ka Choon has won the first Malaysian-made lithium-powered bike after purchasing over RM100 in a single receipt and winning Metrojayas Go Green contest. I am happy to have won the motorcycle. We took about 15 minutes just sitting at The Curves Metrojaya customer service counter and thinking of the slogan, said the 30-year-old engineer. His slogan about wanting the electric motorcycle to conserve the environment for future generations was made more meaningful by the presence of his oneyear-old daughter at the prize presentation on Tuesday. Ton also received a surprise gift from Metrojaya executive director Pel Loh: a two-year Metrojaya card membership with preloaded 200 points. Shopping with us will always be full of surprises, said Loh. Loh said they had received overwhelming response to the contest from customers at their six department stores
in East and West Malaysia. Loh, who spoke during the prizegiving ceremony at Metrojaya Mid Valley Megamall, said the Go Green nature conservation campaign was launched on May 5. The campaign was to express Metrojayas support for the governments efforts in promoting green technology. Also at the event were Ministry of Energy Green Technology Sector senior undersecretary Mohd Rosli Abdullah and Eclimo director Woo Kok Boon. Woo spoke at length about the electric motorcycle manufacturers environmentally-friendly undertaking. The motorcycle has obtained qualification from Germany and we expect its registration for Malaysian roads in the coming weeks, he said. The Eclimo electric motorcycle has a top performance of 110km/h, but has been programmed to only hit 80km/h for safety reasons. Its range is 100km for a standard battery-charge session, which lasts three hours.
MEDIA 21
July 29 31, 2011
Runners beginning their run from Centro Mall Klang last Sunday.
Chua (centre) presenting a cheque to Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry (Malaysia) secretary-general Eiji Nagase (left), as MSIG executive director Toshiyuki Tsukada looks on.
SHAH ALAM: MSIG Insurance, one of the largest general insurers in Malaysia and Gold Sponsor of the recent Standard Chartered KL Marathon, has doubled its donation for the victims of Japans tsunami relief fund and raised a total of RM28,000. The initial donation of RM100 was raised to RM200 for each participant that took part in the MSIG Ekiden relay race. Overall, there were 140 people from 28 teams that registered for the race on June 26. Originating in Japan, Ekiden combines the Japanese characters for station and transmit, and is a term used to describe a long-distance relay running race. In the MSIG Ekiden, each runner in a team ran from one station to the next, and then handed off a cloth sash or tasuki to the next runner. MSIG is happy and proud to have raised the donation to help the survivors in Japan as they deal with the destruction caused from the recent tsunami and earthquake. The first Ekiden race was a trial race, but we were truly excited with the response and participation from the 28 teams. Without them, we wouldnt have been able to achieve the amount raised today, said MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) chief executive officer Chua Seck Guan.
We would like to congratulate MSIG Insurance on their success of raising the funds to help those affected by the recent disaster in Japan, and thank them for their support during the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2011. The Ekiden race was a great success and plans are underway to make this a timed race starting 2012, said Golazo Sdn Bhd project director Rainer Biemans. Golazo was the project manager for the Standard Chartered KL Marathon. The New Balance team won first place with the time of 1:19.07, while Pacesetters Athletic Club team came in second place with the time of 1:30.33. Coming in third place was the Kembara Negara team with the time of 1:43.11. The Ekiden relay race was a test event in the marathon this year and was by invitation only. Groups that were invited to participate in the Ekiden included MSIG Insurance, New Balance, Petronas, Astro, Standard Chartered Bank, Kembara Negara and Pacesetter Athletics Club. The donations to Japan will be channelled through the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur ( JCJACTIM Donation Funds Account). This is a joint initiative by the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur and the Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry, Malaysia, and will be administered by the Red Cross Society of Japan.
Leong (centre) is presented with the grand prize of a brand new Hyundai Sonata 2.0L by Hundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd head Kelvin Chuah (left) and D Flores.
PETALING JAYA: Leong Kin Wai, 33, has absolutely no regrets shopping and participating in a contest as his efforts paid off handsomely when he was named the lucky winner of a brand new Hyundai Sonata 2.0L worth a whopping RM143,888 in The Curves recent Drive the Hyundai Home contest. Sponsored by Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd and in conjunction with The Curves Fashion Week 2011, the contest was open to all shoppers who spent just RM100 and above in a maximum of two receipts. Shoppers then had to obtain a contest form from the concierge, answer three simple questions and guess the exact number of The Curve and Hyundai logos in the picture of the car on the form. Lady Luck must have been smiling on Leong, because he guessed the exact amount of logos in one of his three entries. Leong said: I did not think very much about entering the contest, but little did I know that it would be so easy for me to win. I would like to thank my wife, Koh Pay Li, who helped me with my contest entries. I often take part in The Curves contests but have not won anything until today. As such, I am planning to give her the car. We will definitely continue shopping here and enter more contests in the future, he said. The Curve centre manager Adele D Flores said: We would like to congratulate Leong, our grand prize winner in our recent Fashion Week contest. At The Curve, we strive to provide shoppers with a memorable and refreshing shopping experience in line with our tagline A Breath of Fresh Air. For more information about The Curves activities, contact their customers care officers at 03-77106868.
Gallery 22
JuLy 29 31, 2011 Devotees lighting prayer candles to celebrate St Annes Feast, which honours the maternal grandmother of Jesus Christ, at St Annes Church in Port Klang.
Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim breaking the ice during launch of the Selangorku slogan in Stadium Melawati last weekend.
The Storm, a childrens violinist group, led by musician and cancer survivor Brian Tan (in purple) during the Relay for Life event held at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Bangi on July 16. The event saw 300 cancer survivors getting together to share stories on their personal battles.
Children playing a ball-tossing game at the Valley of Hope Appreciation Day carnival in Sungai Buloh last Sunday, which was held to commemorate those who had suffered from leprosy.
State executive councillor Elizabeth Wong pouring used cooking oil into a device that will recycle it into biodiesel, as part of green efforts by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). Looking on are councillor Chan Chee Keong, mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman, and Subang Member of Parliament R Sivarasa.
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JuLy 29 31, 2011
CALENDAR
Art Caged/ Uncaged
Exhibition; Wei-Ling Contemporary @ The Gardens Mall, Mid-Valley City; until July 30; www.weilinggallery.com; free admission
Featuring 10 Malaysian artists, Art Caged/Uncaged was inspired by classic Southeast Asian bird-singing competitions, recreating the outdoors inside the gallery space and by providing an interactive experience with the artworks of Hasnul Jamal Saidon, Jeganathan Ramachandran, Lim Kok Yoong, Kojek, Khairul Azmir Shoib @ Meme, Shia Yih Yiing, Tiong Chai Heing, Umibaizurah Mahir, Wong Chee Meng and Yap Sau Bin. Artworks hanging from the ceiling provide a unique viewing experience, and sound works enhance the viewing of the cages created by the artists. Curated by Rachel Jenagaratnam.
REVIEW
By Terence Toh
WHO among us has never dreamed of stardom? Glitz and glamour, the high life, crowds shouting your name, cheering at your feet? Wealth, fame, legions of fans, everything youve ever dreamt of. Everybody wants to be a celebrity, but what price are you willing to pay to get it? Are you willing to sacrifice family, friends, and values to achieve it? And what happens when reality gets in the way? This is the theme of the beloved musical Dreamgirls, written by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen, which was made into an Oscar-winning film starring Jennifer Hudson and Jamie Foxx. Recently, Dreamgirls made its debut on local shores: produced by Broadway Academy Productions, the musical was performed at Istana Budaya from July 14-24. It featured an all-star predominantly Malaysian cast, with Elvira Arul, Cheryl Samad, Azura Zainal, Tony Eusoff, Indi Nadarajah, Ruzana Ibrahim, Dafi, and Dina Nadzir, as well as American Broadway actor Kris Coleman. Featuring incredible vocal performances and amazingly well-inspired sets, the production was a triumph, electrifying from beginning to end. (Note: in the performance viewed by this reviewer on July 16, many of the main roles were played by alternate cast members, and thus, this review will make reference to their performances.) Dreamgirls focuses on the Dreams, an aspiring Motown girl group looking to make it big. The group encounters charismatic soul star James Thunder Early, and are eventually signed by sleazy manager Curtis, who repackages them to break into the very fickle music industry. Caught up in sudden fame, the group finds themselves having to make sacrifices to stay popular, and this eventually strains relationships between them. Director Joanna Bessey did a fantastic job with the staging, with all scenes being visually and musically arresting. Her production captured perfectly the glitz of 1960s America, where soul and disco ruled the airwaves. Particularly well done is the opening scene, a talent show, where despite many things
happening simultaneously, the action was well coordinated, your attention always drawn to the crucial parts of a scene. Whether through colourful costumes, inspired lighting, massive backdrops, pyrotechnics or props (even a scale model of a Cadillac at one point!) every number was memorable. Dreamgirls was the kind of show where you sat at the edge of your seat, awestruck, wondering how anything could top what youd just seen, and then the next musical number comes and blows you away completely. The cast did a terrific job, belting out the musicals Motown numbers with great aplomb. This was highlighted in the group numbers Steppin to the Bad Side, Dreamgirls and the disco rendition of One Night Only. Another high point was the emotional duet When I First Saw You, performed by Eusoff and Ibrahim, their voices complementing each others perfectly. Coleman was wonderful as Early, impressing with his smooth voice and spirited dancing, while Eusoff delighted in his portrayal of the unscrupulous Curtis. Understudy Joy Shamini Victor also did an accomplished job as Dreams member Lorell White, her powerful soulful voice shining on numbers such as Move and Cadillac Car. Nadarajah, however, was slightly wooden at times, and while Ibrahim did a decent performance as the lovely
Deena Jones, her soft voice was frequently drowned out by the shows music. The undisputed star of the show, however, was Elvira Arul, who was amazing as talented yet frustrated vocal powerhouse Effie White. Arul seems born to play White, stepping into her role very naturally. Infusing her character withsass, Arul was delightful, and her incredible singing was truly the stuff of goosebumps. The highlight of Dreamgirls was her rendition of And I Am Telling You Im Not Going: singing in the spotlight, on an empty stage as the trappings of her fame and fortune all rose out of her reach, Aruls performance was simply mesmerising. Acting was generally passable, and dancing well done. True to the spirit of the musical, all the cast adopted American accents, which wavered as the musical progressed, even disappearing completely in some cases. This minor nitpick, fortunately, did not detract from the feel of the musical. All in all, a magnificent musical with infectious charm, which will have audiences humming and snapping their fingers long after theyve left the theatre. If this and the recent other musical Cabaret are any indication, Malaysian theatre companies are more than capable of handling well-known, big-budget epic musicals, and this bodes very well for the local performing arts scene.
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.