Debate over PPSMI

10 11

Don't use middlemen, traders urged p 2

Make a trIP to the toy lIbrary

p

community

March 2 4, 2012/ issue 63

A family of eight, from K a m p u n g Te n g a h , Puchong, lost their only means of making a living when RM25,000 worth of traditional cakemaking equipment was destroyed during a fire last Saturday. However 1 4 - y e a r- o l d N o o r Azzieyati Azmin (left), her aunts Amaliah Kayoon, 44, (centre) and Siti Norhizayah Kayoon, 29, who are holding Noor Azzieyatis younger siblings, had a reason to smile on Thursday. Kinrara state assemblyperson Teresa Kok donated RM5,000 to help the family rebuild their kitchen and restart their business. The family also received RM200 from Subang councillor Azizan Jamaluddin and will also get a new flour grinder from Petaling assistant district officer Idzahar Rasidi..

Drought over but residents still angry

By alvin yap

aMPaNG Jaya: The agony of enduring 12 days of dry taps is over for residents of a walk-up apartment at Pandan Utama 2, but they remain bitter with Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas). "Water is something basic. The supply should not have been disconnected over money and cheques," saidMohd Azam Meor, 55, a resident of the five-storey apartment in Jalan Cempaka 1. He was among 70 residents whose supply was disconnected on Feb 14 when it was discovered that the developer had been stealing water from a Syabas main and piping it to the two-year-old apartment. Supply was turned on again on Feb 25 after the developer forwarded a letter of undertaking dated Feb 20, promising to furnish

Mohd Azam (gesturing) says that water shouldn't have been disconnected over money disputes while Iskandar (seated) says he is relieved.

a bank guarantee of RM1.9 million to Syabas by Feb 27. The amount was to ensure the developer completed building infrastructure needed to supply water to the apartment within a year.

While relieved to have water, residents remain sore with Syabas for cutting supply in the first place as the action had affected children and senior citizens. What if the developer couldnt

promise the bank guarantee? Would we still be without water? asked the father of three. Syabas officials, during a meeting with residents on Feb 20, said they had to stop water theft from recurring. Initially, Syabas demanded the

developer settle a RM185,000 bill for stealing water. The company later issued a post-dated cheque for RM40,000 and also hammered out a deal to pay the arrears in four instalments. But in an about-turn on Feb 23, Syabas slapped the developer with an additional demand for the RM1.9 million bank guarantee before water was reconnected. Resident Iskandar Abu Hatan, 44, is relieved that the matter is finally resolved. Imagine, for 12 days we had to carry heavy pails of water every two to three hours to flush our toilets, wash our dishes and bathe, he said. The office administrator pointed out the matter was resolved due to the assistance of Cempaka assemblyperson Iskandar Samad, who had called for meetings between the developer, residents and Syabas.

news
March 2 4, 2012

MB: KJs appointment a step back for Bumis

SHAH ALAM: Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who was among the founders of Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB), is questioning the appointment of Khairy Jamaluddin as the head of the corporation. The appointment clearly shows that political affiliation, not capability and experience, makes the cut for top positions in government-linked corporations, said the menteri besar. Khalid pointed out that the Unmo Youth chief and Rembau member of Parliament had not shown the capability nor experience in running a successful corporate body. The Oxford graduate was appointed to replace Tan Sri Mohd Abu Bakar Mohd Noor, who was the president of Malaysia Airlines from 2002 to 2010, and Oriental Bank Bhd from 1997 to 1999. Khalid said Khairys appointment smacked of conflict of interest. He noted that PUNBs Board of Directors has always been made up of corporate professionals who have no conflict of interest in either being part of a political party or politically-affiliated groups. (This) does not augur well for the future of the Bumiputera community and Malaysia. In building the nation, our leaders have to look beyond political affiliation. PUNB was set up in 1991 under Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputra to nurture Bumiputera entrepreneurs from small and medium enterprises.

Traders warned against using middlemen

To place your Advert in

Contact:

Timothy Loh 019-267 4488, Ivan Looi 014-936 6698, Tony Kee 016-978 2798 Samantha Sim 019-382 7121

Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) President Datuk Mohamad Yacob (front, in red tie) posing with councillors on the last day of their appointment on Feb 29.

Selangor WeaTHer
Friday Morning Saturday Sunday

AMPANG JAYA: Traders using "runners" to renew their business licences with the local council only have themselves to blame for late renewal fines. Stop using middlemen to renew business licences as it can result in business owners getting their renewals late, said Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) president Datuk Mohammad Yacob on Wednesday. He said MPAJ has sufficient counters and there was no reason for traders to turn to runners. "In addition, renewals can also be done online. We set

up the system last year but the response has been poor, he said after MPAJ's full board meeting. Less than 10%, or 2,000 licence renewals, have been done online out of the 9,000 registered businesses in Ampang Jaya since Dec 31 last year. Some 3,000 traders missed the deadline and were fined RM200 when they renewed their licences on or after Jan 1. Mohammad Yacob said traders who renewed their licences after yesterday (March 1) would be fined RM700.

afternoon

night

Contractors given three months to prove themselves

By Alvin Yap
phone (603) 5510 4566 fax (603) 5523 1188 email editor@selangortimes.com

Source: Malaysian meteorological department

EDITORIAL
CHIEF EDITOR COMMUNITY EDITOR

KL Chan C Gunasegaran

Neville Spykerman

PRODUCTION EDITOR WRITERS

Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling, Basil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Chng COPY EDITOR James Ang
DESIGNERS

Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man Yen

ADVERTISING

Timothy Loh, Samantha Sim, Ivan Looi, Tony Kee, Faekah Husin, Arfaeza Abdul Aziz

ADVISORS

AMPANG JAYA: Newly-appointed cleaning and garbage contractors have 90 days to prove their worth or face dismissal by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ). Were serious with the new operators. If they do not perform in three months' time, we will terminate their contracts, said MPAJ president Datuk Mohammad Yacob after a council meeting on Wednesday. The 47 public cleaning operators along with36 solid waste contractors started work on March 1. Mohammad Yacob said the coun-

cil had retainedonly five contractors from the previousyear. Nonetheless, MPAJs Environmental Health Department will monitor the performances of the contractors while the Public Complaints Unit will look into complaints from residents. We want the contractors to take action to solve problems within two hours of us forwarding the complaints to them, he said. Mohammad Yacob pointed out that two hours was sufficient for the operators to get to the area and rectify theproblems. However, MPAJs in-house backup teams will be sent tothe affected

areas if contractors are slow to act. If this happens, we will dock RM500 each from the contractors' monthly claims, he said. He said ratepayers can call MPAJs Public Complaints Department at 03 4296 8044 (8am-6pm) to lodge grouses related to public cleaning and solid waste. Mohammad Yacob said MPAJ spent RM40 million last year on public cleaning and solid waste management. He said appointing and managing their own contractors would save the councilRM10 million, which will be used to fund corporate social responsibility programmes.

news

Barisan MP gets six years for graft

SHAH ALAM: Sabak Bernam member of Parliament Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakri (pic) and his aide Mohd Rosli Busro were each sentenced to six years jail and fined RM400,000 for graft yesterday. However, the Sessions Court granted them a stay of execution pending appeal. Session judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh found the Barisan Nasional lawmaker guilty of eight counts of making false claims amounting to RM80,000 and also fined him RM50,000 or a years jail for each charge. Abdul R ahman, 47, was charged under Section 11 (c) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 and CYBERJAYA: An awareness campaign has been launched to get restaurants and stalls to stop discarding their used cooking oil into Sungai Sepang. We will try the soft approach first by briefing them about caring for the environment, said Sepang Municipal Council (MPSepang) councillor P Sivakumar. He said they had identified more than 50 outlets in Kg Baru Sepang, Pekan Sepang, and commercial areas along the river which have been doing the dumping. Night-market hawkers who sell fried chicken, pisang goreng, and keropok have also been identified as some of the main offenders. He said the issue is still being investigated further by the council but the briefings for food outlet operators could begin as early as this month. A layer of oil forming on the surface of the water has caused mangrove trees along the river to start to wilt, he said. About 90 tree saplings purchased by the council and planted along the riverside two months ago are also being threatened because of the pollution. Sivakumar said the environmental impact of the used oil polluting the sentenced under Section 16 of the same act for making claims of RM10,000 each time between Jan 21 and Feb 4, 2008. Mohd Rosli was found guilty of abetting Abdul Rahman while he was the Sungai Air Tawar state lawmaker before the 2008 general election. Azhaniz ordered the six-year prison sentence to be served concurrently and the fines, if not paid, would result in another eight years jail. No by-election is required under the law despite the guilty verdict because the parliamentarian is more than two-thirds into his term.

March 2 4, 2012

By Basil Foo

Regulating roadside Tom Yam stalls

Discard used cooking oil responsibly

river can be clearly seen now as more shops have been set up over the years. Some shops have existed for 40 years. The effects werent so bad then. There are more shops now since the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) was built, he said. During the councils full board meeting on Wednesday, he suggested that the council contact companies which collect used oil for recycling. He said the briefings could also educate food operators to store their used oil in containers for these recycling companies to carry away. We will be looking for companies to come and help, said council president Mohd Sayuthi Bakar. But he said it would be difficult to attract companies however, as the population size in the area does not produce enough used oil to make recycling commercially lucrative.

CYBERJAYA: Popular roadside stalls including those serving up tom yam throughout Sepang will be regulated under new guidelines being drawn up by the council. By legalising the stalls and creating guidelines, we can regulate their business practices, said Sepang Municipal Council (MPSepang) president Mohd Sayuthi Bakar. Mohd Sayuthi, speaking after the councils monthly full board meeting on Wednesday, said illegal roadside stalls were one of the main causes of rampant rubbish dumping. The guidelines, which are being finalised and slated to be completed this month, will address issues like land ownership, cleanliness, and rate payments. It is unfair if they dont pay anything but enjoy the services provided by the council, like rubbish collection, which are paid for by other ratepayers, he said. He added that many Tom Yam roadside stall owners, who have built permanent structures, operate by renting agricultural land in village areas from the land owners. By law, these stalls must have their own land titles meant for business purposes. Meanwhile the council is also drawing up separate guidelines to allow crime-prone neighbourhoods to set up security posts and hire guards. Councillor Mohamad Azif Mohamad Aris said the guidelines will be completed tentatively by April and the council hopes the move will help reduce crime rates across the municipality. Mohamad Azif said he sympathised with residents living in his zone, especially those in Taman Salak Indah, and supported the move to allow them to place barriers across roads. As they stay near the main road, Jalan Salak, they are exposed to more crime. There have been three break-ins there so far this year. He added that protection provided by guards and road barriers is important as housing areas are left empty during the daytime when residents leave for work and school.

More forms for affordable housing projects

SHAH ALAM: Application forms for the states affordable home schemes have been reprinted after the initially batch of2,700 copies were snapped up by the public. The forms were sold out after the launch of Selangor State Development Corporations (PKNS) affordable housing project in Bandar Baru Bangi, said state executive councillor for housing Iskandar Samad yesterday. Newforms are availableat RM5, which includes the processing fee, at the Selangor Housing and Real Estate Board (LPHS), fifth floor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah building in Shah Alam. He added that the project in Bangi had some 640 applicants for the 124 units currently being built. The names of successful bidders were listed on LPHSs website beginning Dec 16 last year. Iskandar said they had to print more forms because more affordable homes would be built in Sungai Long, Kajang, in September. For details, call LPHS at 03-5544 7078.

NEWS
March 2 4, 2012

EvEnts
Korean Gala
Korean culture enthusiasts are welcome to join a Korean Carnival on March 3 organised by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahmans Centre for Extension Education from 10am-6pm. It will be held at their premises at PD Block, Level B1, No 9, Jalan Bersatu 13/4, Petaling Jaya. For details, call 03-7957 2818/016-223 3563 (Sia, Syed or Eileen), fax 03-7957 3818, visit www. facebook.com.UTARCEE or email ceetalkpj@ utar.edu.my.

By Alvin Yap

Education Seminar
The Next Hottest Education Destination seminar will be held on March 3 and is open to those interested in studying in China. It will be held at Mid Valley City Kuala Lumpur, from 9.30am to 1pm. Admission is free but seats are limited, so hurry and sign up now. For details, call 03-7728 7732 or visit www.easyuni.com/ studying.

Adventure Sports Expo

AsiaEvents Exsic Sdn Bhd will be organising its first Adventure World Expo 2012, which showcases extreme sports and travel adventure activities for those who love a thrill. The expo will be held this weekend (March 2-4) at the Shah Alam Convention Centre (SACC) Ballroom 2 from 11am-8pm. It will feature air, land and sea adventures. There will also be talks by experienced rock climbing, mountain climbing and adventure tourism professionals.

Music Open Day

Yamaha Academy of Arts and Music will be organising an Open Day on March 3 for qualified SPM holders interested in getting a Diploma in Music in their March 2012 intake. The open day will be held at its Kelana Jaya headquarters from 1pm-6pm. Admission is free. For details, call 03-7803 0900 ext:233/264.

KAJANG: A temporary halt to summonses for illegal home renovations in the municipality has been ordered until new rules and rates for fines are determined. This is to finalise the guidelines on the fines as well as the amount, said Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) president Datuk Nawawi Abd Rahman onTuesday. Councillors in thetask force committee on illegalresidential extension had sought a one-month reprieve until the issues are worked out. Nawawi said the council would hold a series of meetings during this time to work out details and procedures. By that time, hopefully we will have the categories of fines and the amount we can slap on house owners who carry out illegal extensions. he said after a MPKj full board meeting. He added that the legal department along with the building control department would also utilise the one-month period to streamline their records. He pointed out that many ratepayers had pleaded ignorance upon receiving summonses, claiming that they were not aware that they should have obtained building permits before carrying out the renovations. On claims that some renovations were carried out by previous owners, he said: After we tidy up our records, we should be able to ascertain the claims and look into them on a case-by-case basis. Nawawi said that enforcement officers would still carry out site visits next month to check on residential units that have carried out renovations. The majority of summonses have been issued to ratepayers who did not submit renovation plans to the council. Nawawi warned house owners that insurance companies could decline to pay compensation to unauthorised extensions

Reprieve on illegal extensions

(From left): MPKj councillors Ong Seng Peng, Chandra Mohan and Datuk Noorshisham Ishak who are part of the task force on illegal residential renovations.

which are damaged by fire. Councillor Chandra Mohan said some 22,913 houses in the municipality area had undergone renovations.

Of that number, we have given out summonses to 3,864 house owners who do not have renovation permits, said the MPKj task force chairman.

Postgraduate Open Day

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) will be holding its Postgraduate and Professional Development Day on March 10 from 9.30am to 4.30pm at its Petaling Jaya campus at Jalan Bersatu 13/4. For details, call 03-76250328 (Justin or Nigell), email postgrad@utar.edu.my or visit www.utar.edu.my/ppdd.

Landfill proposed for Kajang

KAJANG: Selangor is considering building a state-of-the-art sanitarylandfill nearby Kajang to store solid waste collected daily by thelocal council. Among the requirements is that the new landfill should be within 20km radius of Kajang Municipal Councils (MPKj) jurisdiction, said president Datuk Nawawi Abd Rahman on Tuesday. He said the council collects some 500 tonnes of waste daily, and almost 30 percent of it is unfit for recycling and has to be disposed of at landfills. Nawawi said currently, MPKj waste management contractors had to travel to a landfill in Ijok to dump their garbage. He said the council wanted its contractors to travel shorter distances to landfills to maximise the turn-around time per trip. The request, which was put to the state late last year, was forwarded to waste management concessionaire Worldwide Holdings Berhad. Worldwide then proposed that the new landfill should be near the Kajang local government area, Nawawi saidafter a MPKj full board meeting. He said Worldwide and Selangor had agreed that the landfill should be at least 70 acres in size to accommodate the growth in waste collected from MPKj areas. Another option was for the waste management company to rehabilitate and refurbish an existing dumpsite in Sungai Kembung in Ulu Bangi. The dumpsite would need to be excavated and filled with concrete to prevent toxic waste water from seeping into the ground water. Nawawi said the decision to either build a new sanitary landfill or rehabilitate the existing Sungai Kembung dumpsite would be announced in a months time.

Toddlers Gym Class

The Institute of Play (IOP) TumbleTots Ara Damansara will be conducting a complimentary gymbabes class for toddlers in March. Register your children and enjoy exciting and challenging sessions in a safe, caring environment. New term begins in March and registration is now open. For details, call 017-6606285 or email learning.gallery@iop-united.com.

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SELANGOR TIMES March 2 4, 2012 5

NEWS
March 2 4, 2012

By Tang Hui Koon & Gho Chee Yuan

SUBANG JAYA: Families can now bring their children on Saturdays to a toy library set up by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) in its Children Creativity Centre (Kompleks 3C) in Jalan PJS11/2. We want the children to play and learn new stuff, said Kompleks 3C senior assistant director Haini Mohd Salleh. The newly-expanded and refurbished toy library is divided into five main zones: My Home, Transport, My Hometown, Roleplaying and Scrabble. Its walls are painted with colourful graphics and the 100-sq-ft space can now fit around 50 children. Equipped with the latest toys as well as traditional games like cong-

Subang toy library promises fun time

kak, it has been opened to the public for free from 9.30am to 5pm on every Saturday since Feb 18. However, Haini said the children must be accompanied by adults. Apart from the toy library, Kompleks 3C also houses a petting zoo, reptiles aquarium, library, art gallery and caf garden. Located on a five-acre plot of land, the learning centre was opened in August 2006 and only accommodated three to four-year-old children. Over the years, it started a preschool programme for five to sixyear-olds and a nursery for toddlers to children aged 12 of MPSJ staff as well. Now, it also hosts sewing, cooking and ballet classes and other programmes for children and parents with partners such as Creative Arts & Design Centre, FTIM Designing Centre and the National Autistic Society of Malaysia.

JKR responsible for flyover

By Brenda Chng

Children playing a traditional game at the toy library.

KLANG: A move by the Public Works Department ( JKR) to extend the warranty over the problem-plaguedKlang town flyover has tied the councils hands from intervening with repairs. We arent allowed to fix street lights or address complaints from motorists because JKR is still in charge, said Klang Municipal Council (MPK) acting president Ikhsan Mukri. This extension was announced during the councils monthly full board meeting on Wednesday. He said more than three-quarters of street lights along the flyover are faulty, leaving the bridge in darkness for over six months. This was caused by stolen street light chokes, which have been missing since last year. JKR was supposed to replace the chokes but their warranty guidelines stated that they only cover maintenance of faulty facilities and not vandalism or missing items. In addition, the underpass below the flyover floods every time a heavy downpour occurs. The flood causes more congestion in the area, especially during peak hours. However, we cant do anything now because PWD is in charge, said Ikhsan. MPK will have to wait for another six months before upgrading the road and repairing the damage there. However, this did not sit well with councillors present at the full board meeting. They shouldnt have extended their contract as they arent even maintaining the flyover properly. Now motorists have to wait six more months for repairs, said MPK councillor Ivan Ho.

Longer display for PJ draft plan

PETALING JAYA: More information will be added to the Petaling Jaya Special Area Draft Plan 2020 which will be on display at the city council headquarters for another month. The public is welcome to view the updated display and give their feedback, comments and objections by the end of March, said Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ)mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman. He said at a MBPJ full board meeting on Tuesday that they had received complaints about the current exhibition missing pertinent information likeroad names and footnotes. Also, the council has failed to include explanations for certain proposed changes in the draft plan. Now, we will include details about the things we are changing in Petaling Jaya and why we are doing it, said Roslan. MBPJ has already filled in the road names in the new display and will be inserting explanations and footnotes immediately. Residents, councillors and lawmakers can view the draft plan and submit their feedback by March 31. Once feedback is collected, objections will be reviewed before a public hearing is held. The plans can be viewed at MBPJs headquarters in New Town while the plans can be obtained from the councils Planning Department, 2nd floor, Jalan Yong Shook Lin,

Street mall proposed for PJ

By Brenda Chng

Khalid slams Najib for discriminating against PR leaders

SHAH ALAM: Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim criticised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for not inviting Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state leaders to the 114th Meeting of Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers recently. Describing the move as undemocratic, Khalid said such a practice went against the principles of good governance and the spirit of federalism under the Federal Constitution. If the federal government is funding the meeting, how can the prime minister arrogantly say that its a common practice (to invite Barisan Nasional leaders only), and that there is nothing wrong with it? Khalid said last Saturday. He added that Najib had set a dangerous precedent in encouraging civil servants to discriminate against PR state chiefs. Najib had said on Feb 24 that the national meeting between federal and state government leaders last Tuesday was only restricted to menteris besar and chief ministers of BN states. He said Putrajaya does invite PR state leaders to meetings of the National Land Council, local councils and those involving financial committees as required under the constitution. However, Khalid said if the meeting was strictly restricted to BN leaders, then the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Sidek Hassan, should not have attended it. The chief secretary should have had the courage to inform the prime minister that the meeting was discriminatory and that he should be exempted, said Khalid. He added that Najib must set a better example to civil servants if he is committed to implementing genuine transformation.

PETALING JAYA: A proposal to turn Jalan Yong Shook Lin into the next outdoor entertainment hub was mooted during the councils full board meeting on Tuesday. PJ Walk will be like Jonker Street in Malacca. People no longer have to travel far to spend a day shopping and eating outdoors, said Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman. Flea markets, food stalls, restaurants and performances will line the stretch of road opposite the MBPJ headquarters in front of the commercial area. During weekends, the road will be closed for a few hours to make way for performances and street activities. The concept of turning the street into an outdoor recreational area was approved by the councillors present at the full board meeting. MBPJ is targeting to get this done in June, in conjunction with the councils sixth anniversary celebration.

SELANGOR TIMES March 2 4, 2012 7

NEWS
March 2 4, 2012

SPAD passes buck over MRT land acquisition

SPAD embarks on taxi coupon study
SUBANG JAYA: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is conducting a research on the viability of a standard taxi coupon system to prevent taxi drivers from overcharg ing customers. SPAD chairperson Tan Sri Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar said universities are carrying out surveys among the public and taxi operators to seek their views. In two to three months time, we should come out with a policy. In the meantime, were still engaging [stakeholders] to find out their views, said Syed Hamid on Tuesday. He said the commission was conducting the study to overcome the problem of taxi drivers overcharging customers, especially foreign tourists. We received a complaint recently when a taxi driver charged a tourist RM450 for a trip from KL Sentral to KLCC, said Syed Hamid, adding that SPAD was probing the case. He noted that consumers and taxi operators are still undecided over the need for a taxi coupon system. Consumers who want the coupon system think it helps to reduce haggling, but others feel that it is more expensive than the meter system. Taxi operators who are against the coupon system say their meagre earnings would be further reduced as coupon operators would skim off as much as 20 percent from the fare. SPAD chief executive officer Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal said the taxi coupon system was initiated by premise owners, particularly shopping malls like Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). Its not our initiative [but] were conducting a study on the need for it and whether its justifiable, said Mohd Nur Ismal. The public can also submit their suggestions to www.spad. gov.my.

By Gan Pei Lin

PETALING JAYA: Questions over appeals by Jalan Sultan land owners to realign the Klang Valley My Rapid Transit (KVMRT) project were swiftly side-stepped by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) on Tuesday. You shouldnt ask us. Were the wrong party for you to ask. What weve done is to approve the (line), the rest of it is up to the developer and operator to sort out, said SPAD chairperson Tan Sri Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar. He said the commission had done whats necessary and the Jalan Sultan traders had three months to submit their feedback on the alignment during the public consultation period last year. Land acquisition doesnt involve us. You should speak to MRT Corp, Syed Hamid told reporters at the launch of SPADs enforcement division building at Persada Plus on Tuesday. MRT Corporation had issued an ultimatum to Jalan Sultan land owners to sign the mutual agreem ent wi th th e c omp any by Wednesday or the government would have to undertake compulsory land acquisition. Land owners are worried that their properties would be seized for the project as they had received acquisition notices from the Land

SPAD enforcement officers celebrate having their own operations centre at Persada Plus in Petaling Jaya.

and Mines Department. However, MRT Corporation chief executive officer Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid assured the traders

that they would continue to hold property rights under the mutual agreement. He added that the traders would need to vacate their premises for six months for tunnelling work but they would be fairly compensated for the relocation. Azhar said only two of the owners at the historical street had yet to sign the mutual agreement. Despite that, the Committee for the Preservation of Jalan Sultan is still hoping the authorities would

realign the KVMRT Sungai BulohKajang line to Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Committee chairperson Stanley Yong had said on Monday that they would resort to physically stopping the construction work if necessary. Several protests and signature campaigns have been carried out since last year to protest against land acquisition in Jalan Sultan over fears that the historical buildings would be demolished.

Ailing bus lines to receive aid soon

PETALING JAYA: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is at the final stage of processing bus operators application for financial aid from Putrajaya. Weve processed many applications, including from Cityliner. Therell be an announcement (soon), said SPAD chairperson Tan Sri Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar at a press conference at Persada Plus on Tuesday. SPAD is expected to disburse RM100 million in the first quarter of 2012 to financially-constrained bus companies in Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang. Putrajaya had approved RM400 million last December to bail out ailing bus operators nationwide but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the move was only an interim measure. Najib said the bus operators must find a way to make their operations financially sustainable and they are welcome to seek help from SPAD. On Dec 13, Konsortium Transnasional Bhds bus fleet, Cityliner, stopped providing services for unprofitable routes in Selangor, particularly in rural areas such as Banting, Tanjong Karang, Sekinchan and Sabak Bernam. Consequently, an estimated 80,000 commuters were stranded and had to scramble to look for alternative transport.

views
March 2 4, 2012

Kthxbai!
Fahmi Fadzil

Tale of two gatherings

his past week saw several different yet, from my point of view, important gatherings of people standing up for what they believe in. I want to write a little bit about two gatherings in particular, and highlight what we may (hopefully) learn from each. Friday, Feb 24 - About a hundred Umno, BN, and Perkasa members gathered outside the PKR headquarters at about 4pm, with the intention of delivering a memorandum to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim protesting his recent comments in a newspaper about politics in the Middle East. The memorandum, handover, was not announced to the public, and I myself had only learnt of it via SMSes sent by concerned individuals. After verifying the news, I made my way to the PKR headquarters in Merchant Square to observe, monitor, and tweet about the event (in fact, some members of the media only found out about the gathering after reading tweets about it later). It was a rowdy affair. The gathering began about 150m away from the HQ, and they marched up to about 30m from the entrance. Shouts of Hancur, hancur!, Takbir! and the occasional unsavoury permutation filled the air; banners declaring Anwar to be this and that were unfurled and carried along at the head of the gathering; even the actual delivery of the memorandum - which no one officially received as everyone was in Kuantan for a retreat - was punctuated with shouts of Ambik lah!. After the memorandum was left at the entrance, some of the hot-headed Umno-BNPerkasa members appeared unsatisfied, and started calling some of the PKR members who were present names that is fortunately unfit for print (clue: something about being a dog, and your mothers ). Thankfully the police stepped in and stood in between them, so nothing untoward happened. Not long after, the gathering dispersed. Sunday, Feb 26 - Depending on who you read, between 5,000 and 15,000 people turned up at the MPK 4 field in Kuantan to rally against the setting up of the Lynas Corp rare earth refinery plant in nearby Gebeng. The gathering, called Himpunan Hijau 2.0 after the first gathering on Oct 10, 2011, was to manifest the on-going protest of Malaysians against the potentially ecologically-catastrophic refinery, slated to begin operations in June.

Thousands turn up at the MPK 4 field in Kuantan to rally against the setting up of the Lynas Corp rare earth refinery plant in nearby Gebeng.

Unlike many previous public gatherings Bersih 2.0, most notably - Himpunan Hijau 2.0 was not barred from taking place, although the local authorities did mischievously shift the venue two days prior (the original field was dug up and fenced for upgrading reasons), and the police laid down 12 conditions on the organisers within 24 hours of the gathering. Nonetheless, the gathering took place without a hitch and with much fanfare. In fact, there were multiple Himpunan Hijau 2.0 locations: in KL (Maju Junction 2,000 attendees), Penang (Padang Kota - 500), and several others. Only the event in Penang, based on tweets, faced some thuggish obsta-

cles - basically disruptive behaviour by some Mat Rempit. Otherwise, Himpunan Hijau 2.0 took place without a single untoward incident to its credit. Now, what, if any, are the key learning points from comparing the two? While not definitive, I propose the following: * Peaceful public gatherings, no matter the purpose, are a right as declared in our Federal Constitution - as such, all Malaysians irrespective of (political) affiliations have the right to exercise this fundamental liberty. * The act of mobilisation (calling others to the gathering) is in itself a political act - do

you declare to the public ahead of time, or do you send out clandestine SMSes to rally? How the attendees are called out reveals the thinking of the organisers - something lastminute is either an emergency gathering or an afterthought! * The language used by the organisers and the attendees reveals the spirit of the gathering - are those in attendance civil or juvenile? Those are but some thoughts that crossed my mind when comparing the two gatherings. Hopefully there will be many more (peaceful ones, especially), so that these ideas may be refined, corrected, or supplemented in the near future.

Nation of idiots in the making

W
e are on the brink of becoming a What makes things worse is that there nation of idiots. appears to be no sense of outrage from those An argument is made, and if who hold the reins of power. The people one disagrees with it, one makes a counter who froth at the mouth about how public Azmi ShArom argument. This is the rational way. The intelgatherings can degenerate into chaos say ligent way. nothing when those who commit such acts The idiots way is to scream, shout, honk motorcycle horns, wear their shirts and are their minions. let off firecrackers, hurl racial abuse and physically attack the Developed country by 2020? At this rate we should be person who is saying things you disagree with. Sometimes the lucky if we are not a failed state by then. Forget elections, foridiots way is loud and obnoxious as in the example above; other get human rights. Whichever group can yell the loudest and times it can be more measured, for example by countering an threaten the most harm, they will rule. They will determine opponents point not with reasoning but with that lowest form the fate of the nation. of wit: sarcasm. If you dont like something, dont bother coming up with a Whichever method is chosen, the idiots way does seem to coherent argument against it, just say you will create violence be on the rise. and the powers that be will skitter and scamper to do your The people of this country deserve to be able to listen to bidding. different points of view. They have a right to listen to different Which raises the question, are the powers that be truly the points of view. It is bad enough that they have to turn to the powers that be? Or are they now mere playthings of the loutInternet and alternative media to obtain some semblance of ish, the crass and the crude? I have to wonder. balance, but when mobs can break up peaceful gatherings then If one believes in freedom and human rights, one must we know that any thin facade of a civilised nation that we may believe it holds true for everyone. And as hard as it may be to have worn is slipping away. swallow, nobody must be stopped from saying what they think,

going the distance

no matter how disgusted you may feel at what they have to say. It is the burden of those who truly cherish and understand freedom to not allow personal or intellectual distaste from infringing upon the rights of others. Unfortunately such noble aspirations are not shared by the thuggish. Yet, not for one second must we be tempted to retaliate and stop others from expressing themselves for that means we are lowering ourselves to the guttural level within which they lurk. There is a limit to freedom however, and that is when you use your freedom to infringe upon the freedom of others. In the past few weeks we have seen this happening many times as the boundaries of freedom are breached again and again by the mob. If this trend continues, it does not bode well for the future of Malaysia. I said at the beginning of this article that we are on the brink of being a nation of idiots. I stopped myself from saying that we already are because I want to believe, I want to have hope, that there are enough of us who will not let it happen. That there are enough of us who will stand up and say that we have no time for those who seek to suppress others by brute force and we have no time for those who through inaction and political cowardice let them have their way.

10 march 2 4, 2012
By Basil Foo

InsIght

he shift in education policy from teaching Science and Mathematics in English to Bahasa Malaysia has riled anxious parents who fear the move has jeopardised their childrens future. Among the most vocal proponents for the policy are the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) and Concerned Parents of Selangor (CPS). These non-governmental organisations have been pushing for the reinstatement of The Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) policy. PPSMI was scrapped by the government in favour of the Upholding Bahasa Malaysia and Strengthening the English Language (MBMMBI) policy which began this year.

one ny A for
Parents protesting the abolition of the PPSMI policy in front of SMK USJ 12 on Jan 7.

An argument for keeping the PPSMI is because of thewealth of knowledge in English on Maths and Science. In higher education, 99 per cent of the knowledge is in English. Also, the language of the Internet is English, said PAGE chairperson Datin Noor Azimah Shamsudin. Abdul Rahim. She argues the teaching of the subjects in she said. English could be done effectively as young Noor Azimah said anstudents had more pliable minds which ab- other excuse g iven by sorb knowledge easier and faster. school principals for not Utilising the knowledge acquired with that teaching the subjects in language, students could then continue English was insufficient studying in higher education institutions, English textbooks. which mostly teach in English. Even students who PPSMI would eventually address the have those books now have current shortage of children in the science been using them since 2003 stream. We will produce a generation of and they are not in good creators and inventors instead of consumers, condition The ministry she said. should reprint the English CPS coordinator Shamsudin Hamid con- books, she said. curred, saying that the PPSMI policy is the The interpretation of key to this countrys ability to become a high the ministrys ruling by income nation by 2020. schools regarding MBHe said studying Science and Maths in MMBI has also left Shamsudin perplexed English would not only allow students to ac- when a school backtracked on its lancess the global body of scientific knowledge guage policy. comfortably but help with their future careers. He said the school in Puchong had Our children, once they have graduated, classes teaching Science and Maths in will be more employable, even overseas, he English since the year started but sudadded. denly reverted to BM after the Chinese New Year holidays. Interim Measure Distorted This obviously caused a lot of comSince the start of MBMMBI this year, plaints from the parents over the fears of there have been complaints regarding discrep- confusion among their children, he ancies between the ministrys directive and added. the schools implementation. Noor Aziamah has rejected arguments The allowance given to parents to place that PPSMI was discontinued because of their children in classes teaching Science theinability of some teachers and rural and Math in either English, Malay, or both, students to cope with Science and Maths has reportedly been ignored by some in English. schools. If teachers cant even teach Year One The interim measure was slated to last Science and Maths in English, something until 2015 when the final batch of students is wrong with them, she said. who began studying during the PPSMI years She added that English should not be complete their secondary education. disregarded just because of claims that We get calls from parents daily. They want the majority of students are weak in their children to be taught in English but the English. schools come up with many excuses to deny Shamsudin said claims that students them their rights, said Noor Azimah. in the rural areas found it difficult to learn She said the principals of some schools in in English were far from the truth. Cheras, Kuantan, Ipoh and Penang claimed That claim is a type of propaganda. that only textbooks in Bahasa Malaysia were An example to debunk it would be the available. MARA Junior Science College (MRSM), Some principals even announced that the he said. exam questions would be in BM to discourage He explained that while 90 per cent of the parents from insisting that their children learn intake for MRSM comes from rural areas, its the two subjects in English. students still excel in the courses offered, The questions should be bilingual. Hope- which are Cambridge O- and A-Levels. fully the Education Ministry will clarify this, In comparing the PPSMI with the MB-

Importance of teaching in English

She said the MBMMBI should not replace but work together with the PPSMI which was not intended for children to learn English outright but to facilitate the learning of Science and Math. For PAGE, Noor Azimah said they have been an information resource to parents who want their children to study in English. Weve been telling parents to work in groups to be more noticed by the school authorities, she said. She explained that if there were sufficient requests by parents, the school would have to start a separate class to teach Science and Maths in English. Merely moving class would be much easier than changing school a process which would affect children once they have grown attached to their peers. The Education Ministry should be headed by a non-politician, declared Shamsudin. He said there has been adequate precedence when the government took in an industry expert to assist with policy-making. The examples he gave were Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop who is in charge of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and Datuk Seri Idris Jala who helms the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu).
Actions and demands

MMBI, Noor Azimah was alarmed that the newer policy appeared to be replacing scientific English with conversational English. The MBMMBIs objective is to improve the mastery of the Malay and English languages. It has nothing to do with Science and Maths, she said.

What the leaders say

THE Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English policy (PPSMI) was rolled out in 2003 to help prepare students face an increasingly globalised world. The policy was introduced during the administration of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in place of the Bahasa Malaysia medium used previously. He reportedly said PPSMI would help keep students abreast in the fields of Science and Maths as most research conducted in the two fields was in English. Its not a question of lacking nationalism In fact, it is true nationalists who want their people to possess more knowledge, not just be able to speak in Malay, he said. Dr Mahathir, who is a trained medical doctor, said the policy would enable students to learn the latest developments in the two fields without having to wait for translations. He said new scientific findings, discoveries and theories, which are produced everyday, are not recorded in BM but in English. He added that the government could still decide to reintroduce the PPSMI, despite having replaced it with the Upholding Bahasa Malaysia and Strengthening the English Language (MBMMBI) policy. It is never too late. These are man-made laws, not Gods laws. There is no such thing as fixed laws that cannot be changed forever, he said. Introduced by deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the MBMMBI policy replaced the PPSMI to teach Science and Maths wholly in the national language. Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, said the new policy was already mooted in 2009 and its soft-landing was rolled out this year. The new policy comes into total effect in 2015 when the final batch of students who began studying during the PPSMI years complete their secondary education. He has rejected calls for the reinstatement of the PPSMI policy. The matter is closed. Full stop. People can push and demand all they want but the governments decision is final, he said. Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong added that the country would not be left behind in the fields of Science and Maths with the abolishment of the PPSMI. He gave China as an example where the rapidly-developing nation emerged as a key player in the global arena despite its citizens learning Science and Maths in Mandarin. Wee added that the transition period from PPSMI to MBMMBI would take time, much like when the initial medium of instruction shift from English to Malay which he said took 12 years to stabilise.

This way, there wont be a policy change every time a new education minister comes in, he said. Meanwhile, CPS along with other organisations expects to attract 5,000 parents to a rally to push for their demands at Dataran Petaling Jaya on March 10. Shamsudin said parents from all over the country are expected to converge at the Parents for PPSMI (P4P) rally at Padang Timur, opposite Amcorp Mall, at 10am.

(We are) gathering in protest of the deplorable state of the education system in general and with regards to the abolition of the PPSMI policy in particular, he said. Other organisations which will be taking part include PAGE, Malacca Action Group for Parents in Education (Magpie) and Herald of Penang Education (HOPE). Interested parents have been advised to follow updates on the rally on Facebook.

(From left): Khoo Phaik Hong from CPS, Mak Chee Kin from Malacca Action Group for Parents in Education (MAGPIE), Shamsudin and CPS vice-chairman, Nanthakumar announcing their plans at a recent press conference.

PPSMI opponents advocate ethnic languages first

EDUCATING young students in their mother tongue is the best way for them to understand the subject matter and not just memorise to pass exams, claimed a local youth group. Research has shown students benefit by using their mother tongue, said Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) deputy secretary-general Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz. Abim is part of the Abolish PPSMI movement (GMP). Muhammad Faisal referred to a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) study which found disparities in the development of minorities. The study showed educational programmes which use ethnic languages along with national and international languages significantly improved educational achievement. The PPSMI caused students not to appreciate what they learn in school. The purpose of a curriculum should be to help students understand, he said. He added that students must at least understand the subject matter at its most basic form first, instead of just memorising facts, to avoid difficulties upon entering university. He said the PPSMI caused rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak to suffer from teacher shortage and some schools used English teachers to teach Science and Maths. Muhammad Faisal said this led to ineffective teaching which was made worse when students were given English textbooks which contained subpar information. The textbooks dropped in quality during the PPSMI years. Before that, they had better quality content. He also said that as a result of the shift to English textbooks, students merely memorised facts without understanding as they were rushing to sit for their final exams. On the claim that students found it hard upon entering tertiary institutes, he said English was not an issue as they could enrol into matriculation courses. Thats the point of matriculation. These pre-university courses like A-Levels and O-Levels help improve their English. The use of English was further decried as a non-issue when he said many professionals came out of the vernacular and village schools systems. He said before PPSMI came into effect, Malaysia was still able to produce scientists and doctors. Based on these reasons, we hope the government upholds the Education Ministrys decision to abolish the PPSMI, he added. On the Parents for PPSMI rally which will be held on March 10, Muhammad Faisal said the parents have every right to hold a demonstration. The GMP previously held an anti-PPSMI rally at the Sogo shopping complex in the city centre which saw a turnout of about 100 on March 7, 2009. Among the protesters was national laureate A Samad Said, poets Dinsman and Pyanhabib, writer Ainon Mohd, and theatre activist Khalid Salleh.

VIews 12
March 2 4, 2012

ord Bobo, what do you make of the Erykah Badu concert cancellation? Surely we cannot allow foreigners cavorting with Allah tattoos to perform here, right? If it had been allowed, we may well have seen riots and pure chaos. (Von D, via email). The cancellation is ridiculous for many, many reasons. Uno, it shows that for all the talk, the era of government knows best is most certainly not over. This is a direct example of the authorities telling us who we can and cannot see in concert. Dos, His Supreme Eminenceness does not see who would be upset by the tattoos. It wasnt a derogatory statement, or insulting depiction. If a handful or small percentage of individuals would be upset, so what? Since when is our nation governed based on the feelings of a super-minority? Tres, Malaysian leaders like to talk about being moderates and here we have a concert cancelled at the last minute because of what seems to be the judgement-on-a-whim of an individual, Rais Yatim. Best of all? Erykah is gonna leave Kuala Lumpur to perform in Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim nation. Malaysia Boleh. In a given salary slip, there are the following deductions EPF employer, EPF employee, SOCSO employee, SOCSO employer. I have a friend whose prospective employer mentioned that there will be no EPF & SOCSO contributions throughout the probation period. Is this

Damned If You Badu

legal? Ive contacted proved fund under Secthe EPF and was given tion 52. the opinion that conThe employer should tributions from both deduct the employees employee and employer contribution from the are compulsory as long employees wages and then Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by as salary is paid by emactually pay the amount LoyarBurok (www.loyarburok.com) ployer to employee. Is deducted, together with where all your profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic, recondite, there any proper black the employers own contrisagacious, and other thesaurusand white on mandabution, to the EPF under described queries are answered! tory EPF and SOCSO Section 45 of the EPF Act. contribution by both Crucially, the EPF employee and employer Act makes no distinction Malaysia. as long as the employee between a probationary Probationary employees are therefore (permanent, contract, employee and a confirmed still employees. temp, probation) is employee. The only peoIf after all this, your friends employer still paid a salary? (Twisted ple who do not have to refuses to pay up, you can tell your friend that Mind, via email) contribute are those who his employer will commit an offence under What shenanigans are are not considered em- Section 45(4) of the EPF Act. Better yet, tell these!? The short answer ployees under the EPF your friend to get a copy of this delectable is that your friends emAct (defined in Schedule newspaper and read this for himself. Or to ployer cannot withhold 1 of the Act, and including go over to www.selangortimes.com or www. EPF and SOCSO payments during the pro- nomadic aborigines (unless the Director LoyarBurok.com to read the online version! bationary period. General of Aborigines specifies otherwise), All the directors of the Company will be For the EPF, the obligation lies in Section most domestic workers (except if they liable to be prosecuted under Section 45(4), 43 (1) of the Employees Provident Fund Act work in an embassy or high commission) and to a civil suit under Section 65 by the EPF 1991 which states that every employee and and certain foreigners temporarily working in Board for recovery of contributions. The penevery employer of a person who is alty is a jail term up to three years, an employee within the meaning or to a fine up to RM10,000, or Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme both. Lord Bobo might also send of this Act shall be liable to pay Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, a plethora of purple bananas up the monthly contributions on the stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or employers posterior. amount of wages for the month at tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and the rate respectively set out in the The same principles apply to using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you SOCSO payments, and the cor3rd Schedule. waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although responding provisions in the EmThe only exception is where trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! ployees Social Security Act 1969 the employer has established its Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit! own pension fund which has been (the SOCSO Act) are Sections 6, approved by the Board as an ap9, and 94?

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SUBANG JAYA: Repainting for free - thats the promise to residents of Subang Mutiara low-cost flats here who pay their management fees. The RM100 per household painting costs will be waived for units that have settled their Joint Management Board ( JMB) fees, said Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh during a family day event last week. The state will bear 80 per cent of the RM300,000 cost to repaint the 22-year-old flats at PJS7/15 which leaves some RM60,000 to be shared among the residents there. Each unit will have to pay RM100 for the repainting but Yeoh announced that residents who have settled their JMB fee arrears will not have to pay the amount. Yeoh said the developer, Sunway Group, had stepped in and paid the remaining amount first to paint the 10 blocks of walk-up flat, which they will bill the residents later. The flat was chosen by the state government under the Pangsapuri Ceria scheme to undergo a facelift and other maintenance work. JMB chairperson Kok Kim Swee, 59, said the waiver was an incentive for residents to settle their fees. The fees are used to pay for maintenance of the infrastructure, Kok told residents during the family day event, which saw Timmy the clown entertain children with a magic show. Residents were also treated to an afternoon tea buffet sponsored by the state. Later, Kok handed out a token of appreciation to Mohamad Wahad, 53, who was appointed the contractor to handle the facelift at the flats. He said the repainting, which started on Feb 8, will continue for three months and was slated for completion around early April.

Pay JMB fees and get a free coat of paint

news 13
March 2 4, 2012

Timmy the Clown leading the children in games during the Sunway PJS7/15 low-cost flat family day

RM1.5m boost for schools Selangor targets better results in expansion project
2012 Sukma
By Alvin Yap

Well-wishers and donors at the fundraising dinner at the Klang Hokkien Association Hall.

By Brenda Chng

KLANG: One of the oldest Chinese schools here will soon be able to cater to more students thanks to the financial assistance of the community and state. I would like to thank all the donors for contributing and making it possible to build the double-storey activity centre, said SMJK (C) Chung Hua Klangs board of governors chairman Lee Teng Kee Lee was speaking during the 50-year-old vernacular Chinese secondary schools anniversary and fundraising dinner on Monday. A total of RM1.5 million was collected during the

dinner and the school needs another RM1 million before upgrades can begin. The school has 1,400 students. With the expansion, which includes an additional canteen, multi-purpose hall and three extra classrooms, the school expects to increase enrolment by 100. Also present to launch the fundraising was state Assembly Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim. Ive contributed RM10,000 from my office funds to help this school build new facilities, said Teng. He added during his speech that the state would also be contributing RM50,000 towards the activity centre.

SHAH ALAM: Selangors contingent at the upcoming Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) is aiming for a better medal haul than at the last games two years ago. The state, which has emerged champions seven times since the national sporting event started in 1986, wants to bring back more gold and silver medals from the 26 categories it is taking part in at the Pahang event from July 7-16. We want to be champions in the 2012 Sukan Malaysia. We will improve our medal tally this July, said state executive councillor for youth and sports Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (pic). He said Selangor had allocated RM30 million in this years budget to improve the performance of state athletes. This includes the cost of fulltime sports trainers and physiotherapists to help athletes perform better. He said this when addressing representatives from 26 sports

associations at a dialogue at Blue Wave Hotel here on Monday. The Sijankang assemblyperson said Selangor wanted its athletes to compete in the world sporting arena as well as develop themselves academically. On a related matter, he said the state would use part of the budget to maintain sporting halls and complexes under local governments. The places are for our young to play futsal, squash and badminton. They deserve the best (infrastructure) we can give, he said. They are, after all, our future sportspersons.

news 14
march 2 4, 2012

Houses in villages repaired, thanks to PKNS

By Brenda Chng

Iskandar launching the CSR programme last Saturday.

SABAK BERNAM: Dilapidated homes in villages in the district were repaired by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility last Saturday. The state subsidiary has allocated RM396,000 to repair and upgrade leaking roofs and faulty toilets for 22 homes and the work is scheduled to be completed by April. Im so grateful for this help as without it my brothers and I might not have a roof over our home soon, especially with the frequent thunderstorms, said Bagan Terap villager Zamri Sakiman. Zamri, 39, said their belongings have also been destroyed by the rain which seeps in through the broken roof almost every night. Living with his three disabled brothers, Zamri explained the difficulties in supporting them and the hardship of saving money for repairs. I earn RM600 a month as a security guard and the money is only enough to feed us. We dont have money for repairs, he said. He also pointed out that his disabled brothers tried helping by planting palm trees on an empty plot beside their home. By selling palm oil to a nearby village, they get an additional RM200 a month. However, this is still insufficient as everything in their home is falling apart one by one, including electrical appliances like lights and ceiling fans. PKNS will be building them a new roof, constructing

a new bathroom with proper facilities, repairing the piping in their kitchen and painting the exterior walls. All these repairs will cost about RM18,000 and are scheduled for completion on Tuesday, said PKNS administration and development deputy manager Noraida Mohd Yusof. She said the 22 families were chosen based on references by the Selangor Zakat Board and village heads from six villages in Sabak Bernam. Among the villages involved are Tebuk Pulai, Bagan Nira, Sepintas, Kampung Tok Khalifah, Jalan Masjid and Bagan Terap. We chose the families who really need help, like the disabled and those with a monthly income of about RM300, she said. PKNS hopes to improve the lives of these less fortunate families with the repairs. Noraida pointed out that PKNS will be helping other villagers in other districts to repair their homes after this project in Sabak Bernam is completed. Also present to launch the event was state executive councillor for housing Iskandar Samad, who was pleased with PKNS move. I will also be pushing for the state to set up a fund to help repair more homes in the other Selangor districts, he said. During his speech, he explained that there were many more villages in the rural parts of Selangor which needed help. I hope PKNS will consider adopting this village and give them the guidance they need to improve their lives and social development.

Wanted - 1,000 volunteer forest guardians

SUBANG JAYA: Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) aims to enlist 1,000 committed volunteers this year to help monitor the forests in the country. Anybody can join our Forest Watch Project and become a forest ranger, said TI-M Forest Governance Integrity Programme project manager Victor Soosai at a conference at Grand Dorsett Hotel last Thursday. He said members of the public can sign up to be a volunteer via the Forest Watch Project website (www.timalaysia-forestwatch.org.my). Launched on Feb 1, the website enables the public to report illegal deforestation using Google Earths real-time satellite imagery and aerial photography. Soosai said the volunteers would be classified based on their degree of commitment and participation. He added that TI-M would roll out more public engagement programmes this year to publicise the initiative and train citizens to become the eyes and ears of Malaysias forests. He said TI-M targets to process 500 cases this year. TI-Ms monitoring and advisory team would review the complaints submitted via the website before passing the information to the relevant government agencies for action. Public agencies taking part in the project include, among others, Peninsular Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks and the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia. The three-year-long Forest Watch Project is part of TI-Ms Forest Governance Integrity Programme (FGI). The FGI has also been implemented in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, China and the Solomon Islands by Transparency International to strengthen forest management in these countries.

Nik Mohd Shah says Malaysia targets to maintain at least 50 per cent forest cover.

Inventory of forest underway

By Gan Pei Ling

SUBANG JAYA: The Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia is expected to complete its national forest inventory by this year. Our officers have been going to the ground to verify our forest cover since last year, said the departments deputy director-general Datuk Nik Mohd Shah Nik Mustafa. The national inventory is carried out every 10 years. Nik Mohd Shah added that Peninsular Malaysia was estimated to have 44 per cent forest cover, including rubber plantations located within forest reserves. He explained that a certain amount of forest must be preserved as it provides essential ecological services such as acting as carbon sink, water catchment area and wildlife habitat apart from supplying timber, medicine and other forestry products.

He was speaking to a 60-odd audience attending the Regional Conference on Sustainable Forestry through Good Governance at Grand Dorsett Hotel last Thursday. Nik Mohd Shah said Malaysia targets to maintain at least 50 per cent forest cover in each state but Selangor - the most developed state in the country - only has 30 per cent forest cover due to rapid development pressure. However, Nik Mohd Shah said Sabah and Sarawak, which are governed by separate forestry laws, conduct their own forest assessments. Dr Affendi Suhaili from the Sarawak Forestry Department said there was currently around 70 per cent forest cover, including plantations located within forest reserves, in Sarawak. Sabah Forestry Department senior officer on sustainable forest management Mashor Mohd Jaini also said there was more than 50 per cent forest cover in Sabah.

news 15
March 2 4, 2012

Know Your Councillor: Dr Teo Lian Sang

SEPANG: Having a drain outlet installed at Taman Arked to prevent stagnant water and floods is one of the main priorities councillor Dr Teo Lian Sang has on his list. For over seven years now, residents at the neighbourhood have to live with muddy water and rubbish clogging the drains outside their homes. Water cannot flow out of the neighbourhood because the developer didnt built a drain outlet here, said the Sepang municipal councillor (MPS). The two-term councillor has been pushing for the developer to build a proper outlet here for almost two years, but nothing permanent has been done so far. Teo, 41, said the developer only dug a hole for water to flow out of the neighbourhood, as a temporary solution. However, the developer had promised to build a proper drainage outlet soon, which will lead to a nearby river. They promised to do this before their new development project nearby is completed. The outlet will have to be installed before they can get the CF (certificate of fitness) from the council, said the kindergarten owner. He hopes the developer will keep their promise and upgrade the drainage system as soon as possible to prevent Aedes mosquitoes from breeding in the neighbourhood. In addition, floods happen often in the area as the water is trapped in the small drains around the neighbourhood. There isnt a way out, so water overflows and travels down towards the houses located on lower ground, said Teo. In the meantime, MPS has assigned contractors to dig up rubbish and clear the clogged drains. Apart from that, Teo is also pushing for MPS to create an online system to monitor and track cleaning and rubbish collection contractors. There have been numerous complaints about uncut grass, areas not cleaned according to schedule and rubbish uncollected at times, he said. With this online system, which will be open to the public, contractors will have to clock in their working hours and the tasks they have completed. By doing so, both the council and residents will be able to track the work contractors do and ensure they are not slacking. Currently, this system is already being carried out in his area, involving a log book and the cooperation of residents associations. Contractors had been told to sign in the log book every time they do cleaning jobs or collect bulk waste. Complaints have been decreasing ever since, said Teo. However, MPS has rejected his proposal to have the online monitoring system to be implemented for the whole of Sepang. For the future, Teo wants to foster closer ties with the Public Works Department (PWD) and get them to repair roads and street lights which are in bad condition. Its been a tough ride trying to get PWD to work with us. They seem reluctant to cooperate with us no matter how hard we try, he said. There are stretches of winding road from Dengkil to Banting which are full of potholes and faulty street lights, making it dangerous for motorists driving at night. Also, some potholes are filled with sand with grass growing in them. If they dont fix this, soon the road will be gone and be replaced by more sand and grass, he said.

Khalid (second from right) presenting the cheque to Herbert (second from right) as Bro John Albert (left) and state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar look on

Montfort Boys expertise sought

By Alvin Yap

SHAH ALAM: Montfort Boys Town has been urged to consider allowing its students to help out in the maintenance of low-cost flats in Selangor. Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who visited the vocational school on Monday, said he wanted to see students apply their skills by helping to maintain infrastructure or leading gotong-royong initiatives. Think of it as internship. We have the finances to maintain the flats but we dont always have enough people to assist us, said the Menteri Besar in reference to the states Caring Government for Residents Aid Scheme (Ceria). The scheme funds initiatives to repaint and refurbish older low-cost flats in the state. Khalid said students could contribute towards uplifting the well-being of residents at the low-cost flats by helping to repaint the units and maintaining the amenities there. Montfort director Brother John Albert said the vocational school would consider Khalids request. Khalid also lauded Montforts efforts in producing highly-skilled workers for the manufacturing and service industries in Selangor. As I understand it, Montforts students have jobs waiting for them at various corporations and companies even before they graduate, he said.

The Ijok assemblyperson also said that he wanted INPENS International College, a vocational training centre in Kuala Selangor, to cooperate with Montfort Boys Town on various curriculum and syllabus issues, especially in welding courses. He added that the oil and gas industry, in which Malaysia aspires to be a key regional player, was in need of specialist welders. Montfort Boys Town is among a few vocational learning centres with oil and gas industry accredited welding courses in Malaysia. He later presented a mock cheque for RM100,000 on behalf of the state government to its chairperson of the Board of Governors, Tan Sri Clifford Herbert and Brother John Albert. He said the state was aware that the vocational training school, which is celebrating its 53rd anniversary, operated through public funds. Herbert said the donation would be used to maintain and upgrade the sports facilities at Montfort. He said many of the facilities spread out among the 13-acre land were in need of rehabilitation due to 40 years of wear and tear. The former civil servant said some 5,000 students have graduated from Montfort armed with skills training, since it was founded in 1958.

Help for fire victims

By Khaulah Azwar
Dr Halimah and Kamaluddin meeting the victims

KLANG: Two families whose rented home at Jalan Yadi was burnt down on Feb 15 have received financial assistance from Selat Klang assemblyperson Dr Halimah Ali. We hope all fire victims stay patient and calm while overcoming this misfortune. In the meantime, my office will be assisting them as well, said Halimah. The half-wooden and brick houses were razed at 7.45am, leaving the victims homeless. The cause of the fire is still unknown and the police are still investigating, she said. Residents living in the neighbour-

hood had sought the assistance of Halimahs assistant, Kamaluddin Rahmat. After receiving the news, I called the police and fire department immediately to put out the fire which was getting out of control, said Kamaluddin. The fire was brought under control at 8.20am and put out a few minutes later. If it werent for the quick response, Im sure the fire would have spread to the other neighbouring houses, he said. The victims also received help from the Welfare Department, Klang Municipal Council (MPK) and Selangor Zakat Board. Besides money, they were also given daily necessities like food and clothing.

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Beyond that rusty and dusty realm of discards, hand-me-downs and storage junk, there are some things that are deemed precious by others. LIN ZHENYUAN checks out a market that specialises in the antiquated and archaic.

here is a club of sorts that draws hundreds, if not thousands of shoppers, grandfathers, retirees, treasure hunters and collectors, every Sunday. It takes place on Saturdays and Sundays at the Amcorp Mall in Petaling Jaya. The flea market, which started around 1997, has since grown to become arguably the biggest and most successful flea market in the sprawling district of PJ. According to an official of the Amcorp Mall management, about 200 people come to set up their stalls as early as 8am on Sundays. The Saturday flea market is less crowded but nevertheless it still takes place. The mall management puts a strong emphasis on antiques and collectibles. But it is on Sundays that everything and almost anything under the sun is sold on four levels of the shopping complex. The lower ground level has the greatest mix of stalls. There are numerous stalls that sell stamps, First Day Covers, coins (foreign and local) and items relating to numismatics and philately. Everything that is on display can be bought -- at a price, of course. Recently, I came upon a first edition book by Frank Thomas Tan (left) and Che Mat are tactical gear stalwarts at the Amcorp Mall flea market. Swettenham entitled The Real Malay. It was a rare occasion when such a book is seen and put up for sale. The only problem, at least for me, was the price -- RM1,200. I decided to give it a miss because I wasnt carrying that amount of spare change. There are also traders who specialise in various types of Malay keris and other ancient weapons that have rusted over the decades or perhaps centuries. One trader candidly admitted that he sometimes journeyed out of state and into kampungs to look for the collectibles that others might have missed. This included spear heads and blades without handles that have been accidentally dug up by farmers tilling their fields. It has become the norm for traders and flea market specialists to book tables for two days. The charges are RM80 per table for two days. If you want to sell your grandmothers clothes for only one day, then it will have to be Saturday and you have to pay RM30. Table cloth is not provided. You will have to bring your own. Individuals representing companies who have proper credentials can book a table for outdoor business for three days. The fee is RM250. For the socalled outdoor flea market activity, table cloth is provided. Registration for flea market tables, I understand, takes place on Tuesdays at 11am on the first floor of the Amcorp Mall office. The people who come to Amcorp Old bottles, tiffin carriers Mall to peddle their wares are a mix- and even a ture of professionals, part-time traders bicycle seat and houseowners. Regular Amcorp find their way flea market visitors usually know which into the flea stalls to approach if they seek objects market. of their desire. This streetwise trait comes from years of banter with certain stall owners who only specialise in selling certain items. I have been told that several ordinary-looking uncles manning stalls are actually PhD holders who work full time at tertiary institutions during weekdays. The visitors and shoppers who throng the four-level flea market comprise mainly of adults, mostly men, andfamilies Shops like this one attract more customers out to have a good time. on Sunday at Amcorp Mall. It is obvious that this particular flea market has become an unofficial meeting place for retirees who find thatyesdecorate their upbeat rooms. teryears keepsakes and souvenirs bring them much joy and Permanent shoplots found on the various nostalgia, even if they do not take home with them any of the floors of Amcorp Mall do enjoy better business items. on Sundays. Thus, most of these shops, includWho would be able to appreciate an old cangkul or a vinyl ing the restaurants and small eateries, are always record that has sound tracks from an era long forgotten. Teen- in full swing when the flea market is operating agers are a rare sight at Amcorp Mall on Sundays. at full throttle. The word is these youngsters wouldnt want to be caught Books are among some of the favourite items dead browsing through somebodys grandfathers discards to sought by collectors and avid readers. The flea The flea market operates on four levels at Amcorp Mall.

Collectors and collectibles

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Story-telling feast at PJ Live Arts

Motivational books and audio tapes find buyers every weekend.

Playwrights, actors, writers, activists and media personalities: A roundup of the Saya Sebatang Pensel essay readers. (from left) Alfian Saat, Elza Irdalynna, Sharaad Kuttan, Sharon Bakar, See Tshiung Han, Susan Lankester and Uthaya Sankar SB.

Old postcards and stamps represent a niche market among discerning philatelic collectors.

market traders of course have to compete with the Book Xcess outlet on the third floor because of the narrow price difference. Personally, I have found some out-of-print first edition books of great personal value at Amcorp Mall in the past. A consequence of finding and buying too many of such books has earned me the ire of family members complaining of shrinking walking space in the house. Goods sold at the flea market fall under several categories. They are over-priced, over-rated, under- Families like to browse through the hundreds of objects appreciated and under-valued. In past years, I had at the scores of stalls. spotted some well known university professors scavenging for rare books that might have missed their proper and final destinations like museums and university libraries. Sometimes, it is that inexplicable urge to possess a relic of the past that seems to conjure so many precious memories. As a result of such impulse buying, I have on occasion asked myself while driving home, why am I lugging that piece of junk home? If you like 30-year-old Coca Cola bottles with their metal caps still attached or some rusty old scissors of mysterious origin, you may develop a strange love affair with the Amcorp Mall flea market. Ordinary trinkets and ornaments may attract selected visitors with I have a friend who collects only specialised interests. items from a particular brand of beer. He has gone to flea markets abroad and domestiThis is one of the reasons why the older generation cally in search of these items. So naturally, when he likes this flea market so much. It reminds them that the comes to Amcorp Mall on Sundays, his eyes are peeled memories from their past still live on through objects wide for any elusive item that might have escaped his and artefacts that some diligent person has dug up from eyes on an earlier outing. his backyard, found in his grannys trunk or discovered Sometimes while walking along the corridors of the while clearing the storage room. first floor, you may catch refrains of old songs that pluck There is no denying that the Amcorp Mall flea at your heart-strings. Hold on to your aching heart, it market has a large following in PJ and KL. Life is such is just that vendor who only sells music CDs with ever- that although we constantly plan for the future, we green songs by Bobby Vinton, Pat Boone, Cliff Richard, also hold on steadfastly to the past because they reNeil Sedaka, Johnny Tillotson, Frankie Avalon, Louis mind us so much of the things and people we miss in Armstrong and Johnny Mathis. our daily lives.

PETALING JAYA: Everyone loves a good story, and better yet, society has alwaysappreciated a good storyteller who is able to hold the audience by theway they tell the narrative. From March 15 to April 1, theatre group PJ Live Arts is bringing back the lost art of storytelling at the upcoming Story Fest 2012. Story telling is the most primitive and basic performing arts in society, said PJ Live Arts executive director Diong Chae Lian at their premises in Petaling Jaya recently. Highlights at the event include A Home is not a Fairy Tale, where narrators read four locally written and highly acclaimed childrens storybooks that focus on issues faced by vulnerable children. These includeCats in the Rubbish, about street children, and The Little Dancing Bear, about child labour . Readings of Fin the Brave and Kailash deal with the issues of statelessness and refugee children. The festival will also see the Asian debut of a musical stage adaptation of The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by bestselling children author Jill Tomlinson. Renowned performing arts group Blunderbus Theatre Company from the United Kingdom will perform the musical, which is suited for children aged three to seven. According to Diong, the art of storytelling is not totally lost amidst the hustle and bustle of the digital age. Telling Tales is an all-day workshop for adults to hone theirstorytelling skills and is suited for teachers and parents who want tosustain the attention of a child during class or at home. Led by Judith Shaik and Anne Ooi, the interactive workshop will make participants into better storytellers. Diong explained that by becoming a better storyteller, adults can create in children a love for reading and stories. Story Fest 2012 has something for everyone, children and adults alike. Weve drawn up a family-friendly programme and hope it will bring out the inner storyteller in everyone, she said. The festival will also revisit and reminisce about our primary school essays. Malaysian storytellers consisting of writers, stage and television actors will present the Saya Sebatang Pensel reading of essays which includeIf I were a Billionaire, Cita-cita Saya and MyFamily. Among essay readers lined up are Amir Muhammad, Susan Lankester, Dina Zaman, Bernice Chauly and Fahmi Fadzil. Admission is free for A Home is not a Fairy Tale readings while the rest of the festival programmes is priced from RM40. For more information and updates on the programmes, call PJ Live Arts Box Office at 03- 7960 0439 or visit www.pjla.com.my and www.facebook.com/pjlivearts. The event is presented by PJ Live Arts, in partnership with Jaya One, Gardner & Wife Theatre, and childrens advocacy group Voice of the Children. It is also to celebrate World Storytelling Day, which falls on March 20.

Healthy Lifestyle Expo in June

By Gan Pei Ling

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March 2 4, 2012

SHAH ALAM: Selangors first Healthy Lifestyle Expo, featuring 140 booths, will be held from June 22-24 at the Shah Alam Convention Centre (SACC). SACC signed a memorandum of understanding with the expo organiser, SMV Associates Sdn Bhd, on Tuesday to hold the health expo at the convention centre for the next five years. Themed Go Green & Be More Healthy!, the expo will showcase health, fitness and beauty products and packages from local and multinational companies. We want to raise the publics health awareness and encourage them to adopt a healthier lifestyle,

said SMV Group & SMV Associates group managing director Faizal Ridza Alwi at a press conference. He added that various programmes such as health screenings, cooking demonstrations, sports coaching and appearances of healthcare specialists will be held at the expo. He said SMV Associates chose to hold the exhibition in Selangor as the state has the largest population in the country. SACC chief executive officer Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad said they expect to attract thousands from Shah Alam, Subang Jaya and Klang to the expo. Meanwhile, Zulkifli said SACC had embarked on a five-year plan to turn its conventional centre into a

green building. Were changing our light bulbs in stages into energy efficient LEDs (light emitting-diodes) and are looking into converting our food waste into fertiliser. He added that the convention centre has already replaced its centralised air-conditioning system with a split system to save energy. He said SACC also plans to repaint its building with heat-shielding paint to reduce its energ y consumption, particularly from air-conditioning during the day, and reduce its RM100,000 monthly electricity bill by up to 20 per cent. Also at the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony were SMV Event Sdn Bhd Hamirul

(From left) Hamirul, Faizal, Hasan, Zulkifli and Mohd Rawi at the MoU signing ceremony.

Aizat Hamidi, SACC senior sales manager Mohd Rawi Abu Bakar and Selangor State Investment Bhd chief executive officer Hasan Azhari Idris.

Businesses interested in becoming exhibitors at the expo can call Aizat (019-275 3858), Faizal (012474 1747) and Syaiful (019-208 3858).

Creative product designers at fair

Huge turnout at NZ education fair

(from left) MRM senior general manager Futom Shikh Jaafar, Ong, and Matrade deputy CEO Datuk Mohamad Kamarudin Hassan at the launch. Gauthier says a vibrant outdoor life is in store for international students in New Zealand.

By Basil Foo

SUBANG JAYA: Students seeking academic guidance for their tertiary education made a beeline for the New Zealand Education Fair 2012 held at a hotel here last Sunday. Accompanied by their parents or friends, students aged 17 to the early 20s came looking for advice on their tertiary studies from academic advisers. I think I want to study in New Zealand as I like the outdoors and prefer a more laidback environment, said Sarah Cheng, 20, whose career path is in finance and accountancy. The Subang Jaya resident said she was considering studying in New Zealand as her father, Paul, 56, graduated in the early 1980s from a university there. Puchong resident Ng See Wei, 20, is considering New Zealand as his home for the next three years as he looks for a suitable university to do his engineering course. The annual education fair highlighted some 16 tertiary level institutes of higher learning located around New Zealand. It showcased universities and colleges and polytechnic centres located on both North and South Island. According to Bruce Osborne, director of International Business at Universal College of Learning (UCOL), New Zealand offers a good environment for students because of its political stability and an excellent educational system. This system gives students the ability to enter and exit any course of study at foundation, graduate and post-graduate levels, said Osborne, who manned UCOLs counters. UCOL is an academic and vocational centre of learning located in three main cities on North Island. The head academic adviser said New Zealands population of 4.2 million, with its high standard of living, embraces technology in everyday life.

This, he said, meant that the education syllabus was geared towards producing a highly technical and skilled workforce. Similarly, Elle Freestone from the University of Waikato said learning in New Zealand was through the applied method in small class sizes. The International Recruitment Adviser pointed out that that the Hamilton-based centre of higher learning aimed at getting its graduates ready for the workforce. Graduates are competent to work anywhere in the world, she said. For students who are considering agriculture, business or environmental science, Lincoln University offers Environmental Management studies at its Christchurch campus. The centre of higher learning has historical links with Malaysia as students in the 1960s were sent to Lincoln under the United Nations Colombo Plan. The universitys Ian Douthwaite said quite a few of the head forest rangers in East Malaysias national parks graduated from Lincoln with degree and postgraduate degrees in Sustainable Forest Management. Its fitting that our motto is New Zealands specialist land-based university, he said. Academic adviser Sarah Gauthier said New Zealand offers both a laidback lifestyle with a vibrant nightlife in all the cities and towns where campuses are located. Surfing and skiing are some of the outdoor sports students can look forward to while studying in New Zealand, she said. She represented Otago Polytechnic, a top-rated centre of learning in city of Dunedin in Otago. The higher learning institute is ranked one of the top universities by the countrys Qualification Board. The New Zealand Education Fair, a trade education expo organised by the New Zealand High Commission here will be at Penang and Kuching early next month.

KUALA LUMPUR: Unearthing new talents is among the goals of the upcoming Fourth Kuala Lumpur International Gifts, Premium and Stationery Fair (KLIGP 2012). The event, to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) from June 13-15, will showcase the works of creative and innovative local product designers. These product designs will be from the winners of the Authentic, Innovative and Creative Product Contest (APC) and the Product Design Contest (PDC) held before the fair. Creating unique products will set local companies apart from the competition, said Malaysian Gifts and Premium Entrepreneur Association (MGPA) president Alan Ong at the official launch of K LIGP 2012 at PWTC on Feb 28. In line with the fairs theme, Innovate to Differentiate, the PDC is free for all exhibitors to join and submit their product designs by May 18. Fresh innovations are expected as companies jostle for the top spot by creating original products like bags, apparel, jewellery, stationery, electronics and more. Judging criteria includes orig-

inality, functionality, performance, manufacturing and environmental impact. The APC, much like the PDC, is open for creative product designers to submit their ideas and drawings, but with a special focus: the participants must be students. The winners of the APC will be invited for all three days of the fair to present their concept to the fair participants, said MGPA executive committee member Mark Chua. This will help budding young talents showcase their product ideas. More information on prizes, terms and conditions, and registration for both competitions can be found on the fairs website at kligp.com.my. KLIGP 2012 is open to corporate businesses and traders for the first two days and to the public only on its final day. Admission is free. Visitors can expect about 350 booths with exhibitors from seven countries presenting a host of products such as useful daily items, decorative gifts, and school and work items. The fair is endorsed by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and supported by the Malaysia Design Council (MRM).

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Theres always time for creativity!

By Dominic Luk
Make some time to find out about these events happening in the next few weeks. Itll be a great way to spend more time with your family and friends, and perhaps a good chance to do something different for once. Be sure to check them out! 3 FACES The ASWARA Dance Company, formed in 1994, promises an evening of mind-blowing dance performances. With artistic direction by Joseph Gonzales, the show is made up of three acts: Bharatanatyam - Netranthi Nerathile, Makyung - excerpts from Dewa Indera Indera Dewa, and Contemporary - Plan B. Itll run until March 4 and tickets are RM20 for adults or RM5 for students. Visit www.aswara.edu. my to know more about the show. PRECIOUS LITTLE PIECES Sometimes its the little things in life that are worth paying more attention to. Were so used to seeing things on big screens and forget that we should take time to look at the details of the smaller things around us. Drop by WeiLing Gallery from 9 March to 10 April to check out their exhibition on miniature artworks by Malaysian artists. Admission is free so theres no excuse for not opening our minds up to the world of fine art. Wei Ling Gallerys website can be found at www.weiling-gallery.com

caLENDar
Shakespeare on Film
Film: Feb 12-Mar 18; Indicine, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KL; 03-40479000; www.klpac.org; Free.
Paul Loosleys Shakespeare on Film is back for the sixth series and after more than 30 movies adaptations of the Bards works are still flowing. Among the offerings this series are Julie Taymors The Tempest (Feb 12), George Cukors Romeo and Juliet (Feb 19) and John Farrells Richard the Second.

Weave Exhibition
Art: Feb 27-Mar 11; Pentas 2 Lobby, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KL; 03-40479000; www.klpac.org; Free.
Faizal Sidik focuses on collective conscience, an idea he investigates using a variety of mediums. His earliest works, the War Series, use traditional techniques of drawing to comment on war and dissent, victimization and silence. The pathos of the images is intense, with figures skillfully enhanced by dark colour combinations.

The Merchant of Venice

Play: Feb 29-Mar 2; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KL; 03-40479000; www.klpac.org; RM15-RM20.
The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeares most exciting plays, filled with laughter and darkness, love and hate, forgiveness and revenge. The Jewish moneylender Shylock makes a loan to Antonio, a Christian merchant. Their loan contract; steeped in prejudice and centered on the plays infamous pound of flesh, sweeps the two men and everyone in their worlds into chaos. The insightful Portia boldly intervenes to try and save Antonio, with unforeseen consequences for all.

DEAD MANS CELL PHONE When Jean picks up a dead mans cell phone in a caf, her life changes. Our cell phones have become such a big part of our lives; theyre with us everywhere we go. Literally, everywhere! Jean finds out how this lifeless gadget is able to bring new life to her in a twisted series of events. The play will be directed by Christopher Ling, and will feature a stellar cast comprising Sandee Chew, Payal Vashist, Anrie Too, KT Lim, Amir Yunos, and Alexis Wong. Be sure to get your tickets before the show opens on 14 March. Ticketing information is available at KLPACs website: www.klpac.org

Me@nowhere
Drama: Mar 1-3 (8.30pm), Mar 4 (3pm) ; The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 Roof Top; www.theactorsstudio.com.my; RM35.
A monodrama themed 60 minutes before the end of the world featuring : Redza Minhat, Lim Yoon Kean, Ong Hong Yi, Samuel Lee, Jeff Lau, Damian St, William Yap, Season Chee, Royce Tan, Sunny Cheong.

STORY FEST 2012 SAYA SEBATANG PENSEL Weve always loved stories, and when we were schoolchildren, we had to constantly write essays and create our own stories; what a great way to make our imagination run! Sadly, as we grow older, we tend to forget about how fantasies could be as real as we want them to be. Growing up has made us less colourful and more inclined to the serious side of life. Check out this event at PJ Live Arts from 15 to 18 March, where a fantastic bunch of Malaysian writers and performers will gather to tell their stories based on primary school essay titles (for example, My Family, Saya Sebatang Pensel, Cita-cita Saya). Visit www.pjlivearts.my and see whats its really all about!

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March 2 4, 2012

Enforcement officers from the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) performing martial art self-defence moves during the launch of their new office at Persada Plus in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim meeting Montfort Boys Town students after presenting a RM100,000 allocation to the vocational training centre for upgrading its sports facilities.

These happy faces say it all! Zamri Sakiman (second from left) with his brothers Tukimon (first from left), Mohd Yusrizan (second from right) and Mohd Saharudin standing outside their home in Bagan Terap, Sabak Bernam. Their house was among the many that were repaired by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility last Saturday.

Concerned Malaysians at the Himpunan Hijau anti-Lynas protest at Maju Junction last Saturday. About 1,000 people turned up to protest the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant in Kuantan.

A protester with hair cut from passersby symbolising the detrimental effects that critics say Lynas will pose if it is allowed to operate.

PJ Selatan member of Parliament Hee Loy Sian (centre) and Taman Medan state lawmaker Haniza Talha launching the PJS 1 and PJS 3 Gated & Guarded Communityon Feb 19.