May 13: TI-M head Wesak Day:

Recollections & disputes A time for

Reconciliation Christian giving
p 12 & 13 state claim p 4 p 15

community May 20 — 22, 2011/ issue 25

By William Tan

PETALING JAYA: Dilapidat-

ed low-cost flats throughout Sel-
angor may get a new lease of life if
a pilot programme to rehabilitate
such homes is successful. Keeping abandoned babies
The ambitious and first-of-its- safe: Faizah Mohd Tahir (left)
kind project is being carried out by demonstrating the use of the
the Petaling Jaya City Council baby hatch as local celebrity
(MBPJ) in collaboration with Veri- Datin Sofia Jane looks on.
tas Design Group, a private com- • Story on page 10
pany, and Rumah Air Panas, a
community-based charity.
The single block at the  Taman
Maju Jaya apartments here, which
houses 59 families, will be the first
to undergo the transformation,
which includes renovations and re-
furbishments while keeping the
physical aspects intact.
"All works are based on the deci-
sions made by the residents," said
social activist Wong Hay Cheong.

Facelift for old flats

Wong, who mooted the idea,
pointed out that many of the resi-
dents were forced to move into the
flats when squatter settlements were
demolished, but the buildings and
facilities were hardly adequate.
“The entry of Veritas Design
Group, which has contributed Wong said the private firm is car- Their architects, using the latest architect Iskandar Razak. obtain what they need from  their
RM100,000 and the skills [of their rying out the project as part of its technologies and techniques, will Iskandar added that it was very business contacts.
architects], means that is going to Corporate Social Responsibility remodel the building on a tight difficult to obtain commitments “Despite it all, this is a very im-
change,” said Wong. (CSR) programme, having spent the budget, which is estimated to be less from various parties at the start of portant project for us as we believe
As many as 50,000 families were last two years laying the groundwork than RM500,000. the project, with funding still a seri- that a city should not be inhabited
relocated to low-cost flats between for the project. “It is very challenging; almost ous issue. by the wealthy only, but by every
2000 and 2008 under former Men- The company has been liaising everything needs to be redone. The The success of the project rests on strata of society. In a way, we are re-
teri Besar Dr Khir Toyo's Zero with the families regularly to get wiring is horrible, the roof is leaking, sponsorships for the various compo- juvenating the city,” said Iskandar.
Squatter policy which has been crit-
LB_246391_Sun_m14.ai 1 feedback
5/12/11 9:56 on
PM their needs and help and the septic tank emits an awful nents, such as the supply of metal If the pilot is successful, the com-
icised for creating high-rise ghettos. them decide on practical solutions. stench,” said Veritas Design Group parts, and the company hopes to • Turn to page 2
2
News
May 20 — 22, 2011

Kg Kerandang squatters
told to withdraw TOL claim
By Brenda Ch'ng
SHAH ALAM: The state govern-
ment is advising the 375 illegal
squatters of Kampung Kerandang
to withdraw their claim for the
land’s Temporary Occupational
Licence (TOL).
“We found out that only six
families are actually living on the
land, and we will help them keep
their houses.
“However, those who are trying
to take advantage of the situation
will not be entertained,” said Tan
Sri Khalid Ibrahim.
The Menteri Besar said the 12
acres of land which the six families
live on will not been tampered
with. This includes their houses
and madrasa that were donated by
the Selangor Zakat Board (LZS).
However, the state government
will be writing to LZS to explain
how the madrasa was built without
approval.
The government will also be
seeking clarification from the Im-
plementation Coordination Unit
of the Prime Minister's Depart-
ment on how the illegal access
roads were built.
An explanation will also be
sought from Tenaga National Ber-
had on how electrical cables were
built in the village without state
recognition.
Khalid said the TOL, which was
issued in 2001, expired in 2004 and
was never renewed.
In 2007, the land was converted
into a Malay reserve to replace land
in Kuala Langat that was taken over
and developed.
The land replacement was not
done for the benefit of the villagers
in Kuala Langat, but to ensure that
the number of Malay reserves is
met in accordance with the Na-
tional Land Code.
When declared as a Malay re-
serve, the land attracted 700 indi-
viduals, who demanded for their names and were subsequently among the 700 applicants.
rights to a piece of the land. charged an application fee of The land in Kuala Kubu Baru,
The 700 applicants were enter- RM10. which encroaches on the Bukit
tained by the district office, where Thereafter, a sur veyor was Tarek forest reserve, was then used
they were asked to submit their brought in to divide the land as profitable cash crop land.
Council to address religious
practices by non-Muslims
SHAH ALAM: A community council was held Malaysia and the religious freedoms guaranteed by
by the state recently to discuss issues related to the Federal Constitution.
religious practices by the non-Muslim community “Wesak Day, which represents enlightenment of
that require the state’s attention. self and our human relationship with others, is
“Three of the seven organisations involved in particularly important to understand the realities
the council are from Buddhism,” said Tan Sri Kha- of our multiracial society,” said Khalid.
lid Ibrahim in a statement on Tuesday. He added that each year, despite the state gov-
The Menteri Besar said the council will meet six ernment’s financial limitations, an amount of more
times a year. than RM1 million was distributed to nearly 200
This was to be an increase in the frequency of Buddhist places of worship.
meetings, which previously were only held twice a “I hope the Selangor Buddhist community will
year. strengthen its resolve to enhance human dignity,
He said the community council was held in respect diversity, uphold justice and fight injustice,”
recognition of the diversity of beliefs that exists in said Khalid.

To place your Advert in Reporters and members of the public came out in
droves when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officiated
the start of the rejuvenation project on April 15.

Contact Timothy Loh 019-2674488,

MBPJ allocates
Ivan Looi 014-9366698, RM100,000 for
or Vincent Boon 012-8902033
refurbishment
Selangor WEATHER
Friday Saturday Sunday
project
• From page One Taman Maju Jaya [apartments] as the
“This project will give the residents
Morning pilot project out of our list of critical
a sense of ownership and awareness
pany hopes that larger agencies will start low-cost houses,” said Latheefa Koya.
because of their participation in the
getting involved and help carry out the The MBPJ councillor, who is among
process. This is especially important as
initiative across the state. those championing the initiative, said
they will be responsible for the mainte-
Afternoon On their part, MBPJ has  already the location was still considered to be
nance of any new works,” she said.
endorsed the project and allocated within the bounds of the city centre and
She added that the project is ex-
about RM100,000 for it, he added. near MBPJ offices. pected to be completed within six
“We were really excited when we She welcomed public-private initia-
months, and a statewide initiative is
Night heard about the project as it was a to- tives as both the residents and companies
likely to be carried out within a year.
tally new concept to us. We chose the would strive to meet their expectations.
Meanwhile, residents are looking
forward to the renovation based
on artist impressions of their
Source: Malaysian meteorological department
future homes.
“We have been fighting for
these basic improvements for 20
years. I cried when I was told we
will finally be getting them,” said
Mohamed Sahib, the commu-
phone (603) 5510 4566
fax (603) 5523 1188
nity’s residential head.
email editor@selangortimes.com Mohamed said the residents
fully understand they will be
EDITORIAL responsible for the maintenance
CHIEF EDITOR KL Chan of the new facilities.
COMMUNITY EDITOR Neville Spykerman He added that the residents
WRITERS Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling, will set up a Joint Management
Basil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Ch’ng Body ( JMB) to help them fix
COPY EDITORS Nick Choo, James Ang their own problems in the future.
DESIGNERS Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man Yen With the establishment of
PHOTOGRAPHER Victor Chong the JMB, residents will not need
ADVERTISING Timothy Loh, Ivan Looi to solely rely on the developers
ADVISORS Faekah Husin, Arfa’eza Abdul Aziz
as they will be legally empow-
Snapshot of the Taman Maju apartments, contrasted with an artist impression of ered to seek help from local
the new and improved accommodation. governments like the MBPJ.
 PKNS_Incentive_ad_May.2011.Final_ol.pdf 1 5/19/11 6:03 PM

SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ MAY 20 – 22, 2011 ⁄ 3

CM

MY

CY

MY

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4
NEWS
MAY 20 — 22, 2011
EVENTS
Free Sudoku class for children
The Malaysia Sudoku Society and Senior Citizens Association
of Selangor and Federal Territory (Secita) will conduct lessons
for children aged 10 years and above. The lessons will be held
on June 2, 6 and 9 from 10.30am to 12.30pm at the Secita
building on Jalan SS 5D/6, Petaling Jaya. Art of Sudoku author
Lim Teck Guan will conduct the classes. Admission is free. Call
Secita at 03-78063303 from 10am to 5pm on weekdays for
more information.
Clinic for leaders, professionals
The Corporate Coach Academy (CCA) will hold a two-day
life and executive coaching clinic from May 27-28. The clinic,
which is targeted at corporate leaders and professionals, will
be held at Dorsett Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Contact 03-62054488
or log on to www.corporate-coachacademy.com for more
information.
International drums performance
The Hands Percussion Team will hold a concert called Ri Yue
Chu Yin (Music from the Sun and Moon) at the KL Performing
Arts Centre in June with the Beijing percussion group, The
Eight Mallets Percussion. Ticket prices range from RM48 to
RM128, and show times are at 3pm on June 11 and 12, and
8.30pm on June 9, 10 and 11. Discounts are available for
Hands Club members, HSBC credit cardholders and group
buyers. Call KLPac Box Office at 03- 40479000 for bookings.
Self-improvement services
Community coaching services in life fulfillment and executive
development are being offered to those who want to try
out coaching as a self-improvement technique to improve
themselves. The Malaysian Association of Certified Coaches
(MACC) is offering the coaching services at a nominal fee, and
will be including a coaching standards handbook for free. Call
03- 62054488 or visit www.malaysiancoaches.com for details.
Wesak Day procession
A procession of floats in conjunction with the Wesak Day
celebrations will be held today (May 20). The procession will
start from the the Ti-Ratana Buddhist Society at Wisma NBC
Klang at 8pm. It will then head from Jalan Meru to Jalan Sireh,
travel along the Federal Highway, turn into Taman Berkeley,
Taman Eng Ann, and return to the Buddhist centre on Jalan
Pekan Baru and Klang Parade. Devotees who wish to take
part are advised to arrive at the centre at 7.30pm.
KL-PJ wedding fair
The 3rd KL-PJ Wedding Fair aims to showcase the best of
bridal houses from Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Loke Yew in Kuala
Lumpur, Bandar Sunway, and SS2 in Petaling Jaya. Visitors
will get to experience four shows by the bridal houses. Guests
will also stand a chance to win iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch,
electric appliances, buffet vouchers, and more through a Spin
& Win game. The fair will be held at the Mid Valley Exhibition
Centre today (May 20) till May 22 from 11am to 9pm.
Pets and aquatics exhibition
The fourth Malaysia International Pets and Aquatics Exhibition,
or Pet World Malaysia 2011, is looking for exhibitors for
its event from June 3 to 5. It will be held at the Mid Valley
Exhibition Centre from 10am to 9pm. Entrance fee is RM5 for
adults and RM2 for children. Contact Jonathan Kan at 012-
2831520 or Sherman Yeong at 012-2993438.
Chocolate fair
The Malaysia 5th Chocolate Fair 2011 will bring together local
and international chocolate makers and confectioners. Apart
from delightfully-prepared chocolates, there will also be beauty
and health products. Parents can also look forward to learning
the art of making chocolates with their children. The fair will
be held from May 27 to June 5 at the Mines International
Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Super GT3 is back
The third Super GT International Series Malaysia is back in the
Sepang International Circuit and will be held on June 18 and
19. Besides the Super GT Race there will be a motor show,
stage performances and food festival. For more details, call
603-77128762 or visit supergt.com.my/ticketing.
TI-M head disputes
Christian state claim
By Alvin Yap
KUALA LUMPUR: The head of a
corruption watchdog group has re-
futed allegations that a pact was made
during a private dinner in Penang a
fortnight ago to turn Malaysia into a
Christian state.
“I categorically confirm that no pact
or pledge to make Christianity an of-
ficial religion or call for a Christian
Prime Minister was ever made [at the
dinner] on the evening of May 5,” said
Datuk Paul Low at a press conference
on Wednesday.
Low, president of the Malaysian
chapter of Transparency International
(TI-M), stressed that he was making
the statements both on a personal and
professional level.
“As [Transparency International]
stands for truth, integrity and transpar-
ency, I have come forward as the head
of the organisation to clarify that noth-
ing of the sort happened,” he said.
“I am stepping forward because I
was an independent guest, “ Low said,
explaining that he was making the
statement as a non-political and non-
governmental organisation leader.
Low was a guest at the dinner and
also a keynote speaker during the con-
ference on “ethics and integrity in na-
tion-building”.
He stepped forward to clear the air
over the allegations which arose from
a grainy photograph published by pro-
Umno bloggers showing pastors rais-
ing their hands in prayer at the dinner.
The bloggers have claimed that the
participants had pledged to make
Christianity the official religion of
the state.
Efforts to curb bullying inadequate
By William Tan
AMPANG JAYA: Despite cam-
paigns against bullying, numbers of
such cases have not dropped, and a
state lawmaker believes such measures
are inadequate and misplaced.
Jenice Lee, in response to the latest
case involving 13-year-old Kung Way
Yan, said the problem lies in three
areas: family, a lack of holistic educa-
tion, and lack of trained personnel.
“I once visited a home of a victim
and found that the father had no clue
about his child, not what happened,
not the child’s timetable, not even the
his child’s age,” said the Teratai as-
semblyperson.
She acknowledged that there is no
blanket solution to address family
problems, but efforts should be spent
on education and trained personnel.
On May 11, Kung was dragged out
of school grounds and slapped repeat-
edly by several schoolmates.
Lee claimed that school authorities
had washed their hands of the incident
because it happened outside the school
compound in Pandan, and the victim
has not returned to school since.
Lee said she was barred from enter-
ing the school, and the victim did not
Malay language daily Utusan Ma- Low pointed
laysia has since picked up the news, out that Selan-
alleging that a certain political party is gor’s Freedom of
in cahoots with the pastors to install a In f o rmati o n
Christian prime minister. (FOI) enactment
Low said the dinner, a closed-door was a right step
affair, was sponsored by private indi- for the people to
viduals, and Christian pastors were keep abreast of
praying for elected officials. government
He pointed out that the prayers dealings. Paul Low
were an “invocation for political can- However, he
didates to uphold integrity, fight cor- said the FOI was
ruption and govern with justice”. just one part of larger “instruments” to
He said the participants were pray- ensure compliance and accountability,
ing for good governance, social justice especially at the state-government
and observance of the rule of law and level.
human rights. Low also explained that He said every public official in the
the lifting of hands in prayer, did not, state should be held to account with
in this case equate to “swearing” in an individual pledges.
official position.
“The state executive councillors
“Do not confuse it with, [say], should make it a point to have state
Obama being sworn into office as the assemblypersons down to the civil
44th president,” he explained. servant sign an individual pledge to
Low said he was gravely concerned uphold integrity,” Low explained.
about the political firestorm that has Of greater concern also is the issue
erupted along the political divide. of political patronage, he added.
He said the issue was not good for Low said since election campaigns
nation-building and social harmony cost a lot of money, elected officials
in the country. could end up being beholden to “pri-
“It is dangerous, distracting and vate contributors”.
detrimental,” he added. “To address the issue, one solution
Low explained that elected officials is for the state to provide a allowance
must be held accountable for bad of RM7,000 for the running of service
governance, and said it was impossible centres and staff,” he explained, saying
for the nation to move into economic the money should be disbursed regard-
high-gear if it did not tackle corruption less of political affiliations.
and wastage. Low said issues of governance, in-
On that note, he said the Selangor tegrity and accountability would now
state government was principally on be a main deciding factor if Selangor
the “right track”, but needed more went through state elections now.
political will and commitment to root “Post-2008, people want a state
out corrupt practices among its elected government that is clean,” he con-
officials and state civil service. cluded.
receive any apol-
ogy from the per-
petrators or the
people who could
have prevented it.
She pointed
out that the lack
of trained per-
sonnel was a real
p r o b l em , a n d
even police offic-
ers stationed in
schools to curb
bullying were in-
a d e q u a t e l y Kung and her relatives during the press conference
trained. with Jenice Lee (centre) on May 17.
Schools she her, most bullies or predators and their
has visited don’t seem to know what victims tend not to be high academic
to do in such situations, and they ei- achievers.
ther approach it poorly or choose to “They reach a stage where they
ignore the problem entirely, she add- have given up and have no self-es-
ed. teem. Without a place to channel
Lee further said that education has their energy and frustrations, the
to be holistic, and that clubs and ac- strong become predators, and the
tivities should be promoted where weak victims,” she said.
students can ex-
plore their talents
and divert their Correction
energies, rather In last week’s centrespread on Community Policing,
than focus rigidly Cassian Baptist is the chairperson of Rukun Tetangga
on studying. 20A, Taman Paramount and not chairperson for Rukun
According to Tetangga Section 21 SEA Park.
SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ MAY 20 – MAY 22, 2011 ⁄ 5
6
News
May 20 — 22, 2011

Writing for a better tomorrow

By Basil Foo

KUALA LUMPUR: A collection of

stories by Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim titled
Someone Had To Say It has been published
to influence lawmakers into making chang-
es for the better.
“I hope my writings will be able to influ-
ence official policymaking processes in ways
that are helpful,” said Tunku Aziz.
The author said his writings, which
touch on social, economic and political is-
sues, consisted of articles he had contrib-
uted to the New Sunday Times and Sin
Chew Daily.
Tunku Aziz, who is DAP vice-chairper-
son, acknowledged that while he was writ-
ing to influence policies, it was important
for him to take a moderate stance and not
be too provocative. Tunku Aziz holding his book Someone
“To make a change in policy, we should Tunku Aziz signing autographs at the launch.
Had To Say It.
articulate our ideas and not be confronta-
tional to those who make the policies. [No
point] being controversial for its own sake,”
he said.
“[Otherwise] 1Malaysia will only remain a
slogan,” he cautioned.
Research For Social Advancement (Refsa)
Know Your
Tunku Aziz, a former vice-chairperson
of corruption-monitoring organisation
executive director Teh Chi-Chang said the
book could be read by those interested in local Councillor:
Yew Boon Lye
Transparency International, said it is still issues as it is in plain English.
important for people to be passionate about He said the book is available in all major
ideals. bookstores. It has received encouraging re-
Speaking to reporters at the launch of his sponse since being published in March.
book on Wednesday (May 18), he said ev- Tunku Aziz is a contributing writer for KLANG: Yew Boon Lye (pic) is planning to
eryone should feel strongly about certain Refsa, an institution which encourages dis- improve the facilities in his service zone’s open
issues affecting the country today. cussions on contemporary issues affecting spaces like playgrounds and exercise areas.
“Issues like racial polarisation continue Malaysians. “We already started upgrading Butterfly Park,
to be an obstacle to orderly integration. This Genta Media general manager Cheong and will soon be doing maintenance work on the
has to do with the policies that are in place,” Wey Jin said the book is available in hard- other 20-over parks in my area,” said the Klang
he said. cover at RM50 and softcover at RM40. Municipal Council (MPK) member.
He added that discriminatory policies The publisher has offered a premium pack, The full-time councillor said many facilities
that tend to divide rather than unite have which includes Tunku Aziz’s first book, Straight such as playground equipment for children and
to be abolished. Talk, at RM50 for both books in softcover. basketball and futsal courts were falling into
disrepair.
He said the work that was being planned in-
cluded upgrading of the drainage system, repair-
ing exercise and recreational equipment, and re-

MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR

painting.
“As the budget we have allocated for this is not
so big, we plan to do the maintenance works in

(PEMERBADANAN) parts, and will not be wholly replacing the equip-

ment,” he said.
Yew, a second-term councillor, serves the Bukit
Tinggi zone under the Port Klang constituency,
KENYATAAN TENDER having served Kapar town previously.
He said the main complaint he receives is of
poor road conditions due to neglect by devel-
opers.
PAPAN IKLAN KEMPEN SELAMATKAN MALAYSIA: MANSUHKAN ISA “The maintenance of most main roads is still
the responsibility of the developers, who prom-
Menteri Besar Selangor (Pemerbadanan) dengan ini menjemput secara tender terbuka syarikat-syarikat yang ised us they would upgrade the road systems late
berdaftar dengan Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia dalam bidang pengiklanan (billboard) 22.15.03 untuk membekal, last year,” he explained.
membina dan memasang 56 unit papan iklan Kempen Selamatkan Malaysia: Mansuhkan ISA di semua kawasan DUN However, the roads have still not been re-
di Negeri Selangor. paired, which led to increased complaints that
forced MPK to issue an ultimatum during their
last infrastructure meeting.
Menteri Besar Selangor (Pemerbadanan) The developers were told they had until
Tingkat 14, Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah June before the local council would impose
40503, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan more conditions on their future development
projects.
No Tel: Tuan Nazuri – 03-5544 7601
Other complaints revolve around cleanliness
Dokumen Tender akan dijual bermula pada 25 Mei 2011 hingga 3 Jun 2011 dari pukul 8:00 pagi sehingga 5:00 petang (kecuali issues, which Yew said should be solved by July.
Sabtu & Ahad) He said the local council would be taking over
cleaning operations from Alam Flora by the
Dokumen akan dijual pada harga RM250.00 per set. Bayaran hendaklah dibuat dalam bentuk Cek Bank, Deraf Bank atau tunai middle of the year, and expressed confidence that
kepada: they would be more efficient at it.
Menteri Besar Selangor (Pemerbadanan) He explained that the council could be more
responsive when receiving complaints, rather than
Semua Tender hendaklah diserahkan dalam sampul surat tertutup pada atau sebelum jam 12.00 tgh 7 Jun 2011 di pejabat having to forward the grouses to Alam Flora.
Menteri Besar Selangor (Pemerbadanan), Tingkat 14, Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam Yew said one challenging aspect of his job is
in communicating with council officers, and
*Syarikat yang terpilih akan berurusan dengan Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan, Pejabat Khidmat Wakil Rakyat dan Pejabat dealing with their negative thinking and slow
Penyelaras DUN untuk memastikan lokasi yang yang dicadang untuk dibina struktur papan iklan adalah sesuai dan response time.
strategik. Yew, who previously worked as a personal as-
sistant to politicians, enjoys playing badminton
and spending time with his wife and two children.

Orang Asli welcome inquiry
on land issues glad that Suhakam is highlighting and in-
vestigating land disputes.
“I hope the inquiry will be able to pro-
ceed smoothly and other Malaysians will
support this initiative to uphold our native
customary land rights,” said the Jahut.
Shafi was attending a community map-
ping workshop in Pulau Carey on Tuesday
(May 10). His village’s boundaries cur-
rently overlap with the borders of Kuala
Krau Wildlife Reserve.
Apart from encroachment on their an-
cestral land by plantations and logging
companies, the Orang Asli often have to deal
with border disputes between forest and
wildlife reserves and their villages, said
Centre for Orang Asli Concerns coordina-
tor Colin Nicholas.
Nicholas, who is acting as an independ-
ent consultant to the inquiry, said the Orang
Asli have collected data on 10 separate case
All seven Suhakam commissioners were present at the national inquiry’s media launch
on May 10: (from left) Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah, Detta Samen, Suhakam vice-
studies of land conflicts for the inquiry.
chairperson Prof Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee, chairperson Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, Jannie He said grassroots organisations such as
Lasimbang, Prof Datuk Dr Mahmood Zuhdi Majid and James Nayagam. the Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Seme-
nanjung Malaysia are directly involved and
are supportive of the inquiry.
By Gan Pei Ling Spearheaded by the Human Rights Com- On May 10, Suhakam chairperson Tan Sri
mission of Malaysia (Suhakam), the year- Hasmy Agam said the agency decided to
KUALA LUMPUR: Orang Asli communi- long inquiry will investigate systemic land launch a nationwide inquiry as they had re-
ties have pledged their support for the first problems plaguing indigenous communities ceived more than 1,000 complaints on native
national inquiry into indigenous peoples’ land in the country. customary land since 2002.
rights that will begin next month. Shafi Bris, 42, from Pahang, said he was Topping the list is Sabah, with 824 com-
NEWS
MAY 20 — 22, 2011 7
plaints lodged in the past decade, followed by
Sarawak (229) and peninsular Malaysia (45).
“The inquiry will examine the root causes
of the problems in a comprehensive manner
from a human rights perspective, and recom-
mend appropriate solutions,” said Hasmy.
He said Suhakam would share ideas with
civil society as well as state governments and
government agencies, including the Orang
Asli Development Department.
When asked if government agencies would
willingly cooperate with Suhakam as they are
often seen as the “bad guy” in land disputes,
Hasmy said it is in the authorities’ interest to
take part in the inquiry.
“If they don’t cooperate, then our report
will be one-sided. It is in their own interest to
respond [to allegations],” said Hasmy.
He added that Suhakam has the power to
subpoena witnesses to attend public hearings,
but he hoped that Suhakam would not need
to resort to such a measure.
“We prefer to invite them. I hope we won’t
have to come to that,” said Hasmy, adding that
the inquiry’s purpose is not to “point fingers”,
but to look for solutions to the indigenous
peoples’ land conflicts.
Consultations with stakeholders will begin
next month followed by nationwide public
hearings in November.
The final report is expected to be ready in
June next year.
8
News
May 20 — 22, 2011

By Gan Pei Ling

SUBANG JAYA: Neighbours

of makeshift hostels, which cater
to private colleges in the munici-
pality, are voicing their frustration
at having to deal with ill-behaved
students.
“Some of them like to come
home in the middle of the night, or
race motorbikes in front of your
house. How can we sleep well?”asked
Mohd Noor Ahmad, 65, at a dia-
logue on Monday night.
The Rukun Tetangga PJS 9 vice-
president has received numerous
complaints from residents in his
neighbourhood.
 A homemaker from PJS 9 said
Noisy makeshift hostels
annoy neighbours
her family has had to put up with
the nuisance since three years ago
when her neighbour’s house was
converted into a hostel.
“One of the students would
play basketball in the middle of
the night in his room. How are we
supposed to sleep?” asked the
Mohd Noor:
Some race
motorbikes
in front of the
house.
mother of four.
 One of her children is sitting for
the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)
this year.
“My children also need to study.
I’ve tried calling the agent, but he
just asked me to call the police,”
said the woman, who declined to
be named for safety concerns.
She added that the agent was
often unreachable as he would
switch off his mobile phone.
“I’ve also tried contacting the
colleges, but they said they were not
responsible for the students’ behav-
iour [off campus],” she said.
She added that these agents
would often advertise to the stu-
dents that her neighbourhood is a
gated and guarded community, but
they have never contributed a sin-
gle sen to the scheme.
Many residential houses in areas
like PJS 9 and PJS 7 in Bandar
Sunway and SS 15 in Subang Jaya
have been turned into hostels to
accommodate the increasing stu-
dent population at the education
hub for the past few years.
Inti International College Sub-
ang, Metropolitan College, Tay-
lor’s University, Sunway Univer-
sity and Monash University are
some of the popular colleges lo-
cated in the vicinity.
The Subang Jaya Municipal
Council (MPSJ) has set up guide-
lines to regulate residential and
commercial properties converted
into hostels to ensure they are not
overcrowded.
The guidelines, which will be
enforced next month, will also en-
sure that these hostels are not reno-
vated illegally, comply with safety
regulations, and do not cause other
traffic problems for residents.
More importantly, consent from
neighbours is required before a
residential house can be converted
into a hostel.
Landlords expressed concern
during the dialogue that they
would not be able to get their
neighbours’ consent on the matter.
However, MPSJ councillors
who attended the dialogue, includ-
ing R Rajiv, Dr Loi Kheng Ming
and Edward Ling, said it was im-
possible to waive the consent.
Subang Jaya assemblyperson
Hannah Yeoh said the neighbours
ought to be consulted as a legiti-
mate stakeholder since they would
be affected.
Mohd Noor said as a neighbour
staying beside a student hostel, he
is willing to give consent as long
as the agent or landlord can make
sure that their students are well-
behaved.
“We’re not mean neighbours.
Some of us have children studying
outstation as well.
“You can make your money, we
don’t care, but give us our peace
and ask your tenants to behave,” he
said.

Hostel operators clear the air with MPSJ

(From left,
seated) Rajiv,
Ling, Nor Azmi,
Dr Loi, Mohd
Khairi, Hazman
and Ismail.

SUBANG JAYA: Student hostel owners
had a heated but fruitful discussion on Mon-
day with the local council on new guidelines
that will be enforced next month.
The owners were finally able to clarify
many contentious points in the 24-page
guidelines with the Subang Jaya Municipal
Council (MPSJ).
Under the guidelines, owners must obtain
planning approvals, which come with a fee of
RM200, and licences from MPSJ before they
can convert their residential or commercial
properties into dormitories.
Size of house Rooms Max Fee (RM)
(square feet) occupants
>650 3 6 200
>750 3 7 250
>850 3 8 300
>1,000 3/4 10 350
Annual licence fees for residential houses that
are converted into student hostels
 
Floors converted Max rooms Fee (RM)
1 12 500
2 24 750
3 36 1,000
Annual licence fees for commercial property
such as shoplots that are converted into student
hostels
All operators, regardless of when their
dormitories or hostels were set up, must com-
ply with the guidelines or face action.
“We’re willing to comply with the safety
and cleanliness guidelines, but some of the
conditions in the guidelines are unreasonable,”
said Eric Oh from SS15.
Oh, who is renting his house to three stu-
dents, posed questions to the local authority
on behalf of other owners from his area.
He said some parents are uncomfortable
with having their children’s names displayed
publicly at hostel entrances.
Under the guidelines, hostel operators are
required to list down the students’ names at
the gate of a residential house or in the main
entrance route for commercial A double-storey house that
buildings. has four rooms is only allowed
“It should be sufficient for to house a maximum of 10
us to submit the names and students.
their colleges to MPSJ in pri- Also present at the dialogue
vate [for the local authority’s were MPSJ Building Depart-
record or monitoring purpos- ment director Nor Azmi
es],” said Oh. Mohd Rosli, Licensing De-
Councillors who were at partment senior assistant di-
the dialogue, including R rector Ismail Salim, Urban
Rajiv, Dr Loi Kheng Ming and Planning Department assis-
Edward Ling, said they would tant director (development
look into the matter. and enforcement plan) Haz-
Rajiv said the guidelines man Mahayuddin, and Subang
were not meant to make life Jaya's new Fire Department
difficult for the owners, but to Oh: We’re willing to
comply.
chief Mohd Khairi Daud.
address overcrowding in some Oh also raised the prob-
of the hostels. lem of obtaining neighbours’
The council has found more 20 students consent to convert residential premises into
packed into an illegally renovated house dormitories. 
previously. Nor Azmi said MPSJ could review their
Consequently, residential houses are disal- applications on a case-by-case basis.
lowed from renovating their premises to add The full version of guidelines is on http://
more rooms. bit.ly/MPSJhostelguidelines.
 NEWS MAY 20 — 22, 2011 9

Living in fear of
landslides
By Chong Loo Wah hill a few years ago. Another RM180,000 has also
Once, a severe landslide blocked been spent for a consultant to carry
BALAKONG: Residents in Ta- the back alley of 11 homes, render- out geological studies to find a solu-
man Karunmas are living in fear ing them completely inaccessible. tion to stop the recurring landslides.
after a landslide damaged a retain- Teo Nie Ching said the devel- The study is expected to be com-
ing wall in their backyard two oper should help residents resolve pleted in two months. (From left) Lee, Teo, Noorhisham and Fadilah inspecting the site with
weeks ago. the long-standing issue. Teo, Lee, councillor Datuk residents on May 9.
Chan Yuk Eng said she heard a The Serdang Member of Parlia- Noorhisham Ishak and MPKj sen-

More negotiations to
loud bang as mud and debris ment said the developer has been ior engineer Fadilah Razalli visited
crashed into the 100m-long wall. passing the buck to Kajang Mu- Taman Karunmas on May 9.
“We hope the local council will nicipal Council (MPKj) instead of Lee said MPKj would also or-
repair the wall soon,” said the 67-
year-old.
Chan, who has been living there
taking responsibility.
MPKj councillor Lee Kee Hiong
said the municipality had spent
ganise a conference on hillside
management next month, bringing
together engineers from eight local
break water deadlock
for a decade, pointed out that this RM200,000 to build the retaining governments to learn more effective By Brenda Ch’ng would be able to come up with an
was not the first landslide. wall after an earlier landslide two hillside management methods. agreement so that the state govern-
She said landslides have been months ago. Eight out of the 12 local au- SHAH ALAM: Both the state and ment could give the water treatment
occurring ever since a developer She added that MPKj would take thorities in Selangor are responsible federal governments will meet again project the green light soon.
started cutting down trees on the legal action against the developer. for managing hill slopes. to resolve the long-standing issue of Khalid added that the state had
the restructuring of the Selangor no objection to approving the water

Land and Mines Dept to be fully digital

water services industry and the con- treatment plant project, but wanted
struction of the Langat II water the restructuring issue resolved first. 
treatment plant.  The water treatment plant, which
By Alvin Yap tariat on Monday. heavily in Information Technology Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid is part of the Pahang-Selangor Inter-
Abd Nasir said the computerisa- systems,” he said. Ibrahim said the four-year dispute state Water Transfer Project, is tar-
SHAH ALAM: Expect a shorter tion will cut down on errors in He added that the department would be discussed and hopefully geted to be completed by 2014 due
waiting period for land transfer processing land transfers, especially will be auditing its daily operations resolved in a special meeting sched- to concerns over water shortages. 
cases when the Selangor Land and in the key departments that deal and will streamline its procedures uled for the first week of June. However, Khalid said the state has
Mines Department fully comput- with registration of ownership and and computerise the process. “One of the agendas will be to more than enough water to sustain
erises its filing system. strata titles. The ceremony was attended determine if the notice of construc- residents until 2019.
“The department’s daily opera- He pointed out that the depart- by  State Assembly Speaker Datuk tion of water treatment plants at Khalid added that the restructur-
tions, especially the record-keeping ment was maintaining status quo in Teng Chang Khim and  Menteri Sungai Langat or Langat II will be ing of the water industry would help
of land titles, will be more effi- terms of employed staff. Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, issued in the near future,” he said. improve water supply services and
cient,” said director Datuk Abd “Instead, to manage the work- who gave out the awards to 200 Khalid hoped that all parties maintain reasonable tariffs.
Nasir Hassan at the State Secre- load, the department will invest staff.

PEG
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membawa kejayaan! yang tidak terhad bagi perniagaan dan pelaburan dengan pilihan bagi 3½ Tingkat dan 5½ Tingkat Kedai
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kejayaan sahaja! 2 Lokasi Perdana di bandar yang telah membangun 6 Bernilai Untuk Wang
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FROM NOUTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY SUNGEI BESI
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SUNGEI BESI
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Pemaju:

Galeri Jualan: Lot 6-001, Endah Parade

No. 1, Jalan 1/149E, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 03-9056 5601 (Cik Siti / Ms March)
(Waktu Operasi: Isnin-Jumaat, 9.00pagi-6.00petang atau melalui temujanji)

Pembiaya Pinjaman:
• Status Tanah: Pegangan Bebas • Pajakan: Maybank • No of units: 49 • Pihak Berkuasa Yang Meluluskan: MBSJ • Rujukan Kelulusan Perancang: MPSJ 250/560
All plans, information, specifications and measurement contained herein are subject to change without notification as may require by relevant authorities or project consultantd and cannot form part of an offer or contract. While every reasonable care has been taken in providing this information, the developer or its agents
cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies. All illustrations and images are artist’s impression only. The items are subject to variations and substitutions as may be required by the architect and/or relevant approving authorities.
10
News
May 20 — 22, 2011
More baby hatches to
patch broken families
By Brenda Ch’ng
PETALING JAYA: The rise in the num-
ber of baby dumping cases in Selangor has
pushed Orphan Care to set up a second baby
hatch in Ulu Klang, Kuala Lumpur.
The second hatch will be up and running
within the year, following the successful
launch of the first baby hatch in Petaling Jaya
in May last year.
“ We want unwed single mothers to
know that they can drop off their unwant-
ed babies in a safer location now, instead of
in public toilets and rubbish bins,” said
Faizah Mohd Tahir.
The president of Orphan Care said their
mission is to find suitable loving homes for
abandoned babies and orphans.
She believes every child should be blessed
with a family and not be placed in orphan-
ages for the rest of their childhood years.
“We have about 600 families in our system
who are desperately wanting to adopt a child.
Who knew that babies are in such high de-
mand?” said Faizah.
Of the 600 on the waiting list, 100 families
have already been through screening and in-
terviews.
These are done to ensure that the families
can provide a conducive and comfortable en-
vironment for their future adopted children.
Since the launch of the first-ever baby
hatch in the country, Orphan Care has seen
a deposit of two to three babies each month,
totalling 30 babies dropped off a year.
The babies are left by unwed mothers aged
Residents seek help to repair roofs
Missing railings along corridors of three floors.
Faizah (far
left) with
members of
the Orphan
Care team
at a baby
hatch box.
between 18 and 35 years old. In most cases,
these mothers were abandoned by their part-
ners, leaving them no choice but to give up
their babies.
After dropping off their babies, mothers
have to go through a round of counselling
provided by Orphan Care to make sure giving
up their baby is what they really want.
Once the baby is given to the centre, families
on the waiting list will be contacted immedi-
ately. They will be able to see if the baby is the
right one to complete their family puzzle.
“The babies we get don’t stay for long in
our centre, as I think it is healthier for babies
to be in a family environment as soon as
possible,” said Faizah.
The babies are usually placed in families
within two to three days of their arrival.
A two-year probationary period will be
given to the adoptive parents, where Orphan
Care will visit the babies at their new homes
PORT KLANG: Residents of Taman
KEM flats are turning to the Klang
Municipal Council (MPK) and state
government for funds to repair their
dilapidating roofs.
“The roofs for all the five blocks are
either filled with holes or are collapsing,”
said resident Daud Ismail.
Ismail said wooden structures
which are supposed to be holding the
roofs in place are broken and dangling
Residents trying not to fall off the side of the
stairs.
to make sure they are well taken care of.
Orphan Care also helps parents who are
elderly to find children to adopt from or-
phanages.
As of this year, Orphan Care has helped
place eight orphaned children between the
ages of three and 12 in the care of proper
families.
To allow for more baby hatches to be set
up around Malaysia, Orphan Care is asking
for support from the public.
Whether voluntary or monetary, Orphan
Care is seeking long-term help so that they
can set up their organisations in needy places
like Kelantan and Sarawak, and in rural parts
of Selangor.
Their upcoming fundraiser dinner will be
held tomorrow (May 21), and the public is
invited to contribute as they wish.
For more information, contact the centre
at 03-78761900.
from the top.
He expressed fear that residents who
use the corridor might get injured if the
structures collapse.
The resident said the 464 units in the
30-year-old building have been a death
trap for residents for at least a decade.
Children and the elderly walking
along the corridors or stairs run the risk
of losing their balance and falling off due
to the missing railings.
Roofs with holes.
RM15mil
for education
in Selangor
SHAH ALAM: The state government aims
to increase teaching quality and improve
school facilities through yearly allocations of
over RM15 million.
“The allocations are to those who have
not been getting financial assistance from
the Education Ministry,” said Tan Sri Kha-
lid Ibrahim.
The Menteri Besar, in his address in
conjunction with Teacher’s Day, said it is
important to understand that education in
the state is under the jurisdiction of the
federal government.
However, he said, Selangor, despite its
financial limitations, will render small-scale
assistance – such as schoolbags and books for
needy students – where necessary.
Khalid said the state government also
holds a number of education-related initia-
tives, such as providing state-owned colleges
and universities.
He also acknowledged the increase in al-
lowance for Kafa (Fardhu Ain basic class)
teachers through a zakat allocation to pro-
vide a better compensation for the teachers.
Selangor also allocates a yearly amount of
RM3 million for youth activities.
“These include culture, sports, volun-
teerism and entrepreneurship,” said Khalid
during his National Youth Day address on
Tuesday.
He also said many young people fail to
see their voices represented by existing
youth organisations, and advised youths to
be more aware and active in upholding hu-
man dignity and freeing people from pov-
erty and injustice.
At night, snakes emerge from the
neighbouring swamps to sleep in car
engines, and during the day, monkeys
sneak into homes to look for food.
There are piles of rubbish every-
where, and thick cobwebs line the stairs
and walkways.
Klang Member of Parliament Charles
Santiago has pledged to organise a go-
tong-royong to clean up the rubbish and
repaint the walls of the building.
“I can’t fix the roofs and
railings with my limited
funds, but I will organise
a meeting with MPK and
the state government to
come up with a solution,”
said Santiago.
Santiago was shocked
by the living conditions
when he visited the flats on
May 11.
He said the safety of the
residents is most important
and replacing roofs and
railings should be done
immediately by both MPK
and the state government.
Santia g o expresse d
hope that MPK will col-
lect rubbish strewn around
the area.
Santiago will assist resi-
dents’ representative Daud
to form a joint manage-
ment body to help improve
the condition of the flats.
 views 11
May 20 — 22, 2011

A Leaving and arriving:

Caucasian couple with a toddler on tow walked out
of the arrival hall. As the parents’ attention was
focused on a row of men holding up name placards,
the toddler, lying face down, dragged himself along the

The non-place
marble floor, as if licking it, then got up and mischievously
scurried away.
Luckily his mother turned around just in time to run after
him, before he got lost among other worn-out travellers
streaming out into the hall. Airport transitions sometimes
take a while, and children usually devise their own ways to
keep themselves busy.
My mother is an avid traveller.
Ever since we were young, we would
travel during the school holidays.
Tripping Zero 3
My brother and I used to have a blast Sharyn Shufiyan
playing with the luggage trolley,
pushing each other as my mother the world as of 2010), it is relatively
did all the adult stuff – checking in, quiet, even amid the hustle and
luggage drop, determining the gates. bustle of arriving and departing
To other people, we may have been people. This is a stark difference to
a nuisance. its annexe, the Low Cost Carrier
I had never really known the Terminal (LCCT).
airport process until my first solo KLIA is the primary gateway for
travel experience at age 19. Although international visitors, and first
I was already familiar with airports, impressions matter. KLIA appears
it is different when you’re travelling modern, competent and stylish, the
alone. I felt independent. I felt free. face of a developed nation. But I
I was ready to leave home. personally prefer the smaller and
I love airports. I love the feeling quaint small-town airports, where
of walking up to the departure the arrival and departure halls are
board and figuring out your check- one, and when you walk out across
in counter. I love walking through the aircraft parking bay, the engines
immigration, past the duty-free of the aircraft purr in the background.
shops and towards the departure Airports like KLIA see a lot of
gate. I love lugging my hand-carry movement. It is what French
around the halls and walkways. I Anthropologist Marc Augè termed
love watching the planes take off a “non-place”, spaces of such airport has also been made into
and touch down. I even love the temporary and transient activity reality TV in the form of Border
sound your shoes make on the that do not have the significance of Security: Australia’s Front Line,
aerobridge. being called a “place”. which follows the work of Aus­tra­
I love leaving every time, but These places retain little or no lian customs and immi­g ration
most of all, I love coming home. traces of engagement or interaction. officers.
The Kuala Lumpur International We spend most of our time at the But airports remind me of the
Airport, or KLIA, is located in airport either waiting for our flight, relationships and people we come
Sepang and takes about one hour to or for family or friends (or in the case into contact with as we go on in life.
reach by car from the city centre. with LCCT, delays). We meet new people and form
Opened in 1998, KLIA is one of the The infrastructure of airports is new relationships. Some of these
largest airports in Southeast Asia. such that it is actually comfortable may work, while others falter and
At RM8.5 billion, the building of to be spending a lot of time there, we never see these people again.
KLIA was dubbed Malaysia’s most with amenities such as VIP lounges, Our lives are continuously moving
ambitious and one of the biggest Wi-Fi, cafés, shops and banks. and changing , and while we as
construction projects in the world, Writer Alain de Botton even indi­v iduals remain unmoving ,
with 450 project teams, more than lived in Heathrow airport as its like the infrastructure of the
26 design contracts, and 80 writer-in-residence, observing and airport building, our relationships
construction contracts. documenting the interactions of are fluid.
The majestic structure of glass staff, executives and travellers that Like life itself, nothing is
and concrete which forms the main pass through. permanent. As we learn new things
terminal building is huge and Airports are also appearing in from the people we come into
spacious. Perhaps due to its large movies such as Terminal, Up in the contact with and create new
spaces and low traffic of travellers Air and Going the Distance, experiences, we also go through loss As I sit here in the main terminal encapsulating these emotions
(although Wikipedia states that featuring the state of liminality as and departures – and I do not mean building, I realise that I do not adapt within its walls. For as soon as you
KLIA is the 17th busiest airport in part of its discourse. Life at the only in a macabre way. well to change, especially when step out, you leave the emotions
someone decides to take the behind and you move on.
outbound flight out of my life. You The state of being is temporary;
Students should be consulted, too get so accustomed to having them
around that when they’re gone, you
feel a sort of vacuum, as if this person
we are constantly moving, leaving
and arriving. But when someone
significant finally arrives, that
The History subject in Malay- ful and glossy His- with student represen- had never existed and you had wonderful, glorious feeling of
sian secondary schools has been tory textbooks. tatives. Students’ aspi- dreamt his or her presence. anticipation and sheer joy surges
politicised to such an extent that The m in istr y rations and expecta- Like the person you had just through you. Although the feeling
it does not interest students any- only reacts and in- tions must be factored brushed shoulders with while is temporary, it is heavenly.
more. Unfortunately, the govern- forms the public in the formulation of waiting for your luggage: for a split And every so often, the familiar
ment leaders still do not know that they seek teach- the syllabus. second, the person existed as you jingle comes on: “Flight MH1
why the subject no longer inter- ers’ views when The current govern- acknowledged his or herpresence, London to Kuala Lumpur is now
ests students.  there is a public out- ment says it is con- but as you move on, that person is arriving.”
Schools exist to provide educa- cry. Do the ministry officials ever cerned about brain drain, and but a distant memory.
tion that enables and empowers take students’ views, since they are spends millions of taxpayers’ mon- Although KLIA may be a non-
students to contribute to society the main stakeholders? ey to woo them back. But at the place, a transitory ground, it bears
and the nation. Yet there is a con- The syllabus is also too narrow same time, it is only making super- witness to a lot of emotions being
certed effort to tamper with the as students are are now well ex- ficial and primitive changes to our exchanged, feelings of happiness,
syllabus by erasing the diverse, posed to worldviews through the education system. sadness, anxiety, exasperation,
multiethnic and multireligious internet and other alternative We need more proactive and fatigue.
fabric of our country. media. Therefore, it is not possible inclusive action, not shallow prom- KLIA has seen some of my most
Schools should be free of in- to impose parochial and dogmatic ises from the government to encour- heartbreaking moments, its floors
doctrination, evangelism and rac- views on their minds. age Malaysians to come back. has felt the wetness of my tears. I
ism if we as a nation are to compete It is important that the minis- Let’s improve History to make had uttered some of the most
with other countries. Sadly, the try takes an inclusive approach to it more inclusive. difficult goodbyes I could ever have
Education Ministry seems more not only History, but also Moral said in my lifetime. But it is a
concerned with producing colour- Studies through consultations Senator S Ramakrishnan capsule made of glass and steel,
 Insight
12 May 20 — 22, 2011

May 13: Recollec

and reconciliati
By Gan Pei Ling Her family was living on Jalan Doraisamy on only came to Kuala Lumpur in 1964. He was stay- 196
Foo: Only five years old the border of Kampong Bahru, where the riots ing with other bachelors at a house on Hale Road riots

then.
Dass: Teacher in her 20s.
Shah: Heard stories from
his grandparents.
“
No no no, don’t talk about bad things, I
cannot remember anything, bad things are
better left forgotten. Forget it,” Foo May Lyn’s
mother told her.
Foo, a theatre arts performer, had asked her
mother about the May 13, 1969 incident as she
was going to present a reading of selected May 13
stories in Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
More than four decades have passed since 1969,
but the ghosts of the racial tragedy have continued
to haunt Malaysia. Not everyone who has lived
through it has gotten over it.
“I remember my mother telling us that some
boys had thrown stones at her windscreen when
she was driving to school,” Foo told Selangor Times.
Her mother was a teacher in Jelutong, Penang
and Foo was only five years old then.
Some Malaysians who had lived through the
racial riots do not want to speak about it due to
the gruesome memories it invokes.
Dead bodies. Burnt buildings. Damaged ve-
hicles. Empty streets. Who would want to recall
such things?
Tan Siew Leng (not her real name), 61, is one
of the survivors of May 13.
On that fateful day, she was attending a short-
hand class on Jalan Tong Shin Terrace and was told
to return home at about 5.30pm.
The streets were quiet and there were no buses,
so she started to walk home, passing Jalan Bukit
Bintang and Jalan Pudu.
“I saw people running and shouting. In a panic,
I ran all the way home. It must have been four
miles,” said Tan.
reportedly started. (now known as Jalan Raja Abdullah). “A
“I thought I was going to live through a war. “On that evening, I also saw someone attacking livin
Initially I was excited for I was a silly 19-year-old a woman. I could see it from my door but I didn’t happ
then, but that was short-lived,” the public relations want to look after that,” he told Selangor Times. Dat
director recalled. It was as if normal people had lost their san- H
Despite warnings from her father to stay ity, he added. hom
away from the windows, Tan stole glances at the On that night, everyone in his house gathered “
streets through drawn curtains from the windows and stayed together in one place. we w
upstairs. She switched off the lights to make sure “Somebody came around to sell parangs, so we S
nobody from the streets could see her. bought some for self-defence,” he added. “
“Rumours were rife. You can hear gunshots, Some of the troublemakers had slept on the und
people screaming, and see nearby houses or build- verandah outside the house. The police raided cally
ings going up in flames,” said Tan. the area at three to four in the morning and ar- “
The most violent clashes in Kuala Lumpur were rested them. othe
reportedly concentrated in Kampong Bahru and “I don’t know where they came from, or if they anyo
its surrounding areas like Chow Kit Road. were paid to create trouble,” said Hassan, adding were
Curfews were imposed on May 14 and a state that he also hid away their weapons to avoid get- said
of emergency was declared on May 15. Parliament ting into trouble with the police during the raids. W
was suspended, and the country was run by the The next morning, Hassan saw army trucks her
National Operations Council led by former Prime entering his area to enforce the curfew. “Of
Minister Tun Abdul Razak. When the curfew was lifted, Hassan and his Wh
Government statistics reported that 137 people housemates went into the abandoned shops to expe
were killed, 342 injured and 2,912 people, mostly look for food. “
curfew breakers, were arrested at that time. It was a while before everything calmed down, thou
Hassan Muthalib, 66, recalled that he was on his and people were not afraid to come out and return still
way to join a counter-rally against the opposition’s to work again. pene
post-1969 election celebrations at then Selangor Hassan was working for Filem Negara then. A
Menteri Besar Datuk Harun Idris’ residence. “I remember my director-general sent some the s
“While I was walking out of my house, I saw men to film the riots, but much of the material in o
a Chinese guy on motorbike speeding past and was destroyed after that,” he said. M
people were throwing things at him but he man- He added that the working crew at Filem Ne- or w
aged to get away, so I decided to stay home,” said gara was multiracial, and they got along very well epis
the filmmaker. with one another. Th
Born in Kedah and raised in Penang, Hassan Lucille Dass, who was a teacher in her 20s in form

Retelling different narratives

What do you know about May 13? What Malay electoral support before racial clashes clashes were confined to a few cities and towns Shah Zainal and Lu-
actually happened that led to the racial riots in broke out subsequently. in peninsular Malaysia. cille Dass, while
Kuala Lumpur? The riots left at least 137 people dead and No trouble was reported in states like journalist Jacqueline
A reading of various stories of May 13 was 342 injured, according to official statistics. Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor as well as in East Ann Surin handled
presented from May 11 to 13 in Penang and Curfews were imposed and a state of emer- Malaysia. the text.
May 14 in Kuala Lumpur. gency was declared on May 15. In addition, affirmative action policies such Among the find-
 “The purpose of staging it is to provide an Parliament was suspended and the National as the New Economic Policy (NEP) were put ings Surin discov-
avenue and space for interested people to think Operations Council, led by then Deputy Prime in place by the government to address the ered when research-
and reflect on May 13,” Chee Sek Thim, the Minister Tun Abdul Razak, was formed to run economic imbalance between the races after ing for this project
director, told Selangor Times in an interview the country until 1971. May 13. were the multiple
last Saturday. Chee noted that another historian, Farish “The incident inspired policies that affect narratives of May 13
Grim official accounts as well as heart- A Noor, had questioned the reason for a na- every Malaysian. It’s extremely important for that Malaysians are
warming personal stories collected from books, tionwide declaration of emergency when the us to know where these policies came from, why generally not ex-
government reports and the media were shared we are in the situation we posed to in main-
at the reading titled I was 13 at the time. On are in today, and the events stream education.
the day it happened…. and circumstances that had For instance, she
“The different texts reflect the different as- led the country to take the said one scholar who
pects of May 13. For example, personally, I direction that it has taken reviewed different
wasn’t aware of the extent of the provocation [since 1969]. accounts of the riots
by the opposition,” said Chee. “With knowledge, we did not find any
“Melayu sudah jatoh!” and “Kuala Lumpur can break down fear and clear evidence to (From left) Shah Zain
sekarang China punya!” were some of the in- think rationally when support the theory
sults hurled during a demonstration to cele- politicians threaten us that May 13 was
brate the opposition’s breakthrough in the 1969 with another May 13,” started because there was a plot in the Razak
general election, according to Goh Cheng said Chee. camp to overthrow Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Teik’s The May Thirteenth Incident and Democ- A production of Five In addition, while some had blamed
racy in Malaysia published in 1971. Arts Centre and Pocketsize former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk
For the first time in our country’s history, Productions, the three Harun Idris for starting the riots as he had
the opposition denied the Alliance a two-thirds readings in Penang were called for a counter-rally, a witness had seen
majority in Parliament. Penang and Kelantan attended by close to 110 him trying to calm the crowd.
also fell to the opposition, while Selangor and people while the two in “Based on the research I did for the read-
Perak’s assemblies hung in the balance. (From left) Foo May Lyn, Shah Zainal and Dass presenting the Kuala Lumpur attracted ing, there’s no clear black and white, it’s
According to Goh’s writings, Umno had readings of different May 13 stories collected from a variety about 100 people. difficult to pinpoint who is to blame for the
planned a counter-rally against the opposition of sources, including books, government reports and the The readings were per- riots because everything is so nuanced,” said
on May 13, 1969 following the loss of non- media. formed by Foo May Lyn, Surin, who is also the editor and co-found-
ctions
ion
69, never understood why and how the racial
s occurred, until today.
“As a people we were okay with each other,
ng peacefully together. How could this have
pened?” said Dass, who was teaching in SMK
to Hamzah in Klang then.
Her school principal had asked them to go
me early on May 13.
“We were told not to come back to work until
were instructed [to do so],” said Dass.
She did not witness any clashes.
“I saw smoke. I was so young then, I didn’t
derstand what was happening, I wasn’t as politi-
y savvy as I am now.
“I was staying with a Chinese family with an-
er Chinese roommate. Personally I don’t know
one who got hurt … but we heard that people
e killed and we were frightened and I cried,”
d Dass, recounting the sleepless nights.
When asked how she and the people around
got over the traumatic experience, she said:
f course we talked about it among ourselves.
hen we went back to work, people shared their
eriences.
“But we didn’t dwell on it too much, even
ugh we were left wondering. Until today I’m
l wondering how it really could have hap-
ed,” said Dass.
Although several books have been written on
subject, details about the matter remain sketchy
our history textbooks.
Most young people know little about the riots
where to look for more information about this
sode in our history.
This is despite that May 13 had resulted in the
mation of the New Economic Policy (NEP)
nal, Foo May Lyn, Chee, Surin and Dass.
k er of The Nut Graph.
. “And there were also all these incredible
d stories of Malays helping Chinese; Chinese
k helping Malays; Indians, Chinese and Ma-
d lays helping [one another] …
n “But I think a lot of Malaysians may not
be aware of this other aspect of race relations
- during the clashes. I’m sure there are more
s such stories out there.
e “Malaysians should be exposed to more
d diverse narratives to reclaim back what re-
- ally happened at that time,” said Surin.
Hassan: Saw army trucks on the
morning of May 14.
that continues to shape Malaysians’ everyday lives
and affect racial relations in the country. The view from Hassan’s home on Hale Road on the morning of May 14, 1969.
No truth and reconciliation commission was
ever set up to find out more about May 13.
However, in the past few years, newspapers
have published heartwarming accounts of different
people taking care of each other during the riots.
In a series of news reports about the incident
in theSun in 2007, a Malay volunteer recounted
saving a Chinese man from being beaten up in
Setapak.
Multiracial residents in Laman Peel, Kuala
Lumpur also united to protect their neighbour-
hood and stop troublemakers from harming others,
in the same series of reports.
More such stories have surfaced in other media
subsequently. If anything, such stories demon-
strate that Malaysians are capable of rising above
violence and racial boundaries in times of need
to care for one another.
In order to move forward as a nation and pro-
vide proper closure to the tragedy, Malaysians,
regardless of race, need to stop treating the subject Hassan said people only dared to go back on the streets around a week after May 13,
as taboo. while Tan said the streets in Kuala Lumpur were deserted on the anniversary of the
Forty-two years have passed. Malaysians are incident over the next few years.
mature enough to talk about May 13 openly now
and share with one another the stories that have
been hushed up for far too long.
Burnt houses off Hale Road.
She hopes more people will take an active
interest in the country’s history, especially
alternative narratives that had not made it
into official or mainstream history.
“I’m not a historian, this is just my tiny
effort to popularise the diverse history of
Malaysia.
“If only more people understand our
history, we would be less influenced by
the political rhetoric of the day and be
more appreciative of what we have today,” Some of the shops in Kampung Pandan were set on fire during the riots. (Photos
she said. courtesy of Hassan Muthalib)
14
views
may 20 — 22, 2011

W e interrupt the usual Ask

Lord Bobo Q&A to give
you the answer to a ques-
tion that all of you should be asking! Change your life,
change Malaysia!
After all, His Supreme Eminence-
ness is all-knowing, and therefore
knows you want to ask this question
even though you may not.

What is UndiMalaysia!?
Lord Bobo will tell you the answer
in four parts – why, what, how, and
what now.
Why?
Malaysians complain a lot. Malay-
sians think that only politicians are
able to solve our problems, and
every fault lies with the politicians
when we do not get what we want.
This is wrong. We disempower
ourselves when we think that only
politicians can solve our problems.
We complain, and complain, and
complain some more that our com-
plaints are not being acted on, but
when it comes to actually doing
something, we the complainants sit
back, fold our arms and do nothing.
We do not see that there is an
alternative to blaming politicians –
acting on our own, reclaiming our
power, and making true grassroots
democracy more of a reality than it
is today. As has been said, “People
should not be afraid of their govern-
ments; governments should be
afraid of their people.”
The Malaysian political landscape
is extremely polarised, and voters are
forced to vote purely along party
lines, or for personalities based on
salacious and sensationalised issues
(read: sex) rather than on properly
analysed and advocated
bread-and-butter elec-
tion issues (read: food,
housing , public
transport, pub-
lic service effi-
c i e n c y, h u m a n
rights, and education).
As such, our politicians are not
required to address issues that affect
local communities in a properly
thought-out way, and most cam-
paigning remains firmly stuck in
gutter politics.
Generally, there are two types of
Malaysian youth today – those ex-
tremely partisan towards a political
party, and those so apathetic that the
very thought of politics and civil
society issues makes them sick.
The former believe the answer lies
in supporting and being part of a
political party. The latter believe the
solution is in completely ignoring
what is going on in the country.
The former have an illusion of
politics and political change. The
latter are disillusioned with the
Malaysian political scene as it
stands.
Many voter registration initia-
tives have been started, and many
youths have been registered. The
efforts, and results, of these initia-
tives deserve to be celebrated – but
it is only the first step. What is being
done with the newly registered vot-
ers? After registering, very few of
them are being mobilised or acti-
vated. Why?
What?
To empower and enable Malaysians
to meaningfully exercise their right
to vote, and to ensure that election
results express the will of voters
based on informed choices,
the Malaysian Centre
for Constitu-
tionalism and
Human Rights
a.k.a. PusatRak­
yatLB (the Centre)
will undertake a
first-of-its-kind
citi- zen education
initiative known as Undi-
Malaysia!.
The UndiMalaysia! initiative will
be carried out on key election issues
to equip Malaysians with the infor-
mation they need to make informed
choices when exercising their right
to vote. Election candidates will be
scrutinised on their performance,
conduct, and pledges.
UndiMalaysia! should, if suc-
cessful, lead to a larger social move-
ment, and act as the “conscience”
of the people at every election.
The Centre will conduct this
experimental initiative with the
long-term goal of establishing a
permanent voter education hub.
UndiMalaysia! will mobilise and
build a database of empowered
youth as part of the “voter bank”
to demand and sustain good prac-
tices for future elections.
The voter population, particu-
larly the younger generation,
should be encouraged to make
more informed choices at elections,
and to ask fundamental questions
that have often been forgotten by
the electorate and politicians.
A sustained campaign for a
number of years will in its course
influence voter behaviour, leading
to positive changes in the way
politicians handle elections. Undi-
Malaysia! will also result in a core
peoples’ movement that is able to
take things in its own hands and be
self-reliant.
question for Lord Bobo?
Test His Supreme Eminenceness by email-
ing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating
your full name, and a pseudonym (if you
want), or tweeting your questions by
mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the
hashtag #asklordbobo.
The first 100 questions published will re-
ceive monkey-riffic LoyarBurok merchandise
courtesy of Selangor Times. What the hell are you
waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey!
Liberavi Animam Meam!
I Have Freed My Spirit!
How?
The initiative consists of whatever
floats your boat. We will reveal them
as they are revealed. The prototype
UndiMalaysia! pack will include
infographics and a flagship work-
shop, targeted at both urban and
rural settlements.
We will also test our deliverables
in one chosen Selangor parliamen-
tary constituency as if we are to
“campaign” in that constituency to
show the politicians how it ought
to be done.
UndiMalaysia! will deal with a
number of important issues of so-
cial relevance, including poverty
eradication, law and order, corrup-
tion, freedom of expression, man-
aging the country’s resources,
transparency in government ex-
penditure, and students’ and indig-
enous peoples’ rights.
If it’s important to the rakyat, it’s
important to us. We hope there will
be Malaysians in all communities
who will stand up and be counted to
do their own maths, and question
the politicians when the figures ap-
pear wrong.
When successful, this first-of-its-
kind initiative will be replicated in
other constituencies, and hopefully
throughout the country.
What now?
You should UndiMalaysia! It will
excite and be exciting. We are in the
process of recruiting and mobilis-
ing. We are also inviting all non-
governmental organisations on
board to raise their own issues
when we campaign, and share the
same platform for a larger presence
and stronger voice.
Most importantly, we want YOU
on board. No expertise is required.
If you have an interest in being
part of something bigger than your
own personal life, join us. If you
think you are clueless and want to
come on board to learn, join us. If
you have no clue about politics, but
are keen on helping out in any way,
join us. We will guide and find a
place for you.
Be part of a movement that is
truly a rakyat’s movement. Move us.
Move with us. Join us. Start history
with us. Change the way politicians
behave – they are not VIPs who need
to be bowed down to, they are there
to represent YOUR needs.
Rewrite the lives of Malaysians.
Be the change you want to see. Email
your details to undimalaysia@loyar-
burok.com, and we will do the rest!
We promise you, your life will never
be the same.

Food Bank helps 30 families

By Alicia Mun
sUBANG JAYA: Thirty needy families re-
ceived their first monthly supply of basic food
items during the launch of the Subang Jaya Food
Bank initiative last Saturday.
This first-time project is organised by the
office of Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah
Yeoh and Kingdom Christian Fellowship
(KCF), a non-governmental organisation.
“The 30 families were identified by my office
to be part of the Food Bank to receive food items
such as rice and flour from KCF every month
for a year,” said Yeoh.
“I believe that this Food Bank would help to
lighten the burden of these families because
prices of food items such as sugar have increased
recently,” Yeoh added.
According to Yeoh, the Selangor government
has also recently launched a micro-credit financ-
ing scheme to help single parents or those who
are in need by providing them with training on
how to start their own small businesses.
Single mother Lalita Govindasamy from
SS19 said she is grateful for the Food Bank
project as she is trying very hard to make ends
meet for her family.
The 34-year-old mother of four children aged
between six and 13 said she struggled every
month as she also has to take care of her ailing
mother.
KCF president Yap Kok Sun said the Food
Bank is a pioneer project to help needy residents
such as Lalita and her family.
“We are thankful that several companies and
individuals have stepped forward to sponsor
various food items to be distributed to these
families who are in need of help,” Yap added.
“However, this Food Bank is only a tiny step
around the area, and hopefully we can do more
when we become more established,” Subang Jaya
Food Bank chairperson Richard Chong said.
Those interested in contributing to the Food Yeoh and some of the Subang Jaya beneficiaries giving the thumbs-up to the
Bank can contact Chong at 012-2880883. Food Bank programme.
 NEWS 15
MAY 20 — 22, 2011

Wesak Day – a time

for giving
By Brenda Ch’ng
SUBANG JAYA: The true meaning of
Wesak Day was shared with the community
during a joint project between Sunway Pyra-
mid and Kechara Buddhist association.
“The significance of Wesak Day is often
misunderstood. With this event, I hope this
multicultural community can embrace and
join in the celebrations,” said Datuk Ruby
Khong.
The president of the Buddhist association
wants the public to start seeing Wesak Day as
a time of charity, which, she says, does not
always have to be monetary. Rather, charity
should be about giving – time, love, care –
without expecting anything in return.
Wesak Day is celebrated in conjunction
with Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and pass-
ing, which all took place in the month of May.
The Sunway-Kechara event, which was
held at Sunway Pyramid, ran from Friday, May
13 to Wesak Day itself on Tuesday, May 17.
The event was launched by Datuk Dr Vic-
tor Wee, chairperson of Tourism Malaysia.
Kechara provided bins for the community
to donate unwanted clothing or food. The
association also set up booths selling food,
merchandise, and a “green” art and craft cor-
ner to teach children about recycling.
The money raised through sales would be
given to welfare homes.
A main attraction was the wishing tree,
which represented the Bodhi tree that Buddha
sat under on his journey to enlightenment.
“Bodhi”, a Sanskrit word meaning “enlight-
enment”, refers to the particular tree with
heart-shaped leaves that is believed to be one
of wisdom and miracles.
Those present at the event were therefore
encouraged to write their wishes and prayers The wishing tree.
on heart-shaped paper, which were then
clipped to the tree on display. Wesak Day too,” said Henry Ooi, vice- could join in and look forward to.
“This project is to bring the community president of Kechara. He also wants to set a path for other Bud-
closer together and to let non-Buddhists Ooi hoped this first-time event would turn dhist associations to organise similar events
know that they can join in and be part of into an annual affair which people of all races to help make Wesak Day known to everyone.

Kindergarten for needy children

Food for sale prepared by Kechara Soup Kitchen.
at Desa Menteri
PETALING JAYA: The state is building a six-
classroom Tadika Rakyat for poor families living at
the Desa Mentari flats.
Executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar said the
state is spending RM470,000 for the construction of
the kindergarten.
He said this will be the 11th Tadika Rakyat the state
is building for needy children from Indian communities.
The first nine pre-schools are attached to Tamil
primary schools, while the 10th is at Taman Sentosa.
The nine primary schools are:

MBPJ leads SJK (T) Permata, Dengkil

SJK (T) Ladang Sungai Bernam, Sabak Bernam
SJK (T) Bukit Rotan Baru, Bukit Rotan

green initiative SJK (T) Effingham, Petaling Jaya

By Alvin Yap
PETALING JAYA: The city
council (MPBJ) aims to reduce
carbon emission here to the
lowest level possible by looking
at its own energy consumption
patterns.
“This is part of MBPJ’s plan
to encourage sustainability and
also achieve the lowest carbon
emission in Malaysia,” said Khair-
ul Anuar Ahmad Zainudin.
The councillor, who was
speaking on the sidelines of the
Green Personality Award launch
on Wednesday, said a committee
has been formed to achieve the
objective.
Comprising MBPJ council-
lors, the committee has started
auditing every light source, air-
conditioning unit and vehicle
fuel mileage in its inventory.
They aim to identify which
energy consumption creates the
highest carbon footprint, and
SJK (T) Bukit Darah, Sungai Buloh
SJK (T) Ladang Hopeful, Batang Berjuntai
A donor receiving a token of appreciation from
Jayakumar (second right) and Nik Nazmi (second
then prioritise measures to lower SJK (T) West Country, Kajang left), while dinner organising chairperson R
the levels. SJK (T) Acob, Kapar Rajagopal looks on.
Khairul said the findings SJK (T) Bukit Rajah, Klang
would lay the groundwork for an The silver jubilee dinner was attended by around 200
environmentally friendly city. Jayakumar was attending Petaling Jaya’s Tamil Meth- of its followers and donors.
The council is also looking odist Church’s 25th anniversary celebration dinner with Jayakumar said the state would donate RM25,000
into investing in green technol- Seri Setia assemblyperson Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. to the newly established education fund.
ogy for its offices in Petaling Jaya. The church also launched its Desa Mentari Education The education fund is an extension of the church’s
MBPJ will also adopt inter- Fund to provide free tuition classes and educational current charity activities, which include organising
national and local guidelines seminars to underprivileged students in conjunction periodical free medical check-ups for the needy, and
from the Ministry of Energy, with the dinner. visits to orphanages and old folk’s homes.
Green Technology and Water to
plan its energ y conservation
programme.
Councillor Richard Yeoh said
MBPJ would have to beef up its
bylaws to deal with carbon emis-
sions within the city.
He pointed out that station-
ary vehicles with its engines and
air-conditioning running are a
major contributor to environ-
mental damage, among others.
“In other countries, there are
laws against this,” he said, adding
that MBPJ should look into
creating bylaws to deal with the
problem.
Around 200 people attended Petaling Jaya Tamil Methodist Church’s 25th anniversary dinner.
16
News
May 20 — 22, 2011

Melawis field
By Brenda Ch’ng
KLANG: A four-decade wait to
have their park repaired is almost
proper football field and proper with regard to the uneven field,”
facilities for the kids to play with. said the Kota Alam Shah assem-
M Manoharan highlighted blyperson.
the poor conditions of the park Manoharan pointed out that he

to get upgrade
over for residents of Taman Me-
lawis after discussion with the
Klang Mun icipa l Council
(MPK) on Sunday.
“The field has been in this
same condition since I moved
here 37 years ago,” said Satasiv-
am Venugopal, chairperson of
Persatuan Penduduk Taman
Gembira.
The 65-year-old resident
wants the park to be equipped
with a five-foot jogging track,
Pathway in the middle of the park in dire need of repair.
with its damaged pathway and
uneven turf during a dialogue
between MPK and the resi-
dents.
MPK’s engineering depart-
ment has agreed to see how they
can level and improve the park’s
turf.
“I’m giving the engineering
department a month to resurface
the damaged pathway in the
middle of the park, and I will be
pushing for a quicker response
(From left)
Zainuddin,
Manoharan
and Choo.
had sent two letters to MPK this
year, one in January and the second
in March, to request for upgrades,
including repair of the playground
facilities.
The residents were happy with
the given time frame for the re-
pairs, which was announced at the
dialogue session.
Also present were local council-
lor Robert Choo Teck Keong and
representatives from MPK, who
were on hand to note down and
address complaints.
“We have already appointed a
contractor to fix and upgrade the
park facilities, and it should be
done within the week,” said
Zainuddin Mohd Noh.
The representative from MPK’s
Parks and Recreational Depart-
ment added that he will urge the
council to prioritise the levelling
of the field for increased safety.
Over the years, there have been
multiple ankle sprains suffered by
residents who played football on
the uneven field.

Free medical checks for residents

KLANG: Taman Sentosa residents had a free
screening for diabetes and cervical cancer at
their community centre last Sunday.
“Apart from breast cancer, cervical cancer is
the second deadly disease affecting women.
With early detection, there is still a fighting
chance for them,” said Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
The state executive councillor urged resi-
dents who tested positive for diabetes and
cervical cancer to seek counselling at their
preferred hospitals.
He also encouraged residents to take advan-
tage of free medical programmes being offered
by the state.
The programmes include free mammogram
for women, free cataract and  minor surgeries
as well as financial help for dialysis patients.
Besides glucose tests for diabetes, the
screening also included tests for hypertension
and pap smear.
“These check-ups, especially the glu-
cose test, are on a first-come-first-served
basis as we only have limited amount of
glucose strips,” said T Palaiya.
The Zone B Rukun Tetangga chairper-
son said the programme has been held
since 2008 in conjunction with Mother’s
Day.
Residents who do not have the time or
means to travel to a proper hospital have
come to rely on the screening, which is
held annually in the second week of May.
“I’m a working mother who only fin-
ishes work at 7pm every day, and I do not
have time to travel far to get [health]
checks,” said A Rajeswary.
The 53-year-old, who was awaiting her
turn for a pap test, said the programme
would help residents keep track of their
medical condition.

Residents
listening to Dr
Xavier.

Dr Xavier
talking to a
young resident
about the
dangers of
diabetes.

Police report filed over lewd flyer

By Basil Foo
KLANG: A police report was lodged at the
South Klang police station last Friday after
flyers depicting a prominent opposition
politician engaging in sexual acts were found.
“I was told there were many flyers strewn
under trees in Taman Teluk Gedung Indah,
but we only managed to retrieve five,” said
Yew Boon Lye.
The Klang Municipal Council (MPK)
member said he hoped the police would
take immediate action to avoid such fur-
ther incidents.
Yew, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat
(PKR) Klang branch chairperson, said dis-
tribution of pornographic material is illegal
Yew (centre) holding his police report in front of the South Klang police station while and morally wrong.
several PKR supporters hold the pornographic flyers.
“This has been done without a care about
negative effects on society, and this may
especially affect the young people who find
the flyers,” he said.
Along with the flyers, a video disc was
found containing a pornographic video,
which Yew said was distributed during a
public talk on the night of May 7.
He blamed the distribution of these
materials on a mastermind who orches-
trated for the flyers to be spread openly.
Yew added that these materials caused
public complaints when they were found to
have been placed in a surau.
“The South Klang police remarked that
this was their first time receiving such a re-
port. I hope this will be the last time,” Yew
said.
 FICTION 17MAY 20 — 22, 2011

The Runner
Fiction by Al-Zaquan just minutes before we were due
to race. In the locker room, that
She had a way of observing how
I thrived in the quietness of things.
then reappeared a
few minutes lat-

I
firstly have to say that I do
appreciate, Your Honour, the
opportunity to have my story
heard, as I’ve been made a monster
by the people beyond this room,
strangers now repelled by my
presence or the mere mention of
my name.
I miss the thrill of anonymity,
and how your accidents and misgiv-
ings simply slip away in the big
picture of this universe; whereas
due to this incident that puts me
before yourself and the jury today,
I am put on the front page, on cen-
tre stage.
I believe it is necessary for us to
relate as people. The dossier you
have of me may have described me
in broad, unforgiving strokes, and
my height, weight and supposed
crime bear no voice in narrating my
true self.
My first brush with competitive
sport was as a swimmer at 14. I
participated in both solo and team
relays. I didn’t always win, but was
always driven ahead by this brutal,
excruciating wakeness from being
part of the game.
How it forced me to try as hard
as I could, required that I invest a
lot of time building the right phy-
sique and mental strength the
prospect of winning required. A big
part of it was intimidation: with the
look and confidence I could be
perceived to be unbeatable. So I
spent more time in the gym than at
pool practice.
I loved this wordless taunting,
fear in my rivals, this nervous
pulse displayed in their short,
scrawny bodies.
And when the whistle was
blown, that time between start and
end, when there is no threat of feel-
ing tired, when just swimming as
hard and fast as I could made me
feel like I was more than human,
more than I could ever be.
My parents hardly came to see
me. Now I can admit that I was
overshadowed by my brother James,
whose grades or intelligence were
far beyond mine.
My dad in particular was unre-
served in showing his preference,
and I didn’t understand and still
She was always agitated, irritable,
bothered by things I couldn’t and no
longer cared to fathom, forever tense
and on edge, except when I watched
her sleep, when she lay diffused by
slumber, I loved her still.”
don’t now how it was impossible for
him to grasp that James and I were
two different people.
I couldn’t do what he did, and if
he ever even tried doing what I did,
I can guarantee you he’d probably-
die in the process. Not that I would
ever wish that on him.
I later got married to a girl I
dated for three years. Linda. There’s
no way I could minimise her into a
few adjectives, although given the
choice I’d pick “sweet” and “loving.”
We could talk for hours and muster
that light, luminous energy that
lives in touch and not language.
This was before things got bad,
when she started working again
and there was a period of maybe
two years when both of us begin
arguing nearly all the time, over the
most petty things, and it came to a
point where I just stopped being a
part of it.
She was always agitated, irrita-
ble, bothered by things I couldn’t
and no longer cared to fathom,
forever tense and on edge, except
when I watched her sleep, when she
lay diffused by slumber, I loved her
still.
I hope now given my back-
ground you have the idea of the
person I was made to be. It has be-
come my natural instinct to want to
win, and on that day of the mara-
thon, I had decided to stick to my
own pace and time for all 42km, to
be immersed in my own music,
maintain a steady breath and step.
But this man began to irk me. He
suddenly appeared next to me with
a satisfied grin, and eyed me hun-
grily before sprinting ahead. He
er, covered in
sweat and his
eyes deeply
sinister, as if he
was read- ing, as-
sessing me.
And without
provoca- tion he
shoved me leftwards
and I nearly fell. Suddenly
I felt endangered. It
broke my concentration
and I wanted to run
past him, as far ahead
as I could, and win. I
felt that this would be
a bigger blow which
would deliver what
no simple punch or
kick could.
I caught up to this
man, who I could now see was a tall,
looming and tightly built runner.
I shot him a knowing look,
pushed every muscle and joint to
run faster. For a while we were
equals, toe-to-toe and myself com-
pletely out of breath, until eventu-
ally I pushed forward and didn’t see
him for a while, until very near the
finish line when he again appeared
unpredictably.
The sun was out and cars had
been let onto the other side of the
road. He came out now and I had
this immediate need to put him out
into the dark, out of my vision.
I felt threatened, and it was a
visceral reaction when my hand
shot out and hit him hard in the
shoulder, pushing him directly into
the way of a car
going downhill.
The next thing I
knew there was blood
on the pavement, and
people were scream-
ing.
I prom i s e ,Yo ur
Honour, this is what I
saw that day. You don’t
know the horror of finally,
days after, being made fa-
miliar to what had been.
Liberally labelled as
“the victim”, I saw this
picture of a small, bony kid
who I was told was turning
14 that week. He had bright
yellow hair and that glow of
youth. This was not the man I
saw that day, this could not be
the one I pushed, I could not
have killed a boy.
But this, as I have been told re-
peatedly, is what I’m now made to
believe. It has by default become the
truth, and I am having trouble ac-
cepting the personal limitations
that lead me to see otherwise.
My only defence is that I did
not mean to do what I did, Your
Honour.

Free parking for

Subang temples
By Basil Foo
SUBANG JAYA: Devotees of two
temples here can look forward to parking
their vehicles for free in the Monash
University outdoor parking lots during
major festivals.
“We encourage devotees of the Sub-
ang Jaya Vihara Buddhist temple and
the Sri Varathareajah Perumal temple to
use the parking facilities here,” said Han-
nah Yeoh.
The Subang Jaya assemblyperson an-
nounced at a press conference last Friday
(May 13) that the 900 parking lots were
available for use by temple-goers.
Yeoh said this measure is expected to
reduce traffic congestion on Jalan Persi-
aran caused by vehicles parked on the
roadside during religious celebrations.
“The temple committees should apply
with the university two weeks before
their events to check for clashes with
class schedules,” she added.
Subang Jaya Buddhist association
president Chim Siew Choon, who man-
ages the Buddhist temple on Persiaran
Kewajipan, welcomed the free parking
offer.
He said the temple would use the lots
during their Wesak Day celebrations,
which he expects would draw a crowd of
10,000 devotees, on May 17. The Monash University car park has been offered for nearby
“We have received approval from the temples to use during major festivals.
university for temple-goers to use the
Monash outdoor parking lots from 8am
to 2pm on that day,” Chim said.
Sri Varathareajah Perumal temple
secretary Tamilvanan thanked the uni-
versity for allowing them the use of the
parking lots.
He said the temple committee would
be applying for parking during their 10-
day Navareathri Pooja celebrations this
September.
“The use of our parking lots has been
offered to the temples as part of our
corporate social responsibility pro-
gramme,” said Phang Koon Tuck.
The Monash University Malaysia ex-
ecutive director said temple-goers should
feel no qualms about using their parking
lots as they have hired sufficient security Yeoh (fourth right) pointing to the 900-lot outdoor car park. With her are Chim (far right),
officers. Tamilvanan (third left) and Phang (middle).
18
TRAVEL
MAY 20 — 22, 2011

Going for it – hook,

line and sinker
“Gone fishing” is what we would like to say to our friends. LIN ZHENYUAN walks right into a fish haven,
kilometres away from home, and allows the big ones to get away

One of the three ponds in Kampung Melayu.

K
ampung Melayu Seri Kundang is out of the way
turf. Any outsider who walks around, clueless and
for many PJ and KL residents. The village sits
rodless, will be stared at.
snugly inside the neighbourhood of Kundang, But snapping away with a camera creates a situation
somewhere off the Sungai Buloh main road. for strangers to be friends. Several young men who
The kampung road is narrow. After a while, you spoke with a foreign accent were quite happy with their
might begin to wonder if you have unintentionally lot.There were four of them, and they had been fishing
made a mistake by veering too far away from the for more than three hours.
trunk road. I was curious as to whether they had any luck with
Suddenly, the scenery changes, and a recreation lake
their rods until one of them pulled out a sizeable fish
opens up before your eyes. Directly opposite the lake,
straight out of the water. His buddies were full of cheer.
you will notice a fenced-up area with a couple of human-
Then I saw their spoils of the day. At the edge of the
made ponds. pond was their catch. Inside the foldable net basket,
Anglers sit along the edges of the ponds with rods
there were at least 10 fish.
and reels. Some sit further in the shade to avoid the full
No wonder they were laughing and cracking jokes.
brunt of the sun. One guy wearing a red shirt was quite glad to display
This fishing site has been operating for more than 10
the fish they caught. It brought back memories of my
years, but you can be forgiven if this is the first time you
fishing days in Ipoh when I had my share of fishing fun
have seen it. Few people outside Kampung Melayu at an abandoned mining pool.
venture this far to soak in the pastoral scenery. There are three fishing ponds in the area. I believe
There are not many such ponds in Selangor, so you
there are different species of fish in those ponds. For
will have to be in the loop to know of their existence.
ponds designated 1 and 3, the rates are RM28 for five Showing off the fish caught over three hours.
The fishing pond opposite Tasik Biru operates round
hours. If an angler shows up after midnight, it is
the clock. RM30.
The anglers on a Thursday afternoon are all Ma- Pond 2 commands RM23 for three hours, RM25
lays. This part of Seri Kundang is very much theirfor four hours, and RM32 for seven hours of fishing.
If you haven’t caught anything after
three hours, the fish are trying to tell you
something.
Any experienced angler will tell you
that there are different types of bait for
different species of fish. Appropriately,
the operators at this site sell 10 types of
bait. I am sure they had worms, but the
ones in a plastic bucket which seemed
popular among the anglers were pieces of
bread laced with a red substance.
Some of the umpan, or bait, were
“dedak rohu, dedak ayam, dedak 923 &
929”. There was even a “dedak pellet”.
The most common fish in the pond
was tilapia. The other fish which I had
seen among the catch of the day was Cats having their meal of the day under the watchful eyes of their
Friends who came to relax, chat and have some laughs. patin. You really can’t expect to find ex- keepers.

pensive and exotic species for a fee of RM25 or RM28.
When I was there, the women at a shack were feed-
ing a colony of cats. The cats had their own separate
styrofoam plates, and the grub consisted of rice and
bits of fish. It would be safe to assume that the little
fishes were the pond rejects that the anglers didn’t
want because they were too tiny.
Malaysian anglers belong to different classes of
fishing enthusiasts. There are the deep-sea anglers who
charter boats to take them into the deep waters. They
will be at sea for about two to three days. Of course,
they will eat whatever they can catch.
A fishing “kaki” once told me that if their luck is
really bad, instant noodles doesn’t really taste that bad
out in the open sea.
Then there are the committed ones who prefer to
try their luck in the wild rivers of Malaysian jungles.
These outdoors folk who also double up as serious
anglers will trek kilometres into the jungle to find
Ride-in-the-sky prelude
to Fancy Hat Walk
By William Tan
PETALING JAYA: Hot air bal-
loon rides were provided in Padang
Timur last Saturday to promote
what’s being touted as Malaysia’s
largest Fancy Hat Charity Walk.
The weekend’s prelude to the
charity event also featured games as
well as booths offering goods and
services to the public.
The walk is being organised by
the Petaling Jaya Junior Chamber
International (PJ JCI), who are at-
tempting to raise money for their
leukaemia trust fund, which has
existed since the 1980s.
“We hope to raise RM100,000
overall,” said PJ JCI president Lim
Hooi Hooi.
Lim said they are trying to get
recognition in the Malaysian Book
of Records by getting the most
people to participate in the Fancy
Hat Charity Walk.
“We chose a fancy walk over
more traditional methods, such as
dinners, because it is a far more ef-
fective method of drawing young
people,” he added.
Participants are also encouraged Hot air balloon in Padang Timur.
to make their hats from recycled
materials. to community and personal development. It has 52
The walk is to be held on June 11 at I-City, Shah branches in Malaysia, with over 200,000 members
Alam between 8am and 12pm, and will have a mini- and over one million members globally.
mum charge of RM 25.
JCI is an international community of young peo- grow,” said PJ JCI former president Fong Kin Meng.
ple between the ages of 18 and 40, who are devoted
A shack for the
tired and weary
angler who wants
shelter from the
hot sun.
good fishing spots. Most of the time, they take guides
along so that they won’t get lost and create unneces-
sary problems for forest rangers.
Then at the bottom of the unofficial fish enthusiasts
club are those who come in motorcycles or bicycles.
They are regulars at places like this site in Kampung
Melayu Seri Kundang. The pond may not have the
best fish, but the venue is close to home and family
members know where they are all the time.
If an angler can land five to six fish in two hours
for just RM28, it would be a worthwhile trip.
This part of Seri Kundang is majestically pictur-
esque. It has an ambience of a relaxed lifestyle. A
resident here won’t have any trouble maintaining a
healthy heart.
Fishing is definitely a therapeutic pastime. It is also
invigorating when the line dips and tightens, and the
activity has a recuperative effect on tired minds and
bodies.
“Joining us gives you an opportunity to learn and
For more information, visit www.jcimalaysia.cc.
TRAVEL 19MAY 20— 22, 2011
✂
Take 5 minutes to fill this form up and drop it off at
the nearest police station to have regular checks
at your house while you are away.
Ibu pejabat Polis Daerah Subang Jaya
Tel: 03-5637 3722 Fax: 03-5631 9815
Borang maklumat
Memaklumkan tentang meningalkan rumah kediaman untuk
bercuti.
Kepada Kawasan Pentadbiran Balai Polis
..............................................................................................
Butiran penduduk:
Nama: ..................................................................................
Alamat: .................................................................................
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Nombor telefon bimbit/kediaman: ........................................
Nombor telefon yang boleh dihubungi: ................................
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Tarikh meninggalkan rumah: ................................................
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Kenderaan yang ditinggalkan (jenis model & nombor daftar
kenderaan).
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Lain-lain maklumat:
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Tandatangan Tarikh
Have you checked
your electrical
switches before
leaving home?
Before leaving your home for a holoday, have you
checked all your electrical switches and turned off
your gas tanks?
Call the SS17 Bomba for advise at
03-5634 9444
20
Features
May 20 — 22, 2011

W Quicker play not Get smart!

hen this column sees print,
the Asian Youth Champi-
onship, which started on
May 14, will be coming to a close in Play chess!

Subic, Philippines, and we will know
how our 16 representatives from
eight to 18 years of age fared.
It is only in the U-14 and above
categories that one can say for sure
where our young talents stand
relative to their peers as it takes three
years to prepare a talent to become a
champion in an event.
However, what has kept me up
most nights recently is the ongoing
Candidates tournament, which
will decide the challenger to
current World Chess Champion V
Anand of India.
What is clear is that today’s
young players develop very quickly
thanks to the easy availability of
information coupled with
computer training.
Subsequently, any player can play
well above their ELO ratings.These
players mature quickly due to the
extra help from chess programmes
helping quality
By Peter Long
peterlong@aol.asia
and databases, while lacking a
certain maturity to their game.
quality and huge number of mistakes
made during the tournament, given
Too Short
The Candidates tournament was
amazing in that there were mini
matches of four games followed by
these are among the world’s elite. But
we can be sure that the universal
criticism of the format will be
for Nigel
Rapids and the Blitz to break ties. validated with improved quality in HOU Yifan (pic), 17, of China is a prodigy
In every match right up to the final the longer championship system of even among the young stars. At just 14 and
between two of the most unfancied 12 instead of four. already playing in one of the most prestigious
players – veteran Boris Gelfand What I did realise was that tournaments in the world, she met Nigel
and Alexander Grischuk – there was without exception, all the players Short, current English champion and World
no decisive result obtained through who made the Candidates were not Championship finalist, and showed a
normal time control. products of the computer age. glimpse of her strength.
Pundits have accused the players Rather, they are players trained
of being afraid to take risks. While in the old way but who have Yifan Hou vs Nigel Short
there is some truth in this, the tie- adapted to using computers, as Round 3 - Corus B, 2008
breaks can be seen as a gamble. opposed to training with them 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 
As such, I was shocked at the poor from an early age. Nigel erects the Berlin wall

KL International Open returns

The Kuala Lumpur Chess Association
(KLCA), with sponsorship from the
Masterskill Education Group Berhad, will
hold the 4th KL International Open Chess
Championship for the Raja Nazrin Shah
Challenge Trophy from Sept 4-10.
Held under the auspices of the Malaysian
Chess Federation (MCF), the KL Open will
be registered with the World Chess Federation
(FIDE) as an international title and rated
tournament and will be played over 9 rounds.
The competition will be played using the
time control of 90 minutes for the first 40
moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of
4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6
bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7
More common is 8. ... Nf5 but you cannot
fault him looking to keep chances to win.
the game with an addition of 30 seconds per GM Anton Fillipov from Uzbekistan was 9. c4 O-O 10. Nc3 Re8 11. Rd1 Bf8
move starting from move one. the winner, and the KL Open was the platform Yifan has built a nice position with simple
The total prize fund is RM 45,000, while to propel him to prominence. He is today one and logical moves while Nigel has chosen to
the closing date for entries is July 31. For more of the toug hest competitors on the be slightly provocative.
details, email the tournament director at international circuit. 12. Bg5 f6 13. Bh4 g5 
peterlong@aol.asia. In 2009, the KLCA with Polgar Chess Asia Playing 12. ... f6 was pushing it but 13. ... g5
Although only in its fourth edition, the organised the KL Open, moving the dates is really asking for it. Nigel plans to snatch a
KL Open is one of the most successful from December to April and positioning it as pawn and then hand on for dear life.
innovations in recent years. a programme for young talent development. 14. Bg3 d6 15. Ne4
Held after the World Chess Olympiad in Accordingly, the Challengers tournament Black is in serious trouble!
Dresden 2008 and the Singapore Open, the was replaced by a match between teams of very 15. ... Bg4 16. exf6 Bh5
inaugural KL Open offered local organisers young players representing Indonesia, How else to defend 17. f7+ and then 18.
and arbiters the opportunity to show their Singapore, Malaysia, and KL. Nxg5, etc.?
mettle. The winner was former World Youth 17. Qe3 Bh6 18. Ne5!
Champion GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (Diagram) It is over. What an amazing move.
from Vietnam, recently a co-winner of the You try and work out the variations!
dIsabl
beIng ed
theIr denIed Partn
Asian Continental Championship held in Iran. 18. ... Rxe5 19. Bxe5 Bxd1 20. Rxd1
rIghtsbasIc
p 6 policeering
reduceto
crime
Increa
boun sed
But nothing could beat the 3rd KL Open The finish is crushing and very telling is the

Where to get
curb ty
held in April 2010. With over 100 players complete lack of moves that can provide any
to
p 12 & 13 Illegal
banner
s
p 8
commun
ity
from 21 countries taking part, including 16 resistance.
GMs, 20 IMs and 16 FMs, it was the 20 ... Qe8 21. Bc3 Nd8 22. f7+ Qxf7 23.
Mild imp
after yestrovement in
Inset pict erday's evenair quality
Wednesd ure was take ing shower.
Page 2. ay afternoo n on
n. Stor
y on

strongest international field ever seen in Nf6+

May 13
— 15, 2011
/ issue
24

Malaysia, and was bested by then 16-year-old Nigel will not remember too many games
Hou Yifan of China. that he lost in just 23 moves. 1-0

By Gan
Pei Ling

LRT Stations (Distribution by Empire Tussle o

PetalI
SS2 's unling Jaya:
could boo cens ed bridLegalising
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what was e wedding from keen

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n stre ets erting the
said Che
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Pandan Indah kets

To pag
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Pandan Jaya (From Satur-

Sentul Timur day noon)
Sentul Tesco
(Puchong,
Kelana Jaya – Terminal Putra Kajang, Mutiara,
Kelana Jaya Bukit Tinggi, Setia Alam, Am-
Taman Bahagia pang, Extra Shah Alam, Kepong)
Taman Paramount Giant (Puchong, Kajang,
Asia Jaya Subang Jaya, Bukit Tinggi, Setia Morning Wet Markets
Taman Jaya Alam, Kota Kumuning) (Saturday morning)
Universiti Carrefour (Bukit Rimau) Jalan SS2/62
Sri Rampai Jusco (Bukit Tinggi) Taman Medan
Wangsa Maju Metro Point, Kajang Jalan 17/27
GM Klang Taman Kuchai Lama
Sri Petaling – Sentul Timur Taman OUG
Taman Melati Commuter Stations Pasar Taman Megah
Sri Petaling (Distribution by hand) – Morning Pasar Jalan Othman
Bukit Jalil Sentul – Port Klang Pasar Jalan 17/2
Bandar Tasik Selatan Port Klang Pasar Sek 14
Salak Selatan Bukit Badak Pasar Seri Setia SS9A/1
Shah Alam Pasar Kg Chempaka
Shopping Malls Subang Jaya Taman Tun Dr. Ismail
(From Saturday noon) Jalan Templer
1 UTAMA Petaling Hospital
Tropicana Mall Forrest Medical Centre
Sunway Pyramid Rawang – Seremban
The Curve Kuala Kubu Baru Colleges
IOI Mall Sungai Buloh Help Institute
IOI Business Park Kepong Sentral College Bandar Utama (KBU)
Ikano Power Centre Kepong Universiti Kebangsan Malaysia
 MEDIA 21
MAY 20 — 22, 2011

Babies’ charm wins big prizes

in Carrefour contest
Model Amber Chia (back row, left) and Carrefour Malaysia-Singapore toy car in front of the five judges.
marketing and communication director Low Ngai Yuen (back row,
Mahani Ismail, 40, from Cheras told Selan- The remaining seven
gor Times. consolation-prize winners
With a Spanish name, her fair-looking walked away with
daughter Marcella is sometimes mistaken for RM1,000 cash vouchers
a child of mixed blood, but Mahani said her and RM200 worth of baby
husband is also a Malay-Muslim. products.
The mother of five said they gave their The 10 finalists were
youngest child a Spanish name out of their selected from over 2,500
love for Spanish culture and folktales. entries received nation-
“Our older children all have Malay names, wide. The babies were
so we decided to do something different,” said judged on their appear-
Mahani, who works as a babysitter and usu- ance, personality, and abil- Marcella Nuerqa
ally does her shopping at Carrefour Bandar ity to charm.
Tun Hussen Onn. This is the second year the competition was held. Last
The second-prize winner was Mohd Irfan year, Carrefour received over 1,000 applications.
Mohd Ehsan, who is only a month younger The five judges were Carrefour Malaysia-Singapore
than Marcella. marketing and communication director Low Ngai Yuen;
While the others walked onstage with their model Amber Chia; TV host Wardina Syaffiyah; parenting
mothers, Mohd Irfan made the most memo- magazine Pa & Ma editor Liza; and Parents Thots editor
rable entrance by driving his striking yellow Brigitte Rozario.
His family and relatives

Family Day fun

right) taking photos with the winners’ families. also made banners to sup-
port the handsome toddler
By Gan Pei Ling from Ampang.

for Metrojaya
Her parents were rewarded with a
PETALING JAYA: With her confident gaze and smile, RM3,000 cash voucher and baby products
Marcella Nuerqa, aged one year and three months, charmed worth RM2,000.
the judges to be crowned Carrefour Malaysia’s Little Ambas- Third-prize winner Qaleesya Amer-
sador last Saturday. uddin, who is almost one and a half,
Her family walked away with RM10,000 worth of baby impressed the judges by placing plastic
products and a RM5,000 Carrefour cash voucher. bottles and bowling pins into separate
As the grand-prize winner, her daughter will also be the baskets.
model for selected Carrefour’s catalogues in the coming year. Her family received a RM1,000 cash
“We didn’t think we could win,” her beaming mother voucher and RM500 worth of merchandise.

First-class X-perience
from Domino’s
Club members enjoying themselves.

By Brenda Ch’ng the year started off with Family

MEMBERS of Metrojaya Sports
and Recreation Club (MJSRC)
have been encouraged to forge
closer ties through family-based
activities and events.
The club, which was established
in 1990, aims to use recreational
sports to bring families closer.
“The club has 1,100 members
who actively take part in activities
organised [by the club]. We plan to
have more activities for the year,”
said Christine Lee.
The advertising and promo-
tions manager of Metrojaya said
Day on April 16.
The event at Desa Waterpark
attracted attracted employees of
all ages.
Lee said the day began with aero-
bics followed by telematches, chil-
dren’s games and an “amazing race”
around the park.
Lee said more events are in store
for members and their families.
Fishing , bowling and futsal
competitions will be held next fol-
lowed by a Hari Raya barbeque
gathering.
Lee said MJSRC would organise
more events for families.

SHAH ALAM: X-perience it to believe it!
Domino’s Pizza is set to unleash zealous frenzy
among fans of both Domino’s and X-Men.
In line with the highly anticipated premiere
of this summer’s blockbuster, X-Men: First
Class, Domino’s launched its First Class pizza
range last week.
The pizza delivery experts unveiled its First
Class pizzas – Tuna Extreme, Chicken Perfec-
tion and Prawn Passion.
Domino’s Pizza Malaysia chief operating
officer Ba U Shan-Ting said: “The new line-
up, through the introduction of gourmet in-
gredients, promises a new level of Domino’s
experience for pizza lovers.”
In the spirit of offering a First Class X-
perience, Domino’s First Class Double Deals
are available in two sets. The Double Deal 1
set comes with one regular First Class pizza
of your choice and one regular pizza of your
choice for RM33.50, with a total savings of
RM17.60.
Double Deal 2 includes one large First
Class pizza of your choice, and one large
pizza of your choice for RM55, with savings
of up to RM15.60.
Double Deals are available for a limited
time only from May 9 to 25.
“Today’s event also marks another collabo-
ration with an international franchise, and we
are pleased to partner with X-Men.
“Together, Domino’s and X-Men fans are in
store for a great experience with special meal
offers which include the Exclusive X-Men First
Class Limited Edition Glass, a premium exclu-
sive to Domino’s Malaysia and Singapore and
will only be available for a short period and
while stocks last,” added Shan-Ting.
Fans of X-Men can also get their hands
on the specially commissioned glass from
May 26 with a purchase of Domino’s First
Class Meal.
For RM60, the meal comprises one large
First Class pizza of your choice, one regular
pizza of your choice, one set of Crazy Chick-
en Crunchies with Tangy Cheese Dip, one set
of six-piece Twisty Bread, and a 1.5L bottle of
100 PLUS.
Domino’s First Class Meal will be available
from May 26 to June 19.
First Class pizzas are available as an à la
carte order with a surcharge of RM3.50 for
regular pizzas, RM5 for large pizzas, and RM7
for X-tra large pizzas.
The highly anticipated movie X-Men: First
Class premieres in Malaysia on June 2.
22
Gallery
MAY 20 — 22, 2011

Resident monk Phraklin

Thawakro gesturing to donation
boxes in the Thai Buddhist
Chetawan Temple in Petaling
Jaya, which saw a steady stream
of devotees offering prayers
on Wednesday, May 11, in
anticipation of Wesak Day on
May 17.

Founding members of the Petaling Jaya Tamil Methodist Church celebrating its 25th anniversary during a
silver jubilee dinner attended by around 200 of the church’s followers and donors.

A devotee sticks gold paper onto a statue of Buddha while saying

a prayer at the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in Petaling Jaya on
Wesak Day.

Mohd Irfan Mohd

Ehsan charmed
judges and onlookers
by driving onstage
in his toy car during
Carrefour Malaysia’s
Little Ambassador
pageant last Saturday.
The toddler, aged one
year and two months,
won second place in
the competition.

Petaling Jaya Selatan (PJS) Member of Parliament Hee Loy Sian (right), with Petaling
Jaya city councillor Maharul Ismail (centre) and PJS surau committee member Mohd
Hamzah (left) during a cheque-presentation ceremony last Sunday. Hee gave RM33,000 in
donations from his MP allocations to residents associations, houses of worship and other
organisations in the area.
Datuk Ruby Khong and Henry Ooi of the Kechara Buddhist association showing
food and clothing donation bins during a Wesak Day event held at Sunway
Pyramid from May 13 to 17. The event was open to members of the public, who
were encouraged to partake of the spirit of giving. Food and merchandise were
also sold to raise funds for welfare homes.

INTERVIEW
By Nick Choo
As Joanne Kam was regrettably
entangled in glitter and feather
boas and was unable to grace
Selangor Times with an interview,
we spoke to director Llew Marsh,
who found inspiration to direct
Kam… Fully Loaded! from sources
as diverse as Broadway, hit TV
series Glee, Lady
Gaga, and the recent
big-screen Christina
Aguilera-starrer
Burlesque. Marsh,
34, began performing
with the London
Touring Opera when
he was 11, and was
in Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s rock opera
Jesus Christ Superstar
in Australia when
he was 21. He has
worked as a musical
director, arranger and
producer, including
with Universal Studios
Singapore touring
Australasia as a
member of the casting panel.
Kam is known for her
provocative comedy. Is it safe
to say we can expect more
of her trademark humour in
Kam… Fully Loaded!?
Joanne Kam Poh Poh was
known for headlining The
Boom Boom Room, which was
famous for its risque humour,
drag shows, impersonations,
skits, and all-round good,
fun time! This show will pay
homage to that. It will include
huge dance numbers with a
variety of costumes and music,
a skit or two, and, of course,
stand-up comedy and audience
participation. The songs include
old-school Vegas-style numbers,
a sexy burlesque routine, and
contemporary choreography
from Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lady
Gaga and Glee.
You are more established as
a performer and producer. Is
this your first time directing a
show?
I direct a lot of cabarets, revues,
corporate shows, and concerts
Editor’s Malaysia’s Queen of Burlesque, Joanne Kam
Pick
Kam… Fully
Poh Poh, diva-comedienne Bibi Kay Poh, and the
irreverent Will Quah join forces in this burlesque-
inspired cabaret-comedic showcase. Loaded with
diamonds and sequins, bawdy wit and campy
Loaded! theatrics, the awesome threesome will have
Theatre; PJ Live audiences rolling in the aisles as they shimmy,
Arts @ Jaya shake and try to outshine one another.
One; May 20 & “Supported by the SEXY Divas and dancers to
21; RM60; 03- stretch your ringgit further! Kam… Fully Loaded!
79600439, www. has reinterpreted the burlesque art form – from
pjla.com.my its naughty, striptease elements, to a slicker and
more diverse form of entertainment … A uniquely
satirical and entertaining showcase, one which
will incorporate a local relevance, poking fun at
our various idiosyncrasies and lifestyles – all for
laughter’s sake, of course.” Part of the PJ Laugh
Fest at PJ Live Arts Theatre; with choreography by
Ahmad Kassan and direction by Llew Marsh.
with local and Have there been any diva
foreign artistes, moments in the course of your
and I have directed working on this show?
a mini-musical The show is full of divas! Ten of
for the Malaysian them! Every single one! Being
Short & Sweet a performer, you need attitude,
Festival 2010, personality, sex appeal, style and
which won four wit! But really, everyone on this
awards. This is show has been a joy to work with.
the first time I’m We are like one big family, we all
directing a larger have our jobs to do and we just
show for a general get it done.
audience. There
are similarities and differences What is it about theatre, in
[between producing and directing], particular musicals, that you
of course. The main goal [at the enjoy? And what are your
end of the day] is to put on a great thoughts on Malaysia’s musical
show, with memorable moments theatre scene, especially local
the audience can remember, and productions?
profitable returns. With directing, Anything with music in it has an
you have more control over the emotional quotient tied to it. Music
creative content and process. is universal and can make you
Having produced makes you feel things you might not feel in
more aware of budgets and what a conventional play. I’ve always
you are able to achieve. So in been switched on to music, as
retrospect, it does make you more my mother reminds me. I believe
creative.  music can manipulate human
emotions like no other medium
can, and when words and story
are added, it’s magical.
I believe our musical theatre
scene is growing up fast; it’s still in
its adolescence, but is eager and
stubborn enough to push forward,
to try new and challenging things.
With the birth of various [local]
musical theatre programmes and
academies, it’s clear there is a
growing interest. We truly need the
human resources on and off the
stage to make it happen, and it’s
great to see many music, theatre
and dance graduates coming back
home to Malaysia eager to get on
the stage and bring it!
Culture 23 May 20 — 22, 2011
Compiled by Nick Choo
CALENDAR
A History of Falling Things
Theatre; May 19-22; Kuala Lumpur
Performing Arts Centre; RM13/RM23; 03-
4047900; www.klpac.org
A phobia-filled comedic love story written
by British playwright James Graham.
This 21st-century love story is themed
around the fear of falling satellites, known
as keraunothnetophobia, where phobic
cyberspace love birds, Jacqui and Robin,
communicate solely via webcam. Their
neurosis keeps them indoors, but they foster their adoration on the net.
The biggest question remains – will the thing that brought them together
be the thing that keeps them apart? Directed by Christopher Ling,
presented by the T4YP Ensemble 2011.
Bars and Bedrooms
Theatre; May 19-22; The Actors Studio @ Lot 10; RM25/RM50; 03-
21422009/21432009; electricmindsproject@gmail.com
Four short stories about love, passion and unintended consequences.
Sandy struggles with addiction and the attentions of bartender Kendra,
who is dealing with an unusual addiction of her own. Michael and Sam
have a heart-to-heart about the difference between career and the
path of their dreams. Dan is besieged by newlyweds Ella and Stuart,
but unbeknownst to them, their meeting will undo everything they have
become. Yee Sin and Wai Lun drift apart in their marriage, as they slowly
drown in the ghosts of the past and living life in the big city. Between the
bars and the bedrooms, what do these people dream of, and who will
they become? Presented by Electric Minds Project.
Wayang
Theatre; May 20-23; Dewan Bandaraya
Kuala Lumpur; RM43/RM20; www.
theatreanticsshop.com; 03-26983566.
Presented by Masakini Theatre Company,
Wayang presents a twist on the traditional
puppetry and shadow play by incorporating
eight dancers from Dua Space Dance
Theatre. The production will take audiences
through six decades – from the 1950s till
today, with music to match each decade.
“[It] mirrors on society where everyone puts
on a front, a show of sorts. We only see what’s on the surface and it’s
behind an imaginary smokescreen, or in this case, a sheet of cotton
cloth,” says director and Masakini founder Sabera Shaik.
The Moon Speaks For My Heart:
Teresa Teng, Her Life, Her Songs
Musical; May 19-29; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; RM60-
RM255; 03-62019107/62019108, email: dama@damaorchestra.com;
www.damaorchestra.com
Dama Orchestra’s latest concert is a tribute to the legendary Teresa
Teng. Savour the sweet melodious music and songs that made Teng a
truly international icon. Featuring Tan Soo Suan, Evelyn Toh, and Chang
Fang Chyi, with narration in English by Sam Tseu.
The Fulfillment of Solitude
Exhibition; May 10-31; EQ Fine
Arts; 03-62010985/019-2809985,
email: rajaihsan@gmail.com; free
admission
A selection of photographs by
HRH Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin
Shah (1907-79). “The 25
photographs carefully chosen
for this exhibition are some of his
most celebrated, and also several
that were never before printed.
These are pictures that reveal the true character of the photographer,
who also happened to be a Malay Sultan. They also reveal his
relationship with the human element of his subjects, as well as the
countryside that he belonged to.” Viewing by appointment only.
Land of God & Shadows
Exhibition; May 9-29; Pentas 2 Foyer, KLPac; 03-7958 2175, email:
stag@tm.net.my; www.shaliniganendra.com
Pictures by photojournalist Rahman Roslan, taken during frequent
visits to Bali in 2010. “As a frequent stranger to this land, Bali offers
many surprises. On my second visit, I was able, due to familiarity,
to capture images, people met, and landscapes touched, and the
feeling of the breeze. What I see has more meaning now and grows
from the image, because from the visual I explore the multiple layers
beneath. Sometimes a beautiful marriage occurs between the ancient
and contemporary, or the obvious and the subtle. These relationships,
shadows, and realisation brought the mesmerising energy for this
series.” Presented by Shalini Ganendra’s Fine Art.