Where the Japanese first landed .....

A little bird told me...


During the 2nd World War, Malaya was taken over by the Japanese, attacking from the state of Kelantan, which serves as their "frontline" state then, starting on Sunday, Dec 08 1941!   
Japanese attackers had poured down from ships and landing boats in bad weather to invade Kelantan.  They successfully overcame heavy gunfire from troops defending the beaches. Many Japanese soldiers died during this time. Some were drowned in the sea as the invasion took place during the stormy North East Monsoon which usually blows between the months of November - December., under the command of Lt -Gen Tomoyuki Yamashita, the infamous Tiger of Malaya.
Feb 15 1942- Singapore which was dubbed as an "impregnable fortress" fell to the Japanese. The chief planner of the invasion Tsuji actually targeted 100 days for the completion of the mission.. but it took less than a month , within 3 weeks, the whole of Malaya and Singapore fell.
          Today, remnants of the Japanese Occupation can still be found all over Kelantan, like pillboxes, railway tracks, old jetties, former iron mines, abandoned airfields, spent shells, bomb craters, old graves and stories of haunted houses and trees.
         With reference to the book published by an expatriate who has lived in Kelantan during this time, Datuk HL Wrigglesworth, he mentions that Kelantan was defended by the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade then under Brig-gen Berthold Wells Key.
     According to him, the troops in the Indian Regiment then were raw recruits, as young as 18, and had only fired only 50 live rounds at the shooting range. They were certainly no match for the experienced  and fierce Japanese Imperial Army, mosf of whom had already fought the war with the Chinese earlier on.
      These unites, named Dogras and Baluch manned the pillboxes along the beaches of Kuala Pa'Amat, Badang, Melawi, Bachok and Pantai Sabak, about 8km from Kota Bharu, along the coast  between Tumpat- on the northeast and Kuala Besut on the south east.  Built bu Indian engineers, about a km apart, they were manned by a rifle section, 2-3 Bren gunds, 15,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, 2days' rations and water.
   In Tempat, still evident  is a British pillbox, a triangular structure by the beach, the remnant of a sheltered harbour, many concrete pillars of a former jetty used by the Japanese.   There were also a concrete base of railway tracks, an iron mine tunnel, entrance to the shaft and a cable car station, with a Japanese sea plane base.  There is also a pillbox inside the Kota Bharu military camp and another by the Kelantan River close to the Lee Rubber Building now used for slaughtering and processing chicken.
    Close to the Pengkalan Chepa airpor, you will also be able to find a mass grave for the Japanese soldiers,  Incidentally, besides Japanese veterans who still come by to pay homage annually, you also see other regualar visitors like British and Australian veterans.  Their tour also covers Pantai Sabak, the pillboxes and War Museum or Bank Kerapu right in the heart of Kota Bharu.
     The War Musuem, built in 1911, is the oldest brick building in the state.  Visiting the War Museum would be a good place to get a good overview of the WW2 then.
    Worth a visit would be the Gullimard Bridge or Jambatan Kussial, built in 1923, which links Machang and Tanah Merah.  This bridge also acts as a rail and road bridge.  Unfortunately it was blown up by the British during WW2 and was repaired later by the British after the war.


ref: Travel Times - Apr 23 2004 By Sager Ahmad

Jan 28 -NST Property focus...The tin mine becomes a titan

Kuala Lumpur was a little tin mine frontier town, that grew into a mighty city and is now the epicentre of Malaysia.

It all began in 1847, when Chinese tin prospectors established an outpost near the confluence of Sungai Klang and Sungai Gombak (hen known as Sungai Lumpur). At the behest of Selangor ruler Raja Abdullah, they were to mine the rich tin depositories in the forest wilderness of Ampang, Pudu and Batu.

The tin mines prospered, elevating the simple settlement into a frontier town, initially dubbed "Kuala Berlumpur" before pioneer residents opted for a simplified version.

Lured by its economic potential, the township attracted migrant workers from across Asia and eventually drew the attention of the British empire in the 1880s.

Under British colonial influence, the wooden huts made way for brick masonry and KL began to take on a shape that is more reco

A little information on one of the oldest Malay settlement - Kg Baru

A little bird told me ....

2011- marks the 111yrs old for this Malay Agricultural Settlement (MAS) . Opened in 1899, it was gazetted by the British as a Malay Agricultural Settlement reserved for the resettlement of Malays in the city. The then Sultan Alauddin Sulaiman Syah Raja Muda Musa awarded this piece of land on the banks of the Kelang river for the resettlement of the Malays dwelling in the city that was prospering because of its tin mining activities.

The same period also saw the construction of the iconic Royal Selangor Club, Victoria Institution and the Sulan Adbul Samad building. This gazettement included the formation of an administrative board which derived its name from the acronmyn MAS. Today it is known as the Kampung Baru MAS Board.

The board, like a mini version of the DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) is responsible for the maintenance of drainage, repair of bridges and the pruning of trees. Its duties also includes enforcing the village bylaws, approve and regulate the lots of houses to Malay applicants and store and update the approved Registrar of Residents which has the details of name transfers and land acquisations.

Covering a total of 90ha, it is made up of seven Malay villages namely, Kg Periuk, Kg Pindah, Kg Hujung Pasir, Kg Paya, Kg Masjid Kampung Atas A and Kg Atas B, its residents are already in its 4th - 5th generations.

Many of the roads in Kg Baru were name after high ranking British officers, Examples

Jln Raja Muda Abdul Aziz -- Princess Road

Jln Haji Yahya Sheikh Ahmad - Watson Road

Jln Raja Abdullah - Hale Road

Jln Raja Alang - Perkins Road

ref: NST Jan11 2011- Streets

Street Stories

A little bird told me ....

Interesting read....

Street stories : Aug 31 2010 New Straits Times

Here are some of the streets in the Klang Valley and the people whom they are named after : ( Names in brackets are the earlier names of the streets)

1. Jalan Syed Putra ( Lorney Drive)

Honours Raya Syed Putra Syed Hassan Jamalullail, the third Yang di- Pertuan Agung. He was the last king of Malaya and the first king of Malaysia and the only king that Singapore ever had in modern history, as Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965.

2. Jalan Tun H S Lee ( Jln Bandar or High Street )

Honours Malaysia’s first Finance Minister ( 1957 – 1959) Tun Sir Henry Lee Hau-Shik

3. Jalan Cheng Lock (Foch Avenue)

Pays tribute to the first President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA)

4. Jalan Tun Tan Siew Sin (Jln Silang or Cross Street )

Honours Malaya’s first Minister of Commerce and Industry and third President of the MCA. He was the son of Tun Tan Cheng Lock

5. Jalan Tun Sambanthan ( Jln Brickfields )

Named after Tun VT Sambanthan, the 5^th President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and one of those who fought for independence along with Tan Cheng Lock and Tunku Abdul Rahman

6. Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi

Named after Burhanuddin Muhamad Nur al-Hilmi, a former President of Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS)

7. Jalan Tun Dr. Ismail

Recognises the contributions of Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, who was elected Vice President of UMNO in 1951. He was Malaysia’s first ambassador to the United States of America. In 1970, he became the second Deputy Prime Minister of the country

8. Jalan Travers

Named after the State Surgeon of Selangor from 1891-1987, Dr Ernest Aston Otho Travers

9. Jalan Loke Yew

Named after a famous businessman, tin miner and philanthropist, Wong Loke Yew. Thamboosamy Pillai, Yap Kwan Seng and Loke Yew were instrumental in setting up Victoria Institution.

10. Jalan Belfiedl

Named after the British Resident of Negri Sembilan and later of Selangor.

11. Jalan Stonor

Named after Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor, the British Resident of Selangor

12 . Jalan Athinahappan

Recognizes the contributions of Senator Tan Sri Athi Nahappan who was MIC’S deputy President in 1976 and also a Law Minister. He headed a Royal Commission to gather feedback on the need to continue with local council elections.

13. Jalan PP Narayanan ( Jalan 222)

Named after Malaysian Trade Union Congress President PP Narayanan who was known as “Bapa Pekerja Malaysia”.

14. Jalan Aminuddin Baki

Honours the former General Counsul of Education Malaysia (today’s Education Director-General) who is generally considered the ‘Father of Education”.

15. Jalan Kia Peng

Named after Choo Kia Peng a businessman.

Thaipusam

A little bird told me.....

Thaipusam is round the corner. Once again, Batu Caves which is approximately 15km north of KL will be filled to the brim with both devotees and tourists (local and foreign) with plenty of activities abound.

What exactly is the story behind this massive celebration? Perhaps this article from the New Straits Times would shed some light particularly to those who are rather curious with this phenomenal turn out annually.....

Celebrating power of good over evil

2010/01/29

By Ling Poh Lean and Nusaybah Mohd Asri

PETALING JAYA: Thaipusam is a festival celebrated by Hindus during the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai which is usually in the month of January or February.It is celebrated in conjunction with the birth of Hindu god Lord Muruga, the youngest son of Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati.

Mythologies have it that a long, long time ago, the world was torn apart by an infernal war between the Devas (celestial beings) and the Asuras (evil forces or demons).

Tired of constant attacks from the Asuras, the Devas paid homage to Lord Shiva and asked for his protection. Moved by their plight, Lord Shiva agreed to help the hapless Devas.

Lord Shiva opened the central eye on his forehead, radiating six sparks of fire. At the convergence of these sparks and through a series of celestial transformation, Lord Muruga appeared.

Lord Muruga brought forward this powerful divine personality to defeat the tyrannous Soorapadme -- the meanest and most powerful of the Asuras.

Armed with a Nyanya Vel (golden spear) presented to him by Lord Shiva, Lord Muruga went into battle with the evil forces.

Finally, Lord Muruga slew Soorapadme. The divine converted one portion of the slain enemy into a peacock as his vehicle and the other portion into a cockerel adorning his banner.

Lord Muruga is considered the very manifestation of valour, beauty, youthfulness, vitality, masculinity and the abode of happiness.

Thaipusam celebrates the very essence of Lord Muruga and the power of good over evil.

Lord Muruga is also known by many other names such as Lord Subramaniam and Lord Arumugam.

Balayogi Swamigan, the head of Thirumurugan Thiruvakku Thirupeedom, who is also the national adviser for Hindu temples and societies said apart from carrying offerings for Lord Muruga on Thaipusam day, devotees could also start presenting their offerings 10 days before the actual day.

"But of course, presenting offerings on Thaipusam day itself is always better because on that day, the sun, moon and Pusam (Jupiter) will be aligned in a line according to celestial calculations."

Devotees offer, among others, milk, curd, sugar, flowers, sugar cane, fruit juices, sandal wood paste and honey while rose water is used during the holy bath of the gods.

According to Swamigan, different offerings will bring different blessings to the devotees.

"Milk gives knowledge and long life, sugar is believed to relieve devotees of debts, sandal wood paste will bless the devotees with children and yellow flowers symbolises prosperity."

Swamigan also said that unlike Deepavali, Thaipusam was a religious ceremony where the main purpose of the festival was to bring offerings to God and celebrate the birth of Lord Muruga.

He said the offerings were carried using the kavadi. "Devotees are required to fast before they carry the kavadi and some devotees pierce their cheeks with skewers," Swamigan said, adding that devotees would usually fast for either three, 15, 30 or 45 days.

He added that they would fast during the day and consume only vegetarian food at night.

Swamigan added that the purpose of fasting was to ease the devotees' mind so that they could relate better with God.

However, he added that the size of the kavadi, the number of days they should fast or the offerings were not the main elements to show devotion.

"We must carry the offerings of love to God and not show off that we are strong by carrying a big kavadi or being pierced with a long skewer. It is all about faith."

On Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum

A little bird told me.....

Located near to the A Formosa fortress gate of the Porta Santiago, this replica of the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum would provide a good insight into how magnificent and cool the palace would be in the days of the Malacca Sultanate. It is indeed ironic that the Sultanate started off in the state of Malacca and now, there is no more Sultan in Malacca.

By the might and will of the sultan 2009/11/06 New Straits Times GOMATHY RAMASAMY

Royal items of personal adornment like combs and jewellery are among the exhibits in the museum.

GOMATHY RAMASAMY tentatively steps inside the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum, a resplendent building that has ancient treasures, rare artifacts, precious gems — everything, it seems, except an ordinary nail to hold it all together

‘Guards’ are everywhere as expected in a palace, where only members of the royal family and the gentry were allowed to move freely.

The royal dress codes are preserved and exhibited in beautiful glass cases. — Pictures by Rasul Azli Samad

MALACCA: In a World Heritage City filled with historic buildings and architectural landmarks, the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum stands out. Not for its roofs, although they are grand and steep enough. Not for its enclosed porches, even if it has seven of them.

It is its simple act of standing that is the cause of wonder, for the exquisite example of Malay architecture was built without the use of a single nail.
Add to that the equally improbable fact that the museum's design and construction were based entirely on a description contained in the book Sejarah Melayu, or The Malay Annals (Sulalatus Salatin), and one realises that one is about to enter a remarkable building indeed.

Its curator, Nurazimah Mat Ali, said the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum is a clone of Sultan Mansur Syah's palace, which was built around 1465, as described in Sejarah Melayu.

"Only high quality wood was used to build the museum, and no nails at all. The walls are made of cengal, the floors of resak. The roof is built with the most expensive wood of all, belian," Nurazimah said.

The museum was built in 1984 and named the Cultural Museum. It was officially opened by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed on July 17, 1986.

"Although Malacca no longer has a sultan, the country's monarchy system has its roots in the ancient Malacca sultanate.

"We therefore built a replica of a Malay palace in the city to represent a significant period in the history of the state," she said.

Some contemporary architecture and décor have been adapted to suit present conditions. But these small concessions to modern times have neither diminished its grandeur nor called into question its authenticity.

Wood is predominant throughout. Apart from providing the shell and structure, it is carved into fine and detailed traditional decorative pieces to add beauty.

There is a magnificent throne room filled with art pieces and artifacts, lavish bedroom suites, a royal treasury and a "forbidden garden" for the sultan's exclusive use.

The istana did not only serve as the home of the sultan, but it was also the centre of the state's administration. This is clearly depicted at the Balairong Seri at the entrance of the museum.

Other sections display recreated scenes of historical events like the battle between Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat, and palace activities in its heyday. There are also miniature replicas of traders from Java, Arab, Gujarat and Siam.

"The forbidden garden with colourful flowers was once the playground of princesses," said Nurazimah.

"The istana would also have a wall or fence that is guarded by sentries under the charge of a bentara. It was off-limits to the common folk.

"Only the immediate relatives of the sultan and members of the gentry were allowed to move freely inside the istana.

"But since this is a museum, we don't need the walls."

The museum is open daily from 9am to 5.30pm. The entry fee is RM2 per adult and 50 sen per child.

'Beijing' mosque a tourist attraction

A little bird told me.....

Hm.. some interesting facts about mosque in Kelantan..

Even though Kelantan is a state where the majority of the population are

Muslim based, what impresses me about Kelantan is that it can

boast of other religious places of worship that is unique.. !

One of which is this article below......

NST Online 'Beijing' mosque a tourist attraction

National Museum

A little bird told me....

A museum is certainly a good place to learn about the culture of the country and also the history..

Well, imagine if this building that is depicting the history of Malaysia is a history in itself....

Click on this link and you'll know what I mean...

Travel * NST Online

Traditional Malay House- Rumah Pak Abu Seman

A little bird told me.....

There are plenty of quaint malay houses around Malaysia that captures the imagination of foreigners. To many of us Malaysian city folks, a malay kampung house is just a humble wooden abode of yesteryears.

There is much thought and creativivity spent in building the house the way it is and one of the best place for city folks in Kuala Lumpur to view it, is in the compound of Badan Warisan Msia located at Jln Stonor, which is about a stone's throw away from our Craft Cultural Complex.

The house that is being refered to is the Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman (RPAS) built in the early 20th century. It was home to penghulu ( Headman) Abu Seman Nayan of Kampong Sungai Kecil, a village in Bagan Samak, Bandar Baru, Kedah.

Badan Warisan Msia, stumbled upon this beautiful piece of architecture in a dilapidated state in 1996. With the aim of restoring it to its former glory, BWM brought it to Kuala Lumpur. It was literally moved to its present location, because like almost all traditional Malay dwellings, they are designed to be movable.

It was dismantled bit by bit and relocated from Kedah to Jalan Stonor in 1996, where it was eventually conserved in its original condition.

The main portion of the house, known as the rumah ibu, was originally built for a Tok Taib of Kampung Paya Takong.

After his passing, Abu Seman bought the structure, dismantled it and relocated it to Kampung Sungai Kechil in 1924. In view of his position as headman, the house was gradually extended to include the ruang makan/dapur (dining and kitchen areas) and later the balai which housed Abu Seman's office. Upon his death, Abu Seman's son Ibrahim inherited the house and title. However, as Ibrahim had no son to succeed him upon his death, the house was left vacant.

A traditional malay house is designed to provide either shelter or protection for its occupants. They are built on stilts to shield occupants from floods, the threat of wild animals and to provide ventilation as air circulates through the floor boards and into the house and out from the roof.

The deep eaves gives shade to the windows, while the clay tiles, which although not typical of most old Malay houses(attap being the more afffordable alternative), absorb water when it rains, and helps to cool the house. The carved wooden panels and windows all around the house also provide good ventilation.

The rumah ibu, is higher than the rumah tengah or the balai, reflecting the hierarchical concept in Malay society. The crescent moon and star which are carved on the front gable of the house indicates that the property belongs to a Muslim. Even the carvings on the wooden panels are floral or abstract because in Islam, living creatures are not shown.

The arch at the entrance of the house is low so that guests will have to bow as they entered the house. Its a sign of respect.

Old malay houses are usually also devoid of bulky living or dining room furniture because all the spaces in the house are multi-functional , with occupants entertaining guests, and praying, eating and sleeping there.

The main portion of the house is called rumah ibu, because in the old days, the matriarch of the family, with the assistance of a bomoh, would perform a ritual to determine the location of the tiang seri or main pillar of the house.

During the relocation process, an old coin dated 1916 was found under this main column, perhaps indicating that the rumah ibu was originally built around that time.

The Rumah Pak Abu Seman has been open to the public since Nov 1997 and guided tours are conducted twice a day at 11am and 3pm except Sundays and public holidays. Entry is by a minimum RM10 donation per person.

Ref: NST jUN 25 2009

World Heritage Sites

Since Malacca and Georgetown in Penang has been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage site in Jul 2008, we as Tour Guides has never failed to highlight this point to all our tourists each and every time we bring guests into these 2 cities.

Some guides will just "parrot" the phrase as required. I chanced upon this article and would like to share some insights into this often repeated phrase and hope that it would serve to enlighten whoever is in need of it and particularly to those who visits my blog to gather information .

Ref: Malacca Guide

WHAT IS WORLD HERITAGE?

World Heritage is the designation for places on earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. Places as diverse and unique as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, the Taj Mahal in India, the Grand Canyon in the USA, or the Acropolis in Greece are examples of the 788 natural and cultural places inscribed on the World Heritage List to date.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A SITE TO BE INSCRIBED ON THE LIST?

Once a country signs the Convention, and has sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, the resulting prestige often helps raise awareness among citizens and governments for heritage preservation. Greater awareness leads to a general rise in the level of its protection and conservation given to heritage properties. A country may also receive financial asssistance and expert advice from the World Heritage Committee to support activities for the preservation of its sites.

WHAT IS THE CONVENTION?

The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage is an international agreement that was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1972. It is based on the premise that certain places on Earth are of outstanding universal value and should therefore form part of the common heritage of mankind. The countries who ratify the Convention (State Parties) have become part of an international community, united in a common mission to identify and safeguard our world's most outstanding natural and cultural heritage. While fully respecting the national sovereignity and without prejudiceto property rights provided by national legislation, the States Parties recognize that the protection of the World Heritage is the duty of the international community as a whole.

The UNESCO World Heritage Convention is a treaty that has become, over the past 30years, the foremost international legal tool in support of the conservation of the world's cultural and natural heritage. Today, 178 countries (called States Parties) have ratified the Convention, making it an almost universally accepted set of principles and framework of action.

BENEFITS OF RATIFICATION

The over arching benefit of ratifying the World Heritage Convention is that of belonging to an international community of appreciation and concern for universally significant properties that embody a world of outstanding examples of cultural diversity and natural wealth.

The State Parties to the Convention, by joining hands to protect and cherish the world's natural and cultural heritage, express a shared commitment to preserving our legacy for future generations.

The prestige that comes from being a State Party to the Convention and having sites inscribed on the World Heritage List often serves as a catalyst to raising awareness for heritage preservation.

A key benefit of ratification, particularly for developing countries, is access to the World Heritage Fund. Annually, about US$4million is made available to assist State Parties in identifying, preserving and promoting World Heritage sites. Emergency assistance may also be made available for urgent action to repair damage caused by human-made or natural disasters. In the case of sites included on the List of World Heritage in Danger, the attention and the funds of both the national and the internationl community are focused on the conservation needs of these particularly threatened sites.

Today, the World Heritage concept is so well understood that sites on the List are a magnet for international cooperation and may thus receive financial assistance for heritage conservation projects from a variety of sources.

Sites inscribed on the World Heritage List also benefit from the elaboration and implementation of a comprehensive management plan that sets out adequate preservation measures and monitoring mechanisms. In support of these, experts offer technical training to the local site management team.

Finally, the inscription of a site on the World Heritage List brings an increase in public awareness of the site and of its outstanding values, thus also increasing the tourists activities at the site. When these are well planned for and organized respecting sustainable tourism principles, they can bring important funds to the site and to the local economy,

UNESCO WORLD Heritage Centre

Masjid Negara

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

The Architect behind our National Mosque- Datuk Baharudin Abu Kassim recently received the Gold Medal Award - highest Malaysian accolade an architect can ever achieve from PAM (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia). Among some of his most outstanding Malaysian iconic buildings are the Komtar Tower in Penang,

the UBN Tower-Shangri-La Hotel complex in Kuala Lumpur,

the Shah Alam state mosque in Selangor

and of course our National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Upon his return from UK in 1958, Datuk Baharudin was attached to the Federal Town Planning Department and subsequently the Public Works Deepartment (PWD). He and his team were tasked with building a mosque that was to be uniquely Malaysian and without the onion-shaped domes that characterize mosques in the Middle East.

MASJID NEGARA

Built for RM10million in the early 1960s, the mosque located in the capital of Kuala Lumpur is one of the Public Works Department’s most important projects after the country’s independence. When the 13.5 acre site was opened in 1960, earth by the thousand-loads was moved there by lorries from the Selangor Club Padang, now known as Dataran Merdeka.

Meant to be a National Heritage monument, construction was funded by donations from citizens of new Malaysia. The first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman declined to have the mosque named after him, instead opting for “Masjid Negara” instead.
It was also his directive to have the mosque located near the KL Railway station so that it’d be within comfortable walking distance for worshippers and visitors. Describing the mosque as a modern tropical building in the country, its most striking feature is its unique umbrella-shaped roof: Intended as a place of prayer for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the roof serves as a very identifiable representation of the umbrella that is always held over the King’s head.
Originally planned to accommodate 8,000 worshippers at any one time, the verandah was expanded in the 1980s to enable the mosque to house up to 14,000 worshippers.

Ref:NST 15May 2009- Property section

Putrajaya Challenge Park

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

Putrajaya-Garden City and Intelligent City.! That's the catch phrase that epitomises what Putrajaya stands for!
Putrajaya was designed to incorporate 12parks, namely as follows:

1) Putra Perdana Park - 1st park that was opened
2) Botany Park
3) Taman Pertanian Warisan - Agricultural Heritage Park
4) Taman Wawasan - Vision Park
5) Taman Wetlands - Wetlands Park
6) Taman Rimba Alam - Forestry Park
7) Taman Selatan - South Park

And the latest park schedule for opening in Jun 2009 is the Putrajaya Challenge Park.
Located in the southern part at Precinct 5 and 30, it covers a total area of 46.73 ha in the South Park.

A Park meant for extreme sports, possibly the largest in South East Asia, it incorporates three key elements designed to give extreme thrill and excitement. Costing RM38mil, the extreme sports comprises a Wall Climbing Complex, Skate Park and a Bike Trail.

During the construction, every effort is being take to preserve the park's topography. Slope disturbance is kept to a minimum, with landscaping done along the natural contours so that sports enthusiasts can appreciate the flora and fauna while enjoying their sports.
Recreational sports like jogging and walking are also available.
Facilities within the park includes warm-up rooms, changing rooms, administrative block, cafeteria,kitcen area, a surau and parking bays.

WALL CLIMBING COMPLEX

At the height of 2100 sq m, it is a colourful trapezional climbing wall stretching 42m wide, 42m long and 20m high. Its divided into beginners' wall, competition wall, speed wall , advance wal and boulder, all to cater to both the novice and experienced climbers.
The competition wall is said to be the highest in the world. Climbing equipment will be available for rental.
A special kiddie wall is also contructed for kids to experience the thrill of wall climbing.

SKATE PARK
With a size of 2.600 sq metre, Skate Park is designed for skating activities with numerous bowl steps, railings and mini-vert ramps.


THE BIKE TRAIL


Consist of two components,

1) Free Ride Park
2) Fun Bike Park

Free Ride Park offers a 9.1 km trail for mounain biking with obstacles like the core trail loop, XCloop, downhill, downhill fun ride, free cross and slope style line.
It is built within the jungle setting with natural canopies for shade.

The Fun Bike Park is suitable for pump track biking, dirt jumps with north shore element and slope-style jumps.
The Ridgeline Park or natural metropolitan park is built within the Challenge Park to offer basic facilities such as look out tower, gazebo, platforms and foottrails.

Ref: The star Metro Mar 17 2009

MEEC--Showcasing Malaysia to the World !

A little bird told me.....


This magnificent building never fails to catch the visitor travelling on a bus or car as it slowly looms into view along the highway heading towards the northen part of Kuala Lumpur.

Its none other than the MENARA MATRADE. From afar, its architectural archway, seems to give the feeling of power leading on to a whole new world of possibililites and wonderment !

The 24storey building houses the MALAYSIA EXPORT EXHIBITION CENTRE (MEEC), the podium, Tower Block, Amphitheatre and Outdoor Exhibition Area.

MATRADE is the acroymn for Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, which functions as an export promotion agency under the Ministry of Internanational Trade and Industry.

THE MEEC is the perfect venue for companies to showcase their products and services to the world. The sole purpose of the MEEC is to exhibit Malaysian products to prospective foreign buyers and incoming trade delegations.

Through this service, MEEC, hopes to help SME's leap-frog into the export market. MEEC also provides officers that are capable of handling queries regarding products and services on behalf of exhibiting SME's. When interest is indicated by visitors, MATRADE organises individual business meetings for further discussions.

It is part of MATRADE's objectives to ensure that trade visitors arriving for buying missions visit MEEC. Therefore, SME's that are export ready are urged to use th MEEC to gain the exposure they need to launch their products and services internationally.

Interested SME's however are required to undergo an extensive evaluation process, to ensure that products and services showcased represent the best of Malaysia, offering foreign buyers validation as well as increased confidence in making their buying decisions. There is a yearly fee charged for the display of products and services. MEEC is open from 9am-5pm on weekdays.

To find out more visit MEEC or www.matrade.gov.my

PICC- Jewel in the making !

A little bird told me.....

Further to my previous article on the PICC, here's some additional useful information . Starting with the halls:

GRAND HEADS OF STATE HALL
Accomodating 59 heads of states and 121 advisers with rooms for bodyguards, note-taking and interpreters, this hall certainly exudes power and influence within its walls.

PERDANA HALL
With songket being its motive, functions like banquets, cocktail parties and themed events are held here. The hall comes with a five star kitchen that caters a variety of palate enhancing cuisine.

PLENARY HALL
The largest hall at PICC, it can accomodate 2,000 people. It comes with royal boxes, viewing galleries and interpreter rooms. Its mengkuang design, excellent accoustics and natural lighting makes conferencing here extra special.

UNITY HALL
Made up of 2 halls that are positioned by operatable walls. A little smaller than the Plenary hall, these 2 halls can serve as venues for more intimated banquets, seminars or exhibitions.

Individual rooms for smaller meetings are also available , all designed to ensure comfortable interaction.
A lounge on the ground floor is also available with clustered seating and serving bar providing a welcoming resting area. There, visitors can keep an eye on proceedings through the TV screens in real time.

TWO ENTRANCES
are available to allow event managers to organise delegate arrivals and departures. There is also a helipad nearby for convenience and emergencies.

Communication and interaction is also made effortless with PICC'S cutting-edge information and communications technology facilities., like information kiosks and wireless LAN, wireless simultaneous interpretation system, provision for live television broadcast and coverage, holographic rear projection systems, facilities, events and maintenance management system, video-conferencing system, video and bill-board messaging system and plasma display/LDC.

Heralding the Lunar Chinese New Year

A little bird told me.....

Jan26 2009 - marks the 1st day of the Chinese Lunar Year. Within the Chinese community, which makes up the 2nd largest community in the multi-racial mix population of Malaysia, preparations are already being taken to welcome the year of the Golden Ox. Everything is being done to capture the auspicious meaning during this time.
PUNS

The Chinese are good at playing puns, borowing of auspicious sounding terms and tones from phrases for its propitious meanings to be applied in their daily doings. This reaches pandemic level during the Chinese New Year. The Chinese culture which is steeped in tradition, has always emphasised on what certain words or phrases denote. These rules of thumb are drawn from inferences and handed down as tradition from one generation to the next.

BEFORE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR ARRIVES
"HUI GAU YING SAN"

Spring cleaning starts as early as a month before. But the frenzy really begins a week before the lunar year.

Old items such as furniture, clothes and shoes are thrown away and replaced with new ones to signify a new year and a new beginning, with a phrase that goes with it as follows... "Hui gau ying san." which means to throw out the old and take in the new.

Some families will also take this opportunity to clean the ancestral tablet because its the time of the year when dieties go "on leave". This is also the reason why temples cease carrying out wish-making sessions during that tw0-week duration although people can still visit to pray.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

The whole festive mood officially starts on the eve of the Chinese Lunar Year, which holds much importance as its the day of reunion

The rice container will be filled to the brim, as also with the fridge be stuffed full with vegetables, fish and meat to signify surplus and ensures FUNG YI JUK SIK (enough to cloth, enough to eat)

REUNION DINNER

During the reunion dinner, its important to have all family members present to mark completeness and fullness. This emphasis has its roots in ancient times, when people worked far, far away from home and come back only for two to three days a year. It is on this day that they would gather with the closest of kin to celebrate the mark of a new year after a year of not seeing each other.

But of course in our present times, things have changed and people no longer keep to this tradition with such obedience because family gathers quite frequently these days. Nevertheless, the reunion dinner still holds much significance.

For those who still follows the tradition strictly, it almost a must to have prawns ( HA),fish (YUE) and chicken (GAI) because their pronunciation matches that in auspicious phrases of HEE HA DAI SIU ( Hearty laughter), LIN LIN YAU YUE ( surplus for every year) and GEI YIP GUNG GU (stable foundation in business).

During the consumption of the fish, care must be taken not to break the bone, and also the head and tail must be left intact, to be in line with another phrase that goes like this YAU TAU YAU MEI meaning that there is an end to every thing that is started.

1ST DAY OF CHINESE NEW YEAR

On the morning of the first day, new clothes of happy colours such as red, orange or yellow will be worn. Breakfast would be accompanied with chinese dessert ( Tong Shui) signifying sweetness and MIN SUM ( noodles) will be served, which symbolises longevity. Some will refrain from consuming meat during the first half of the day, Some activities are also considered a no-no on this day, like sweeping the floor, washing and hanging out clothers to dry.

This is the time that children loves.... they'll be receiving " ang pows" which are money tokens given to children put into red packets, and also traditonally from any married person to singles.

This practise has caught on with the Malaysian society that, during this time, you'll find that banks, shopping complexes, stores, big corporations will all be having red packets printed in their company's name and logo, to be handed out to customers. This is also a good time for them to get free advertisement as their red packets will be distributed far and wide as the Chinese community throughtout Malaysia will be handing out "ang pows" for the full 15days of the Chinese New Year!

2nd day marks the beginning of the year. HOI LIN. Wishes like praying for the prosperity of the business, everything will be smooth sailing and the whole family to be in the best of health are commonly wished upon . This is also the day when visitation to homes of relatives and friends would be conducted.

7th day of the New Year

Celebration of YAN YAT (Everybody's birthday). Its on this day where the popular YEE SANG (raw fish salad) delicacy is being served. Ingredients of YeeSang includes pickled ginger, shredded vegetables, lime, raw fish, raw cuttle fish and sauces.

Tossing the ingredients LOU SANG signifies SANG SANG MANG MANG (good health) and also the higher you tossed, its believe that you will be able to climb up higher in the corporate ladder and advance higher in your career and business.

9th day of the New Year

Traditionally known as the birthday of the Jade Emperor of Heaven.
Mainly celebrated by the Hokkiens, they offered thanksgiving prayers to the Jade Emperor of Heaven . It was on this day that the Hokkiens managed to escape from being killed.

15th day - CHAP GOH MEI

A Hokkien term which means " 15th night", the Hokkiens celebrates this day with the Chingay- which is a parade where stilt walkers parade the streets to the beat of drums, gongs and cymbals.

This is the day when many singles takes to the lakes and rivers to throw oranges with the hope of finding a suitable partner in life.

Being a multi racial society, Malaysia is indeed a land of many festivals. Decorations at shopping malls will change their decorations to be in line with the festivals. So, this time of the year, red lanterns will be dotting the main streets of Kuala Lumpur, and of course not forgetting Petaling Street which is Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown. Whenever there's sound system, you will surely be hearing rhythms of the Chinese New Year songs blaring out to put everybody, be they Chinese or non-Chinese to hum along to the tunes.......GONG XI FATT CHAI... which means... Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year !

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!