Oldest golf club in the city centre

A little bird told me.........

Malaysia's oldest golf club lies in the heart of Kuala Lumpur with the city skyline as a backdrop.

Established in 1893, The Royal Selangor Golf Club ( RSGC ) is located off the ever busy Jalan Tun Razak, which is only about 10min drive from the Petronas Twin Towers!

How did it begin ?

Golfing was already a sport that was not new to Kuala Lumpur during those days. Already a 5-hole golf course was laid out in the Lake Gardens but there was no club formed then.

It all started when a group of coffee planters thought it was a good idea to have a golf club in Kuala Lumpur. On Jan13 1893, a meeting to the effect was published in the Selangor Journal, which was the only publication serving as a newspaper and official bulletin during those days.



The original site of the club was located at Petaling Hill, an 80acres of hilly land located around the present day Victoria Institution, the Methodist Boys School, Stadium Merderka and Stadium Negara.

Work on the course started almost immediately and five months later, the 1st annual general meeting was held. It was formally opened on Aug 21 1893,with 30 founding members. Entrance fee then was fixed at $5 with a monthly subsciption fee of .50ct per head. The 1st Resident General of the Federated Malay States, Sir Frank Swettenham, served as President of the club from 1897 to 1898. In 1918, the Club had to be moved to another location as Petaling Hill had to be reclaimed by the Government to be converted into a public park. A new site at Circular Road ( Present Jln Tun Razak) was identified. This new site was partly occupied by the Forestry Department and also some mining concerns. Tembusu trees and pond holes are some of the legacies left down by the previous tenants. Work began on the new site in 1920 and since then, RSGC grew by leaps and bounds in terms of memberships and facilities.

Golf tournament during the opening of the new club House at Circular Road in 1921.

1942- 2nd World War ...the clubhouse was used as an arms training school by the Japanese Occupation Forces. The courses were converted into vegeable , tapioca and banana patches, while part of it was used as an airstrip and barracks were built. By the time the Japanese surrendered in 1945, the club was left in a derelict state. Thanks to the effort of a Tom Verity, he was able to rehabilitate the golf course with the help of prisoners of war using primitive tools.

It was confered the Royal title in the year 1963.

Today, the Royal Selangor Golf Club is a premier golf club in the country and one of the best in the region. It has over 6.000 members, comprising Royalty, ministers, foreign diplomats, corporate leaders, captains of industry and professionals.

Royal Retreat at Putrajaya-- Istana Melawati

A little bird told me ....

Perched atop a hill on the north-western side of Putrajaya, this is the royal retreat for His Majesty The Yang Di Pertuan Agong and his family, the venue for meetings with other Rulers as well as the venue for certain official and private functions hosted by the King.

The palace is oriented south-west towards the general direction of the Putra Bridge where you get a good scenic view of the Putrajaya Lake, The Seri Perdana Brideg, Masjid Putra and the Mercu Tanda.

Modelled after ancient Malay palaces, Istana Melawati is pretty similar in design to the Istana Kenangan in Kuala Kangsar,Perak. Cruising along the driveway leading to the palace, one is greeted with streetlights featuring birdcage designs.

Befitting the status of a Royal Palace, the roof forms are arranged on tiered levels- symbolizing the prominent status of the buildings. Open-sided verandahs are also featured prominently throughout the Istana, acting as a very important interface between nature and the built environment in vernacular tropical architecture. The verandahs enable the enjoyment of scented flowers and herbs which are used extensively in the Royal Pleasure Gardens "Taman Indera" within the Palace grounds.

A closer look at some of the decorations within the palace

WITHIN THE PALACE

THE INTERIOR REFLECTS THE SPLENDOUR OF THE EXTERIOR

Located within , there is a lounge that overlooks a ceremonial courtyard flanked by traditioal wooden gazebos built over water. A little distance from the lounge is found a replica of a balai nobat made entirely from cengal wood by master craftsmen from Terengganu.


The Royal Wing houses the private quarters of the King and Queen as well as VIP suites. The Main Wing is where all ceremonial and official functions are held.

Bilik Singgahsana is where all official investiture ceremonies are conducted.

The Rulers' Conference Hall is where rulers of each state converge annually to discuss matters of national importance. Chairs bearing the royal crest of the individual states are assigned , while smaller chairs are reserved for each Mentri Besar.

The Main Banquet Hall seats 250 guests, while a smaller hall is reserved for the royal family to dine in privacy.

Covering a land area of 6.9 ha, Istana Melawati is complete with a swimming pool too.

Old Chinese Shophouses

A little bird told me...........

A shophouse, normally has two or more storeys, is a commercial and private structure. The tenants usually use the first floor for commercial purposes such as sundry shop, light industry or warehouse, and reside in the upper floors. The building is not free standing, rather, it is connected to several other shophousesss, which create a shophouse block. This shophouse is repeated to form streets and town squares. Building materials such as brick, plaster, concrete and timber are commonly found in shophouses.



Kuala Lumpur- shophouses..
Though the shophouse form was developed in Malacca, Penang and Singapore by the early 19th century, shophouses did not reach Kuala Lumpur until 1884. At that time Frank Swettenham, the British Resident of Selangor, introduced building regulations that decreed that the original attap hut settlement was to be rebuilt in brick or wattle with tiled roofs and allowance for a five foot covered passageway by the road.

The early shophouses were purely transitional adaptations to the tropical climate. What emerged was a building form that minimized the effect of heat, rain and glare of a tropical climate by using thick, brick walls with high ceilings, a roof with ventilation, an interior with an air well and shop front with a verandah.

The early shophouses took on various Chinese characteristics such as curved gable ends of the roofs, glazed ornamental tiles and stucco decoration. Gradually these characteristics were replaced by European features, As land continued to be subdivided into long, narrow lots, the emphasis was on creating unique facades. Neo-Classical elements were adopted. These elements, derived from the classical architecture to Greece and rome, suited the climate of Malaysia, co colonnades, porticos and verandahs were utilised for sun and rain protection.

Quick rundown on shophouse architectural styles:

Pre -1884 - mainly attap huts built by Chinese merchants to service tin miners
Post-1884 - Concerned about fire hazards, Sir Frank Swettenham, the British Resident
Selangor, introduced building regulations that decreed that the original
attap hut settlement was to be rebuilt in brick or wattle with tiled
roofs, and allowance for a five-foot covered passageway by the road.
From then on, evolves the facade of the shophouses according to styles in
Europe but the basic plan did not alter. The variation in facade can be
roughly seen as follows:
Transitional (1880s - 1900s)
Simple wooden shutters with a minimum of decoration

Neo-Classical (1910s - 1930s)
Elaborate Greek and Roman columns, ornately decorated window frames details, pediments, parapets, comices

Dutch Patrician (c.1930s)
A Dutch-inspired gable was adopted for the front facade of the shophouse




This shophouse is found in Ipoh

Art Deco / Art Moderne (1930s - 1940s)
Simplified lines, geometrical patterns



Post W.W.2/ Modern (1950s - 1980s)
No ormamentation, totally transitional

Chinese Opera

A little bird told me..........

The Chinese opera dates back thousands of years. In olden China. it was used to carry messages that promotes harmony, good morals, history and sometimes propaganda.

What stands out uniquely about chinese operas are the costumes, the elaborate head dresses, the hair ornaments for the women, the high court shoes which increases the height of the performers and the different styles of face painting.
Each painted face has a special meaning to depict the character of the performer.
For example, the hero characters are normally painted in relatively simple colours, whereas the enemy, bandits, rebels have more complicated designs on their faces

Our Malaysian Chinese operas are fast disappearing and perfomances are usually confined to entertaining the rural and urban folks during religious festivals.
Putting up a show is hard work ! Let's peek into what happens back stage.
Trade secrets are closely guarded, as certain make-up methods and rituals are followed. Taboos are to be closely observed backstage. As plenty of equipment are utilised, crates containing important costumes cannot be kicked even accidently as it symbolises bad luck.
Cues for meals, prayers, sleeping, acting, singing have to be followed to the dot.
You can tell a performer's ranking by her cubicle. The more senior ones gets their own cubicle, her own make-up table. The room is also where she eats, rest and rehearses. Everyone else only gets a hand-held mirrow for doing their make-up and has to share the common hall at the back.



An accomplished actress is required to be multi-functional and that includes impersonating male roles. As such, she has to master voice intonation, moves and perform martial arts to wow the audience. If you were to consider that she has to change attire and switch between masculine and feminine roles seamlessly during the three-hour play, its certainly no easy feat !

PICC (Putrajaya International Convention Centre)

A little bird told me .......



Initially developed to host official funcitions, the first being the 10th OIC (Organisation of Islamic Conference Summit) in Oct 2003, PICC covers a total of 135,000 sq metres of space spread over 9 levels from large halls for conventions to smaller rooms for meetings.
Its motto "Where Great Minds Meet", PICC prides itself as the premier venue for domestic and international MICE (Meetigs, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions) events. PICC assets includes it size, plush setting and state-of-the-art facilities- all designed to ensure conducive interaction and optimum comfort to the delegates.
These extend from the grand 3,000 capacity Plenary Hall and 3,000 dining capacity Perdana Halls to its plush 180 seater-Heads of State Hal, luxurious suites, the VVIP lounge, discussion halls, two restaurants (Asian/Western cuisine) and meeting rooms for as few as 3 people.

With its vantage spot atop Puncak Selatan, PICC's 20.6ha site has picturesque surroundings that has also played host to many outdoor functions, from banquets to evening cocktails parties and product demonstrations. One of its most populous event is the recently concluded Malaysian International Fireworks Competition last August. What with 1,200 free parking bays available, PICC is certainly a good hot spot for MICE events in Putrajaya.

To view further pictures on PICC, please visit my other blog at www.dnatourchannel.blogspot.com

for further information go to www.picc.gov.my

ref: NST THE Review- May 16 2008
PICC HAS 1,200 free parking bays!

Cyberjaya- More Than Just a High Tech City

A little bird told me ........

Cyberjaya- known for its niche focus in technology and ICT related activities,is Malaysia's first intelligent city. Besides the above, what else does Cyberjaya offers?
Cyberjaya offers a balanced mix of residential and commercial development.
Logistics wise, Cyberjaya has an integratged transportation system. Do you know Cyberjaya utilises the world's first Dedicated Transportation System where Global Positioning System (GPS)is used to co-ordinate a fleet of buses that operates 24/7, linking Cbyberjaya to the Klang valley, Seremban and Banting.

Within city limits, there is the Cyberview-managed free shuttle service that runs on two routes at 15-minute intervals from 7am to midnight, passing all buildings in the city.

On the business side, there are 400 multinational and home-grown companies making Cyberjaya their base of operations. They include BMW, DELL, SHELL, DHL, HSBC, MICROSOFT AND ERICSSON. Workers can use any of the free parking bays in the city, then hop on the free shuttle bus.

Apart from the comprehensive and well conceived business structure, Cyberjaya itself offers plenty of residential areas and recreational facilities.


ref: NST - The Review May16 2008

What's In a clock??

A little bird told me........



Yeah, am refering to our very own Malaysian "Big Ben" at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.
The first peals of the clock was heard in 1897, struck during a parade to mark Queen Victoria's 78th birthday. For a clock that was made 111 years ago, it has kept inpeccable time, and helped to marked all of Malaysia's New Years and Merdeka Day with aplomb. As far as we know, it has never stopped ticking, not even during the 46month Japanese occupation when it was put forward two hours to match Tokyo time.
This time piece is set to the time signal from Telekom Malaysia.
You'll be amazed to know that the time piece is still being wound manually twice a week by a technician.



Winding the clock is heavy work! It takes two men about an hour to give the crankshaft 200 turns, which will lift two massive weights about three storeys to the top of the tower. The larger weight,650lbs of lead, powers the hammer that strikes the bell hourly and half-hourly, and the smaller 350lb one keeps the clock going.
The clock winders learnt it all entirely from their predecessors. There's no manual, no blueprints, and no written instruction.

Technicians from the Surveying and Mapping Department has to climb up 4 flights of ricketing stairs to make sure the giant grandfather clock stays wound.



The bell chamber, is pretty well litted, thanks to the 12keyhole-shaped windows.



One more floor up is the top of the tower are the four opaque glass clockfaces. A thick tubular pendulum regulates the ticking of the seconds, which hangs from a metal plate, which has incredibly borne the 50kg pendulum for more than a century.



Near the bell's crown is the name of its English maker, Gillett & Johnson, and 1897 the year the bell was cast. It was ordered by Crown Agents of Downing Street, London.
This clock is a Number 3 movement striking the hours, with the facility to strike the half hours. The Bell weighs 20 hundred-weight, driving four 8foot 6inch diameter cast iron, glazed dials. The whole shipment was manufactured in 90days.

The cost free on board (minus shipping expenditure) from London Docks was £356 and 10shillings. To replicate the same clock and bell today would cost at least £60,000 today. The clock was shipped via the Straits Steamship Company on the SS Singapore.

So the next time you pass by this historical clock tower, take a moment to remember the winders who has to carry out his work two times a week, irrespective of holidays and all, and its no easy feat!


ref: Nuance-Mar 03

Hash House Harriettes

A little bird told me......

Do you know that our very own Royal Selangor Club has the honour of being the Mother Hash? For this was were the first chapter of the HHH story began in way back in 1938, where the mother of all HHH runs was first held in the last week of December in 1938 ! RSC(ROYAL SELANGOR CLUB)was also called the Hash House.
How did it all started?
The origin of hashing is shrouded in fact and fiction. Legend has it that a group of Englishmen and Australians were hanging around the Selangor Club on a Monday night nursing a hangover from the weekend's debauchery when they suddenly had a bright idea.... perhaps they would feel better if they had a run to work out the alcohol from their bodies. They had their run and they felt better, and thereby they also started an institution- the Hash House Harriers!

So what exactly does these Harriers do?

A typical HHH run starts with the "hare" marking a trail with pieces of paper. The route is often tricky with detours leading to dead-ends. The whole run is really very enjoyable, but the climax comes at the end of this whole workout, when delicious food is served buffet style and thirst is quenced with beers chilled to perfection. After World War II, the HHH regroup and the weekly fun-runs started again and became increasinly popular. Expats who worked and hashed in KL started chapters of the HHH when they returned to their home countries. Now there are about 2000 HHH chapters in 160 countries. In Malaysia alone, there are 137 Hash Chapters.

PLANTERS' CLUB

RSG- was also known as the "Planters" Club". as most of its early members owned or managed coffee plantations. The white planters, being isolated in remote estates and left out of the social circuit would make it a point to go to the Selangor Club to catch up on things. Most would be in KL at least once a month for appointments with their bankers to withdraw salaries for their workers. Apart from coffee planters, it was also a watering hole for civil servants and lawyers.
In the 19th century, the Selangor Club was where the action was. Everybody who was anybody was a member. This was the place where white planters and colonial administrators quenched their thirst with several rounds of stengahs (whisky and soda).



SPOTTED DOG
There are a few theories to its origin.
One has it that police Chief H C Syers's wife had 2 dalmatians, which were often spotted sprinting behind her carriage while she went to and from the club, so the locals called it the spotted dog.
Another has it that the first emblem of the club was a clumsy rendition of a spotted leopard, which many mistook as a spotted dog. Look at the stature of a spotted dog, still found inside the RSC. !

"BE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN PEOPLE.. IF YOU TRY, YOU CAN LIKE EVERYBODY, AND EVERYBODY WILL LIKE YOU ! "

ref:Insider's Kuala Lumpur by Lam Seng Fatt

Central Market (or popularly known as CM )

A little bird told me...........






Once a thriving wet market during the early days of 1900's, it was being transformed into what we know today as the Cultural Market -Pasar Seni in our local language.

1970s- was the building boom and many of Malaysia's historic buildings have been demolished. The adaptive reuse of the wet market took place in 1985 .
At that time, a group of concerned Malaysians and expatriates were in the process of forming the country's non-governmental organsation for the conservation of heritage buildings to be called Badan Warisan Malaysia (Heritage of Malaysia Trust). The main objective of Badan Warisan Malaysia is to promote the preservation of those buildings deemed by the council of the Badan to be part of the heritage of the country for the benefit and education of Malaysians.
CM - the 50+ year old wet market of Kuala Lumpur was saved from demolition at the last minute and converted into a cultural market.
CM- marks the earliest example of a private developer otbtaining the lease of a large state-owned property, retaining it, and reusing it for commercial purposes.

To retain its typical Art Deco architecture, and the spatial quality of the large single-storey box, the new shops were arranged in discrete clusters, away from the surrounding walls and roof. Upper level shops and restaurantes were linked by three bridges and a hydraulic lift was introduced in the centre of the mall. Small kiosks selling arts nd crafts reused the old wet market concrete stalls on the ground floor and artists were invited to set up their easels.

"TO ACHIEVE ... STOP LOOKING FOR A QUICK AND EASY SHORT CUT !
TO ACHIEVE ... START PUTTING FORTH THE DILIGENT, SUSTAINED EFFORT THAT WIL CREATE
REAL VALUE " Ralph Marston

Cleaners in the sky !

A little bird told me..........

Petronas Twin Towers

Question:.. How do you keep the world's tallest twin buildings gleaming bright and clean in the Malaysian sky, especially if there are 32,000 glass panes from pavement to peak, always waiting to be soaped and wiped ....

Let's do some mathematics here...

With 65,000sq metres of stainless steel cladding and 77,000 sq metres of vision glass, the external maintenance of the 452m towers- designed by Cesar Pelli & Asociates of the US- must be a nightmare of a job !
There are 14,873 wall units per tower, not including the 56 units on each pinnacle, 302 units at the Sky bridge and support columns, and 950 units at the podium facade.

Each tower takes 5 months to clean, which is undertaken twice a year.Cleaning hours are from 7am-11pm for the towers, and 7am-6pm for the skybridge and columns,Suria KLCC links and the podium facade. Frontage area are from 10pm -6am
The cleaners covers eight (8) floors a day.
All surfaces are to be washed with a neutral detergent and scrubbed with a soft 3m nylon pad. Scrubbing must be done in the direction of the grain of the surfaces, which is vertical. Drying is with soft lint-free cloth (like the "good morning"
towels)

Those contracted to work in the KLCC premises have to attend a compulsory 45min briefing every 6 months.
The emergency procedure allows for the 2 towers to be evacuated within 31minutes. It takes only about 90sec by the utility lift to get from P1(Parking Level 1 at the Suria KLCC side) -to the top of the tower.

With so much calculation involved, if you are not a maths wizard, just go for the KISS formula (KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE) .. It certainly is an enormous job just keeping both the towers spick and span-


"BEE BUSY...Doing what you love to do .."

Loke Yew

A little bird told me.....

JALAN LOKE YEW





such a familiar street name in KL! Jalan - in our local language refers to STREET.
Named after Mr Loke Yew who arrived in Malaya at the age of 13.
Who is this man and what were his contributions to Kuala Lumpur?
- Born in San Wui - Southern China in 1845 as Wong Loke Yew
Dropped his surname and became known just as LokeYew- coz he believed it brought
him luck !
- struck it rich when he discovered rich tin deposits in Kling Bahru.
Besides owning numerous tin mines, also owned rubber and coconut plantations, also
dappled in supplying provisions to British troops, monopolised liquor sales,
managed a pawn broker and held licenses to run gambling tables.held properties
investments in Singapore and Malaya.

- was one of the founders who established Victoria Institution.
- also help established Tan Tock Seng hospital in Singapore.
- was one of the leading man in establishing the Kwong Yik bank in 1915.

His family established Associated Theatres Ltd which was renamed Cathay Organisation..also helped built Singapore's first skyscraper Cathay Building in 1939.

He bought over the Loke Mansion in Jalan Medan Tuanku (currently abandoned)in 1892 from tin miner Chow Ah Yoke. He upgraded and renovated the mansion making it one of the most pretigious residences in Asia then.

Today, Jalan Loke Yew is known to KLites as the home to many low cost flats- namely LOKE YEW FLATS,and UE3 a shopping complex .

ref: Sat Metro-Jun02 2007

"WE HAVE TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH ! THINK TWICE ! SPEAK ONCE ! "
-

Lion Dance

A little bird told me ...............

According to myth, lion dance was conceived to scare away the evil spirt of Nien during spring.

Lion dances, which are colourful and acrobatic is deeply rooted in Chinese culture and identity dating back at least a thousand years. Originally a court dance, performed only in the Forbidden City of Beijing, to entertain the emperor, it slowly made its way out until it was adopted by the common people.

Accompanied by crashing cymbals and heady drumbeats , it is believed that the lion dance brings luck and prosperity. Besides being perfomed during Chinese New Year, it is also performed at official openings of buildings and at launching of businesses, where a bunch of sang choy (lettuce) is tied to a string from the ceiling.
The lion dance performer leaps and catches the lettuce with its mouth, then chews it, spitting it out to the left, right and centre, symbolising luck, prosperity will be in abundance throughout the year, spreading far and wide .

There are 2 distinct types of Mou See-
a) the Northern
- closest to its original form in the royal palace.
- reddish -orang in colour.
- Its fur is thicker and almost covers the players entirely to keep them warm
during the cold weather.

b) Southern
- weather being warmer, materials used became lighter

LION HEAD
All new lion heads must undergo the traditional "baptism" ritual of Tim ching , or doting the lion's eyes to give it life. A red dot made from Cho Sah (mercury oxide) grounded into a paste with water is painted at the centre of the new lion's eyes. Can only be done by elders, monks or respected figures such as village head.
Special prayers are also recited to invoke the blessings of the gods and ancestors, and the lion dance troupe must Keng Lai, or pay their respects to their ancestors before any performance.

Lion dance is closely related to kung fu, because its movements require strength, power and agility. Age is not a matter but martials arts skills are required as it emphasises the performer's character, behavior and discipline.

ref: NST FEB 22 2008

" The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort.
but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy ! "
Martin Luther King Jr

Christchurch - Malacca

A little bird told me........


The Christchurch,was once situated within the fort walls of the A Formosa. It was the former Gereformeerde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church). To the Dutch people of Malacca, the church was simply known as the Benedenkerk, meaning the "Church down the hill"
Build to commemorate the centenary of the Dutch occupation in Malacca, construction began in 1741. It took workers a staggering 14years to build this magnificent new Church, finally completed in 1755.
The Christchurch is a simple rectangle, 82ft long, 42ft broad and the ceiling is 40ft above the ground. The ceiling beams were each cut from a single tree and they support the span of level ceiling.
The robust pews were hand crafted in 1753 and each pew was "owned" and reserved for a particular family.

In 1838, the Dutch church of Malacca ceased to be the Dutch Reformed Church and the Bishop of Calcutta, in India consecrated the church to the rites of the Church of England with the consent of the Malacca Dutch community. It was renamed the Christ Church. However, ownership of the church continued to be held by the Malacca Dutch community in the name of its trustees.

During the Dutch rule , it was painted white. However in 1911, the Christ Church and the Stadhuys were painted red by the British.

ref: History of the Dutch in Malaysia - Dennis De Witt

" If you see a friend without a smile, give him one of yours ! "

Enhancing tourism in Msia- some good pointers

A little bird told me...................

Please find below an article written with regards on how to improve our tourism industry,
good pointers to note when answering questions relating to the above

Note the points that are highlighted


Monday July 28, 2008 - The Star
Pushing tourism to the forefront
By ELAYNE YEE SIEW LIN

TOURISM is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global economy.
A potent growth catalyst that can create high multiplier effects, tourism helps develop strong linkages in the economy and assists in the spin-off of other industries.
From the macro perspective, it assists in reducing the deficit in the services account of the balance of payments through increasing foreign tourists inflow, and reducing foreign exchange outflows as a result of domestic leisure travel by Malaysians.
The tourism industry is currently Malaysia’s third most important industry in terms of foreign exchange earnings after the manufacturing and palm oil sectors.
Its contribution to GDP growth is about 7.2%, suggesting that the industry is still in its infancy and, hence, offers much scope for future growth.
According to the Malaysia Retail Industry Report 2007, Malaysians and tourists spent nearly RM67.1bil in 2007, a 12.8% growth from 2006, and the fastest expansion in 16 years.
Tourists accounted for 10% to 12% of sales during Visit Malaysia Year 2007. The largest number of tourist arrivals is from Asean countries, followed by Japan, China and Australia. Markets of growing importance include India and the Middle East.
Being a key component of the services sector, the thrust of achieving rapid tourism growth on a sustainable basis can offer the Malaysian economy numerous benefits, particularly now that fuel prices have soared and is taking a heavy toll on the costs of living globally.
But does Malaysia have what it takes to push its tourism sector to the forefront? Attractions are certainly one of the attributes of the tourism industry for a nation with a potpourri of influences and heritage.
The tourism base needs to be expanded and diversified so as to create a distinct and unique image of the country's natural and cultural resources. It should strive to establish an appealing Malaysian identity.
Resources alone are not enough for a successful tourism industry. While it serves as a crucial factor for development in the tourism industry, it also hinges inextricably on the quality of the training and education given to the people who are responsible for the delivery of these services.
After all, they are the frontliners and unofficial “ambassadors” for the country, who are in direct contact with the tourists who visit Malaysia.
As tourism is a people-intensive industry, education and training should be put in the forefront of tourism development.

This would mean that more effort could be expended to promote tourism-related careers, stimulating interest in the industry as a source of employment, not only within the industry but other related service industries, particularly food and beverages, accommodation, transport, entertainment, shopping and other small- and medium-sized industries.
For the tourism sector to reach its full potential, funds allocated should be managed and used for appropriate programmes.
Major agendas such as preservation and conservation of national historical sites and other tourism-related infrastructure must be properly planned and implemented.
Coupled with the bearish sentiments currently prevailing and expected in the near term, aggressive and innovative marketing efforts are necessary to further promote this industry so as to reap the full benefits and potential of this sector, besides giving it a competitive edge against its competitors like Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Being a highly competitive industry, the relevant agencies such as the Tourism Development Corp should also monitor and enhance its products or services vis-a-vis those available elsewhere in the region.
Emphasis should be given to the development of competitive tourism products or services to enhance foreign exchange earnings and savings.
It is imperative that the needs of the tourism industry are matched to that of other economic sectors, particularly the services industries, agricultural production, handicrafts or souvenir products and fisheries, so that they can develop simultaneously, mitigating any negative impact that may arise.
The cost of information is another issue affecting tourism in the country. Tourism is a very information- and knowledge-intensive industry and the search costs pertaining to it is substantial, especially if emerging markets are to be developed.
Experience has shown that promotions have to be continuously conducted before tangible results can be realised. Thanks to modern information technology, this could be easily undertaken jointly by the various relevant agencies instead of each going on its own.
Collaboration could also be jointly undertaken between Malaysia and other Asean countries in the sharing of market research, promotional, media and information supply costs.
Besides being cost efficient, Malaysia can certainly take advantage of the intra-regional tourism flows, and fully exploit this multi-billion ringgit industry.
The writer is a research fellow with the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research


<

Nobody will believe in you .... Unless you believe in yourself !

Ramsar Sites

A little bird told me........

What's a Ramsar site?
Name after a place in Iran, is an international convention on wetlands which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It was first established in 1971 and came into force in 1975.

Malaysia presently has 5 Ramsar sites:
1) Pulau Kukup State Park - Johore
2) Sungai Pulai Forest Reserve - Johore
3) Tanjung Piai State Park - Johore
4) Tasek Bera - Pahang
5) Kuching wetlands National Park - Sarawak

Benefits of being listed as a Ramsar site:
a) funding for management activities like forest management plan prepartion
b) enhanced protection
c) bio-diversity assessments
d) increased access to expertise

Sabah is proposing to conserve and permanently protect some 78,000ha of mangroves and forest reserve in the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama region, 250km from Kota Kinabalu ., which is 3 times the size of Kuala Lumpur.
Once approved, Sabah would have the largest Ramsar site in Malaysia.
With the listing, it would further raise the profile of Sabah's conservation efforts internationally and thereby create a positive effect on the state's growing nature-based tourism industry.

ref: The star-19Jul 2008

"When you keep saying that you will do it tomorrow, then your tomorow will never come"

A peep into what travel writers look for ...

A little bird told me......

I enclosed an article written by a travel writer for your reading pleasure. Note the following which are highlighted :
a) what places are covered
b) how wide are the areas covered
c) Activities planned for them
d) local cuisines that they sample
e) Types of hotels that they stay that would feature local architecture

HOLIDAYS ARE NEVER TOO LONG IN PAHANG

When a five-day familiarization excursion to Pahang for journalist and travel operators was organized by Tourism Malaysia recently, I knew this is one occasion not to be missed. Pahang with its alluring natural assets has always mesmerized me with its beauty and never-ending list of places to visit and things to do. It’s probably the love for nature or maybe more, I am not too sure but who can discount the fact that this state has more attractions than elsewhere in the country. Taman Negara National Park, Mount Tahan, Tioman Island, Cherating Beach, Bera Lake, Kenong Rimba National Park, Cameron Highlands, Genting Highlands, Fraser’s Hills – all of which are among the places that sits high on the list of Malaysia’s premier attractions, are located in Pahang.

Our journey started in Kuala Lumpur where the participants gathered at the Putra World Trade Centre to board a special coach for the length of the visit. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, I could only join the group in Kuantan

Earlier along the journey from Kuala Lumpur, the others in the special coach were brought to the Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary and Deerland – two animal sanctuaries located in the Lanchang area of the state, just two hours from the capital. The former is managed by the Wildlife and National Parks Department and was established to relocate troubled or troublesome pachyderms (which of course was not through the elephants fault), as well as rehabilitate chosen ones to help in the relocation process and to entertain visitors with rides and bathing together sessions in a stream that flows through the area.

On the other hand, an animal lover who created his sanctuary for the benefit of local deer manages Deerland. Here, visitors can also see and get to touch a friendly Malaysian Sunbear, which is a rare opportunity as these species are said to be the most aggressive among all bears. A friendly Python that seems to enjoy the human touch is also another popular resident here, along with peacocks, monkeys and other smaller animals.

It was late evening when the group arrived at the Swiss Garden Resort and Spa, Kuantan where its General Manager did a short introduction on the hotel and a mini tour followed. It is a popular hotel in the international standard category with nice huge rooms, several restaurants including one specializing in Chinese cuisines, a spa, fitness and business centres, a pub, a huge swimming pool and a nice stretch of beachfront.

Early next morning, we were taken to the Royal town of Pekan where the day started with a briefing ceremony on the upcoming Pekan Fest 2007, scheduled to take place from May 30 to June 3. It will be an inaugural event and among its highlights are an education fair, a career drive and awareness showcase, exhibitions of small and medium industries and Pahang traditional crafts, an auto and Motor Show, a Tourism Malaysia Showcase, a bazaar, water-based activities and musical performances.

We then proceeded to the Pahang State Museum and Watercraft Museum. The former is an old colonial building, which is an attraction in itself and its exhibits include Royal regalia, old photos of historical importance, weaponry of yesteryears, and traditional musical instruments.

The Muzium Watercraft is where you can see the glory of traditional boats, used long ago by people of importance. The vessels display intricate and colorful carvings and even the heads and shapes of mythical creatures are incepted into their designs.

The next stop was at Pulau keladi where the birthplace of Malaysia’s second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, is located. The house where he was born has been restored and contains some very nostalgic memorabilias, which include old bedroom sets, iron boards, utensils and a sewing machine.

In the vicinity is a traditional silk weaving centre specializing in producing a limited but exclusive number of ceremonial wears. We got to see the tedious and painstaking process involved in creating these masterpieces.
It was evening when we headed back to our hotel and along the way, we stopped at a popular roadside stall famous for its fried bananas and keropok Lekor, a traditional fish-based product, which is a favourite snack in the peninsula.

A short break to freshen up and we were set for Kuantan, this time for a night cruise up the Kuantan River followed with dinner at the jetty, hosted by the Kuantan Town Council.

The cruise was quite interesting as we were shown various fish landing places as well as fireflies, congregating at certain swaths of the mangroves along the river’s banks. However, it would be a good idea to get some protection from the damp wind, as it is an open-sided boat and the cruise was quite a chilly experience especially it being the rainy season at that time.

It wasn’t long before we had to check out of Swiss Garden for our next visit. This one had a little adventure added, as we were taken to the Tin Museum at Sungai Lembing, a town where time seemed to have stood still for a long time. The museum is an interesting and pretty building, located on a hillock with manicured slopes and pretty flowers. Inside is the insight to an old mine located nearby, which used to be the country’s biggest tin mine and still holds the record as the world’s deepest.

It was noon when we headed to the popular Sungai Pandan waterfall and recreational forest. This is a popular spot during the weekend and I would say, surely we are lucky to be here on a weekday. We had our best lunch for a long time, very traditional and courtesy of the forest park’s management.

Here, the magnificent waterfall drops down a huge wall and is an inviting respite for those seeking to cool off on a hot day. More alluring to me was the jungle slopes and stairways leading to the top of the drop, partly because I wanted a different view, having been here several other times before, and partly to burn off some food after over indulging during lunch. The trek up is relatively easy and standing among the huge rocks in the centre of a stream that is about to plunge more than a hundred metres as well as the magnificent view beyond make this short climb a memorable effort.

We then proceeded to the Balok Beach to see the opening ceremony of Monsoon Madness 2007, an international windsurfing event held during this period to take advantage of the high winds during the monsoon season.

We stayed the night at Impiana Resort Cherating, a hotel with wood and timber interior and rooms that combine traditional Malaysian and Balinese charms. The resort also boasts a long and quiet beachfront as well as a huge swimming pool and fun pub.

The hotel hosted our dinner, which mainly comprised barbecued specialties. A karaoke session was also organized and many of the group members managed to flaunt their singing skills.

We then visited the nearby Cherating Turtle Sanctuary and were shown some newly hatched turtles, which was later released to take on the perils of the open seas. They were such adorable creatures and it is quite heart wrenching to know that only one in a thousand will survive to adulthood.

Up again early on our final tour day and this time, it was to Pantai Sepat, a seemingly endless stretch of beach hosting a fishing community and offering sweeping views of Kuantan’s skyline, some 15km away.

We were to be taken from here to the Sharsha Riding Centre, which turned out to be a rehabilitation centre for injured or unwanted racehorses as well as a breeding centre for special breed of goats and cows. There is also a aviary with various species of local pheasants, Mandarin ducks, green and blue peacocks and hybrid pigeons.

However, stealing my interest was too adolescent short-tailed macaques. They looked and behaved very human and were rather handsome too. Vying for attention, they kept giving cheeky and forlorn looks and their keeper told me these little creatures can be quite naughty.

Our next and final hotel check-in was at MS Garden in Kuantan. It was a classy new hotel and located in a very centralized area of this sprawling town. Besides it is the Kuantan Megamall, a huge and enticing shopping complex that managed to lure all of us to do some minor shopping.

Dinner was at Tanjung Lumpur and was courtesy of Tourism Malaysia Pahang.

They surely took special effort to ensure we did not leave hungry. It was a seafood galore occasion with heaps of fried squid and huge prawns, Grouper, cockles, Blue crab, and more. I guess none of us will forget this huge feasting session.

World Heritage Sites

A little bird told me.......

Unesco accepts George Town and Malacca as World Heritage Sites
Malaysia’s first cultural World Heritage Site.

The historical sites of George Town and Malacca have been listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO –The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation at Quebec-Canada – a much sought after listing by nations across the globe.
The recognition will see historical and cultural properties in both cities to be listed on the Unesco World Heritage List.
Malaysia had been bidding for the prestigious listing since 2004.
PENANG
The core areas encompass the historical sites of George Town, including the Lebuh Acheh historical enclave and sites such as the Lebuh Acheh Malay Mosque, Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Kling Mosque, the Goddess of Mercy Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, Khoo Kongsi, St George’s Church, Assumption Church, St Xavier’s Institution, Convent Light Street, Little India, the museum and court building, the commercial area of Beach Street, Fort Cornwallis, Esplanade, City Hall, the clan jetties and the port areas.
MALACCA
In Malacca, the historical sites near the St Paul’s Hill, the 17th century Dutch Stadhuys buildings, Jonker Street with its Dutch-era buildings, Jalan Tukang Besi, Kampung Morten and Malacca River have been recognised as part of the world heritage sites.
George Town and Malacca were among the eight sites chosen by Unesco as the latest World Heritage Sites. The other sites are in Croatia, France, Papua New Guinea, San Marino, Slovakia and Germany.
Besides being better able to preserve the state’s rich heritage, UNESCO recognition would also bring in economic benefit for the people through the tourism and service industries following expected increase in tourist arrivals.
Sabah and the Mulu National Park in Sarawak were also inscribed as natural sites in the World Heritage List.
The recognition would bring benefit for the state in terms of funding for conservation and preservation work including gaining foreign expert assistance in joint exchange programs, and also an increase in heritage and historical tourism.
A permanent conservation and preservation unit would be set up by the city council to oversee the implementation of UNESCO’s guidelines, failing which it can also be taken away.
George Town, has been recognised for its largest concentration of pre-World War II buildings in South East Asia and multi-ethnic living heritage.
“Malays, Indians, Chinese, Eurasians, Armenians, Japanese, British, Jewish, Filipinos and other small nationalities have contributed to the development of George Town,” he said.

Ref: The Star - July 08 2008

A GOAL IS CREATED TWICE -- FIRST MENTALLY THEN PHYSICALLY....

Pointers for Bird Watching Questions

A little bird told me......

observe the bold letters within the script:
extrated from Virtual Malaysia:

KUALA GULA BIRD WATCHING HAVEN
A bird watcher's paradise,

Kuala Gula is a bona-fide eco tourism destination.People enjoy and appreciate Kuala Gula for its serenity, rural charm and plenty of bird life !

Though essentially a fishing settlement, Kuala Gula has in the past few years, become one of the favourite locations for bird-watching. Species such as the Milky Stork and Lesser Adjutants are just a couple of the attractions for bird enthusiasts, or birders, to spy for here. Aside from the resident varieties of kingfishers, egrets and species of shore raptors that are visible all year round, migrating fowls pass through in droves on their journey from the north to escape the winter. This journey takes place around October through March, marking the peak season when birders descend upon Kuala Gula's shores and mudflats to witness the spectacle.

Hiring nature guides in Kuala Gula is not a problem, provided you book in advance. The guides, many of whom are local residents trained by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) will take you to the best spots where you will be regaled by the sheer variety of migratory birds for as far as China, Japan, Russia and Mongolia.

Good pointers for questions pertaining to Eco-tourism

A little bird told me........

Extract from Editor’s Note – Virtual Malaysia Magazine
Good travel ideas with regards to eco-tourism

“ With its vast natural resources encompassing pristine 130-million year old tropical rainforests, rushing rapids , placid lakes, breathtaking shores and islands, as well as rugged landscapes, Malaysia today is becoming a favourite eco-destination for visitors from all over the world.

Coupled with easy access to seemingly remote sites as well as the availability of various categories of accomodation within easy distance, many natural places of interest in Malaysia are becoming choice destinations among nature loving travellers as well as endurance sports enthusiasts.

Attested by the rapidly growing number of extreme sportingevents as well as nature challenges in the country that see high international and local participation, we can safely say that Malaysia is fast securing a place as a favourite eco-venue in the region.

From less arduous feats like short jungle treks and angling to full-fledge extreme sporting events such as white-water kayaking, 4-wheel competitions, eco-challenges and rock climbing, the options awaiting eco-travellers and adventure-lovers abound.

Activities such as eco-challenges in Taman Negara and Kuala Kubu, kayaking down the choppy Kenaboi river, the punishing yet rewarding climb to the peak of Mount Tahan, and the vast potentials awaiting visitors to Kenyir Lake, all speak of the growing recognition of Malaysia's great outdoors and its timeless natural world.

With this recognition, comes greater awareness of nature conservtion, which Msia can proudly claim to have done wisely with it numerous state and national parks, forest reserves, marine parks as well as recreational forest reserves. There is one within easy reach from all major towns and cities and few places can boast of primeval natural destinations just less than an hour's drive from the capital or any major city in the country.

Growing public awareness and appreciation, which is also being fuelled by the increasing interest in eco-travel, spell a good future for the country's natural reserves, which may soon see Malaysia becoming a top eco-destination."

Badan Warisan

A little bird told me...............
Heritage Centre No2 Jln Stonor-houses the secretariat of Badan Warisan, which promotes a better understanding and appreciation of our nations's building heritage.
Do you know that it was one of the 1,150 govt quarters built in KL in the 1920s? It once serves as the residence for British officers during the colonial era. After independence, it housed families of senior members of the Malayan and Malaysian Govt.

Classified as a ClassIII govertment quarters- has a "Mock Tudor" style architecture.
1996- Badan Warisan took over from Hicom Properties which were using the site as its office since 1983.
The main building has now been adapted into rooms for exhibitions and meetings, a unique library and resource centre
Located amidst the modern development of Petronas in the vicinity, serves as a good reminder of our historical roots.
Heritage Garden, beside the building, is a project where 150 trees and other flora are planted, mainly indigenious, all of which have a historic, environmental or cultural significance for Malaysia.


Ref: New Sunday Times - Mar 16 2008

BEE.....BUSY- doing what you love to do !!

Windsor Castle Stint

A little bird told me ........

Do you know that the Royal Malay Regiment (RMR) guards at our National Palace will be having a 2 month public ceremonial duty at Windsor Castle starting Apr 29 2008 ?

They comprises of 20 soldiers and an officer of the First Battalion of the RMR. Our soldiers will be taking over the post from the British Regiment. The soldiers will be wearing their number one ceremonial costume with songkok and sampin made of songket.
They will assume duties as the Queen's Guards when they take over from the First Battalion Welsh Guards on May02 2008, where they will end their ceremonial duties on Jun 13 2008.

ref: NST Apr 29 2008

" To succeed ....do the best you can , where you are , with what you have "

Wellness Tourism

A little bird told me..............

Wellness tourism is a component of Health Tourism but is distinguished from medical tourism.

Tourism Malaysia has initiated a Wellness Zone project in Port Dickson to attract foreign tourist in 2007.
Project covers a 61km zone from Lukut to Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson.

Treatments offered within this zone:
a) Medical
b) Aesthetic
c) Cosmetic surgery
d) Dental services
e) Wellness and spa treatments
f) Traditional Medicine

To attract foreign businesses , following incentives are offered:

a) 10years tax exemption for income generated on services rendered to
foreign citizens
b) tax exemption for machines and equipment

Additional note:
Between 2-3m medical travellers worldwide, with the main bulk going to SouthEast Asia, North Asia and India.

( ref: NST BIZ NEWS - FEB 29 2008)

The KL - Putrajaya Highway

A little bird told me ................

Motorcyclists are banned from using the new KL-Putrajaya highway due to the narrow road shoulder of 1.5m.making it unsafe for motorcyclists.Space constraits being the reason.

The new highway which opened in Dec 2007 stretches a total length of 26km

Motorcyclists are similarly banned from the Ampang -Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH)and the SMART Tunnel. The ban is for safety reasons.

ref: nst Feb1 2008

ONE MAY SOMETIMES TELL A LIE, BUT THE GRIMACE THAT ACCOMPANIES IT TELLS THE TRUTH .- Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900, German Philosopher

FRIM- ISO9001:2000

A little bird told me..............

FRIM - Forest Research Institute of Malaysia- Kepong
Dec24 2007- FRIM has been awarded with ISO Certification in the field of Research
& Development and Support Services for the development of forestry sector.

Services includes the following:
FORESTRY: Aerial photo and satellite image interpretation service
: Forest certification
: Floral assessment
: Development of Forest management
: Environmental impact Assessment
: Forest survey
: Water sample analysis
: Feasibility study for the establishment of forest plantations
: Soil analysis
: Palms and Bamboo species identification

FOREST BIOTECHNOLOGY: Seed supply
: Seed testing
: DNA Sequencing
: Forestry forensic etc


FOREST PRODUCTS : Wood Analysis of Perservations
: Wood Biodegradation etc

RECREATIONAL MANAGEMENT & EDUCATION: Nature Trail Development etc

OTHER RECREATIONAL FACILITIES: Rental of a football field for family day
: Canopy walk etc

for full details refer http://www.frim.gov.my

ref: Jan252008 nst

Khoo Kongsi

A little bird told me ..................


one of Penang's most popular heritage house.The Chinese Khoo clan comprises surnames as follows: Cheah, Lim, Tan and Yeoh, where they originated from China's Sin Kang village, Sam Toh county, Hai Teng district and Chian Chew prefecture in the Hokkien province.
Clan houses has humble beginnings,slowly expanded and enhanced, but original design of the houses were kept intact.
Khoo Kongsi- comprises the clan house of Leong San Tong, a temple, opera stage administrative block, dwelling and shophouses.

Originally built to resemble the villages in China in the beginning of the 19th century. The house served as a place for ancestral and deity worship, as well as a venue for weddings and other family gatherings.

On the walls are remarkable carvings, engravings and murals, Every panel and beam bears a story of ancient China and the inculcation of basic characteristics like loyalty and filial piety. Each intricate carving, statue, painting and tile reflect the historical and cultural value of the Chinese.

1999- the movie The King and I ,starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yuan Fatt was filmed here.

ref: travel times Apr10 2007

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

A little bird told me .............

Named after this man who built this mansion to prove his wealth at the age of 40.
Building materials came from the west,design elements of the east., one of reason is to delight his foreign clients.
Came from China as labourer, strick it rich, by learning business techniques from his rich father-in-law.
Has 8 wives, the 7th wife stayed at this mansion.
Died at age 76 in Jakarta. Wife couldn't maintain the mansion and subsequently sublet the rooms.Slowly many of the furniture and fittings were removed by his children from the other wives.
1990- a group of heritage conservationists acquired it and completed the restoration work in 1997.
Ground floor- visitor's room , used for entertaining guests and business associates
Family room divided by a panel made of gold leaf carved in mother-of-pearl.
Feng Shui elements- bats, fruits, flowers- all in pairs carved onto the window panels, doors and beds

2000- won the Most Excellent Project Award of the Unesco Heritage Conservation Award
1995- won the National Architectural Award for Conservation.

Was the location site for the Hollywood film INDOCHINE staring Catherine Deneuve

Guided tours lasting 2 hours are conducted only 2 times a day, as it is believed that the spirit of the mansion cannot be disturbed.Photograpy of the mansion during the tour is not permitted.


ref: Travel Times-Apr10 2007

Heroes of olden times

A little bird told me...................

Below are a rundown listing of the heroes who stood up against the British colonial masters,pertaining to excessiive and unfair taxes and insensitive meddling in local affairs and customs

Perak : Datuk Maharaja Lela , Datuk Sagor
Kelantan : Tok Janggut( real name: Haji Mat Hassan bin Panglima Munas)
Pahang : Datuk Bahaman,Datuk Gajah,MatKilau,MatSeman(Mat Kelantan)
Naning(NS) : Datuk Dol Said
Terengganu : Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong
Sabah : Mat Saleh, Antanum
Sarawak : Sharif Masahor, Rentap, Banting, Asun , Rosli Dobi


NST-AUG128 2007

SMART Tunnel

A little bird told me ..............

Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel- SMART is an engineering feat of a storm water tunnel that can divert flood waters from the Klang River away from the city centre.Do you know that it was orignally meant as a flood relief tunnel only?
Strategically located in one of KL's most busy ring roads, it is also a motorway that eases traffic.
This is the world's 1st storm water tunnel with a built-in motorway capable of turning the highway into a secondary flood channel, with the use of the largest tunnel boring machines in South East Asia.
The coolest thing about this SMART tunnel is how it really works! It monitors the rivers and the gates control the amount of water in the tunnel. During a thunderstorm, the tunnel that you normally dirives through, you will now be seeing millions of gallons of water rushing through !! That's how amazing this SMART is !!


NST-Jan18 2008


"SUCCESS CONSISTS OF GOING FROM FAILURE TO
FAILURE WITHOUT LOSS OF ENTHUSIASM "
Winston Churchill

On Pineapples !!

A little bird told me .............

Do you know that in the 1960's and 70's, Malaysia was one of the world's top pineapple producers ?

Pineapples are planted both for the fresh fruit market and also for the canning market
Varieties planted for the fresh fruit markets are Maspine,Josaphine and Mauritius (EngKee) whereas for the canning market are the Gandol and N36.
Discarded pineapple skin are used to generate cattle feed !
Currently Pahang has about 58ha of pineapple farms, Kelantan has the largest area - 309ha, followed by Terengganu with 169ha.
Malaysa imports pineapples from Thailand and Indonesia to meet domestic demand.


ECER- East Coast Economic Region is allocating 7,400 hectars in Pekan and Rompin for pineapple cultivation, with about 2,000 ha for the fresh fruit market and 5,000 hectars with varieties suitable for canning .

ref: The Sun - Jan4 -Biz news

ALONE WE CAN DO SO LITTLE; TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH -Helen Keller, 1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author and Lecturer

On Chan Wing- the man who built our King's Palace

A little bird told me .................

Chan Wing- arrived in Malaya in 1887 as a coolie- struck it rich with the opening of the Hong Fatt Tin Mine in Sungai Besi.
He has in total 26 children with 9 wives .
Chan Wing was a staunch believer in the teachings of Confucious and accordingly, the lifestyle of the time was that many Chinese men took a few wives because they wanted sons to carry on the family lineage.
When he first came with his family to KL from HongKong in 1918, they lived in a house on Weld Road, the present Jln Raja Chulan.

Being a busines man, he even ventured into rubber plantations. He was attributed to be one of the founding members of the Kwong Yik Bank in 1913.
A good indication of his wealth and stature would be in 1922, his car was commandeered for use during the visit by the Prince of Wales who later became King Edward VIII of England. Possession of a car was a rare feat during those days.

Weld Road house became too small for his growing family. He purchased a 13acres piece of land and engage well known architecks Swann & McLaren to design "the biggest house in Malaya" then . 1929- he moved into the "Big House" wih his family.

2nd World War- the family fled to Cameron first, then subsequently fled to India where they waited out the war in Mussorie in India, till March 1946.
He later passed away 1947, at the age of 74..........

as narrated by Chan Wing's 8th child- daughter Chan King Nui

"IDEAS WITHOUT ACTION ARE WORTHLESS "
Harvey Mackay