community September 9 — 11, 2011/ issue 40

New hope for families of massacre victims

Celebrating Malaysia Day

p 2 p 12 & 13

Pet hotels – a Disturbing trenD

p 10

• Turn To page 2

‘Ghost’ bus-stops in Subang Jaya

By brenda Ch'ng

subang Jaya: Public bus stops with no buses are a feature here, thanks to the lack of coordi-nation between the local council and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

Dozens of bus-stops, each costing RM40,000 and built throughout the municipality over the years by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ), remain redundant.

Councillor R Rajiv blames SPAD for what he describes as “ghost bus-stops” along the streets of MPSJ.

These bus-stops were built based on requests by residents, who hoped that public buses would come through, but this  remains a pipe dream.

“They (SPAD) are neither work-ing with us to solve public transport woes nor providing us with informa-tion on bus routes and schedules,” Rajiv said.

MPSJ has been repeatedly re-questing a list of bus operating routes and time schedules from SPAD, but to no avail.

Rajiv pointed out that without a list of routes from SPAD, MPSJ is at a loss as to how to proceed with the bus-stops.

In response to his letter written over a month ago, Rajiv was in-formed by SPAD that MPSJ should take the initiative and request all pertaining information from various bus operators.

“Their reply left me speechless. They are in charge of bus operators, and they should be the one asking bus companies to send schedules to us,” said Rajiv.

He explained that since the coun-cil has no authority over bus opera-tors, it would be hard to attain in-formation.

Furthermore, the council does not even know how many buses have been licensed to operate by SPAD, and it would be impossible to re-quest for the schedule.

Rajiv, who is part of MPSJ’s in-frastructure committee which over-sees public transport and traffic, also

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim informing nursery operators and Yayasan Selangor officials that the state government will not hand out ToL for green Lane.

wrote to the commission about adding taxi-waiting areas.

His concern is that taxis are stop-ping illegally at hotspots like Jalan SS15/8 and Mydin USJ1, narrowing three-lane roads to one lane.

“Enforcing the law shouldn’t be

left to SPAD officers entirely. MPSJ has the powers to summon vehicles that cause obstruction, too,” claimed the Land Public Transport Commis-sion in their email reply to Rajiv.

Rajiv disputes those claims, say-ing MPSJ does not have enforce-

ment powers to summon taxis or buses that stop illegally.

“MPSJ is only authorised to sum-mon cars which park illegally, not taxis waiting to pick up customers,” said Rajiv.

SPAD further claims that their

enforcement division managed to inspect 52,413 vehicles through their daily operations.

Of that, more than 1,500 notices have been issued to vehicle operators

Selangorku, Idamanku

Untitled-1 1 8/9/2011 6:01:08 PM

Teacher Lim Wei Lee shopping for lanterns with her six-year-old son and two-year-old daughter at a sundry shop in Taman Klang utama on Thursday for the Lantern Festival. The celebration, also known as the Mid-autumn or Mooncake Festival, is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, which falls on Monday (Sept 12) this year.

‘Consult local councils, residents for master plan’

phone (603) 5510 4566fax (603) 5523 1188

email editor@selangortimes.com

EDITORIALCHIEF EDITOR KL Chan

COMMUNITY EDITOR Neville SpykermanWRITERS Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling,

Basil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Ch’ngCOPY EDITORS Nick Choo, James Ang

DESIGNERS Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man YenADVERTISING Timothy Loh, Ivan Looi, Tony KeeADVISORS Faekah Husin, Arfa’eza Abdul Aziz

2 September 9 — 11, 2011

news

based on their various misconduct.“Issuing notices just isn’t good

enough. They should rectify it by con-sulting MPSJ and come up with a plan to add more taxi stands at hotspots,” said Rajiv.

He pointed out that MPSJ has of-fered to help SPAD design their public transport master plan, which is due to come out this month.

The move would allow SPAD to gain a better insight into the transpor-tation needs of the public here and add it into the master plan.

However, SPAD said in response that MPSJ could refer to the master plan to fully understand the bigger picture, and that the commission wel-comes all specific feedback and sugges-tions for their micro/local plan.

“But how can they have a master plan without consulting all the local councils and residents to understand the needs? What is the master plan going to be based on?” Rajiv rebutted.

SPAD’s master plan is supposed to improve public transportation within Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. This include improvements in the light rail transit (LRT) extension, and more bus coverage to plug gaps in routes.

• From page one

New hope for families of massacre victims By Gan Pei Ling

SHAH ALAM: Families of Batang Kali massacre victims may see justice with the British High Court decision to allow a judicial review to challenge Whitehall’s refusal to re-investigate the killings.

“I wish my mother, Tham Yong, who survived the massacre, could have lived to see this,” said Chong Nyok Keyu, 51, from Ulu Yam.

Chong hopes the truth of the 1948 killings of 24 unarmed rubber tappers, whom the British claimed were com-munists, will finally be exposed in the upcoming court hearings.

Chong and three other claimants representing the victims’ families filed for a judicial review on Feb 25 this year against the UK government.The other three claimants are Lim Kok, whose father was beheaded by

the Scot Guards; Wooi Kum Thai, whose father was also killed; and Loh Ah Choi, who claimed to have wit-nessed his uncle being shot dead.

The UK government had last November rejected the victims’ fami-lies’ request to reopen a public in-quiry, and their demands for an apology and monetary compensation.

Despite being the colonial ruler in Malaya in 1948, the UK govern-ment claimed the Scot Guards were only present in Selangor “in support” of the Selangor ruler at that time, and therefore should not be held respon-sible for the killings.

British judge Silber J granted the four claimants permission for judi-cial review last month as he observed that the case raises “arguable issues of importance”.

The four claimants are repre-sented by John Halford from Lon-

“How will they know how many buses to license, which routes to take, and the frequency of the buses if they do not consult local councils?” said Rajiv.

He said it was impossible for SPAD to regulate public transport routes in all local councils efficiently without con-sulting stakeholders.

Rajiv has urged SPAD to organise a

dialogue session between MPSJ and residents and fine-tune the master plan before it is publicised this month.

“Public transport is supposed to help the public, and I think they should play a role in drawing up this master plan, too. SPAD should take in their feed-back,” said Rajiv.

SPAD did not respond at press time when contacted by Selangor Times.

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one of the unused bus-

stops in Subang Jaya.

don-based law firm Bindmans. They were also granted legal aid funding by the UK Legal Service Commis-sion to pursue the case.

The claimants were present at the press conference yesterday, with their Malaysian lawyers Firoz Hus-sein Abdul Jamaluddin, Datuk Dominic Puthucheary and Quek Ngee Meng.

Quek urged the UK government to release all official documents re-lated to the massacre as well as aborted attempts to investigate the incident in the past few decades.

“The British judges have sent an unequivocal message to the govern-ment that there can be no cover up of massacres committed [during the colonial period],” said Quek.

He pointed out this is the second time the UK courts have allowed judicial review sought by victims from former colonised states against

the UK government for alleged crimes committed during the colo-nial period. In July, the British High Court allowed four elderly Kenyans to sue the UK government for al-leged torture 50 years ago.

The Batang Kali massacre was first exposed by UK newspaper The People in 1970, leading to an investi-gation commissioned by the UK government, but the probe was ter-minated midway due to a change in government.

The BBC highlighted the killings again in 1992 in a documentary ti-tled In Cold Blood, in which former

Scot Guards admitted the incident was a massacre.

On our own shores, the Malayan Attorney-General had conducted an investigation into the incident in 1949 and concluded that the 24 unarmed men would have escaped had the Scot Guards not opened fire.

But only the soldiers were inter-viewed and the families’ statements were excluded.

UK daily The Guardian reported in April that the police had reopened investigation in the 1990s, but the UK government had pressured Ma-laysian authorities to halt the probe.

(From left) Claimants Wooi Kum Thai, Loh ah Chai, Lim Kok and Chong nyok Keyu.

3September 9 — 11, 2011

News

New highway to ease snarlSERDANG: A new 17km highway linking Serdang, Kinrara and Putrajaya is expected to be built by 2016.

The Serdang-Kinrara-Putrajaya (SKIP) Expressway, with seven interchanges and three toll plazas, is expected to benefit at least 100,000 motorists.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2012.

“Once the highway is com-pleted, Serdang residents can use it instead of Jalan Besar to enter and exit Serdang,” said Seri Kembangan assemblyper-son Ean Yong Hian Wah.

He said residents have long appealed to the federal government to solve the traffic congestion on Jalan Besar.

According to Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, over 60,000 cars use Jalan Besar daily.

She said the road is classified as “F” class, which is the worst traffic rating.

Teo said the new highway is expected to improve Jalan Besar’s traffic rating from “F” to “C” based on a traffic impact assessment.

Traffic congestion will also be reduced in southern Puchong as Serdang residents can use the SKIP Expressway instead of the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) to access Putrajaya.

The highway will start up north at Bandar Kinrara 5, pass by Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, and subsequently split into two directions near Taman Lestari Perdana.

From there, motorists can continue travel down south towards Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and the South Klang Valley Expressway, or head east to-wards Taman Universiti Indah and Serdang.

Meanwhile, Subang Jaya municipal councillor Ng Sze Han (pic) said the local council has instructed the hig hway concessionaire to conduct a detailed study on the impact of the construction on the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve and its water catchment areas.

He said the local council has requested the concessionaire to align the highway along the forest border to minimise ecological impact on the forest.

The concessionaire and the Malaysian Highway Authority briefed the Subang Jaya Municipal Council on the highway construc-tion plan two weeks ago.

It is expected to be constructed as an ele-vated highway along old roads to minimise the need to acquire land.

Nostalgic reminder of M’sia for Aussie veteransBy Alvin Yap

PETALING JAYA: Former Australian soldiers who served in Malaysia got a nostalgic reminder from the Philharmonic Society of Selangor (pic) during their recent tour to Perth.

“It was a poignant event, and the former Diggers came up and told us it was touching for them to hear Malay songs being sung,” said conductor and musical director Cheryl Teh.

Teh and the 60-member choir performed before a 100-strong audience comprising war veterans and distinguished guests at the Merdeka Day 2011 Commemorative Ser vice for the Malaya and Borneo Veterans’ Asso-ciation (Western Australia branch).

The former servicemen fought World War II battles in Malaya, Borneo, Singapore, Java and Timor, apart from playing a major role in the Malayan Emergency and the Malaysian-Indonesian Confrontation.

The former soldiers conversed with the choir in Malay and even Hokkien, with many asking them about famous landmarks and places in the peninsula during their deploy-ment from the late 1940s to 1960s.

“They talked about these places with nostalgia and fond remembrance,” said Teh

after the group’s return from Perth.During the opening speech, the president

of the veterans’ association said the armed forces were called to defend Malaya in the years leading to nationhood.

“We glimpsed the sun going down on an empire, and indeed the birth of the Malaysian nation, protected by its Commonwealth neighbours,” Bill Adamson told the audience that also included Malaysian Consul-General Hamidah Ashari and Western Australia Governor Malcolm McCusker.

The Phil sang a medley of classics, notably the late crooner P Ramlee’s Getaran Jiwa, and the national anthems of Malaysia and Australia.

The choir a lso performed at the International Spring Choral Festival in Bunbury, with the women’s baju kebaya and men’s batik shirts attracting attention.

The Western Australia tour is the Phil’s first overseas concert since its founding in 1958.

The choir will be presenting a thanksgiving concert called Return from Oz next month and a Christmas choral performance in late December.

They will also open their membership to the public next month in time for their Christmas production.

4 september 9 — 11, 2011

news

State exco Elizabeth Wong (right) handing out duit raya.

Dr Halimah Ali (left) and Rodziah Ismail with children.

Loi (second right) dining with businesspersons during the event.

EVENTSBuddhism courseThe Subang Jaya Buddhist Association will conduct an intermediate course on Buddhism every Friday starting on Sept 23. The five-week course will cover Buddhist views on contemporary issues and Buddhist living. Each session will start at 8.30pm and end at 10pm. For more information, call 03-5634 8181 (Lily).

MyDance FestivalFrom the elegant classical Malay dance by Aswara Dance Company to the modern wushu dance by Lee Wushu Dance Arts of Johor Baru, the MyDance Festival 2011 promises a selection of the finest works from performers. The festival will be held from today (Sept 9) until Sept 18 – at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) from Sept 9-11, and The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 from Sept 15-18. Ticket prices range from RM15 to RM35. For more information, call KLPac at 03-4047 9010.

Art exhibitionA solo art exhibition showcasing Syed Thajudeen’s works titled Paintings on Love is being held at the KL Lifestyle Art Space, 150 Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur. The display will end on Sept 30. Call 019-333 7668 for details.

Dogathon 2011The Students’ Society of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Veternak) and Zoo-logico Club University Putra Malaysia (UPM) will hold their 15th annual Dogathon on Oct 2. Proceeds will go towards a welfare project called Pro-Kasih, to raise awareness of neglected animals. The event will be held at Bukit Ekspo UPM from 6.30am-2pm. Activities include a 2.5-kilometre dog and master run, catch-and-fetch and hide-and-seek for owners and dogs. For details, call 013-3792124 (Nur Afiqah) or 012-3205065 (Ms Lee), or email dogathonpublicity@gmail.com or dogathon@vet.upm.edu.my, or visit www.vet.upm.edu.my/~dogathon.

Bandar Puteri walkBandar Puteri’s third 5km Fun Walk will be held at the Puteri 8/10 field on Sunday (Sept 11) from 7am. Free breakfast will be served with lucky draw prizes up for grabs. Call 012-290 9989 (Samson) for details.

Hatha yoga courseMaintain a healthy lifestyle and regain equilibrium and balance by undergoing a three-month hatha yoga course for beginners. The course will be conducted by instructors from Divine Life Society’s Petaling branch on Sunday (Sept 11) at 3pm. It will be held at 16, Jalan 18/16, Taman Kanagapuram, off Jalan Klang Lama, Petaling Jaya. Call 013-3400 446 for more information.

Faber-Castell’s 250thFaber-Castell will celebrate their 250th anniversary at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur from Sept 14-18. The celebration will showcase their rich heritage and range of products. On display will be the oldest pencil from the 17th century, the smallest pencil at 17.5mm in length and the most expensive pencil with its solid white gold cap crowned with three fine-quality diamonds. The event is open to the public.

By Brenda Ch’ng

SUBANG JAYA: Morning market traders here will continue to pay RM1 for cleaning services after winning a concession from the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

The hawkers have vehemently protested against the increase to RM4, which has been imposed by all other local governments two years ago.

Council president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi on Tuesday agreed to maintain the present rate, despite the losses to MPSJ until a “better solution” is found.

“The fee of RM1 still stands for now, until a much cheaper cleaning solution or contractor is found,” he said during the roundtable meeting with all parties.

He pointed out that the council is open to all suggestions and proposals from traders who might have an insight on how the cleaning fee could be cut.

The RM4 daily fee for rental, maintenance and cleaning of each market lot was proposed by the state after 2008, and has been implemented in stages by all other local governments.

“The amount is reasonable as it includes the stall rental and all other expenses,” said Asmawi.

He pointed out that without the increase in fees, the council has been spending close to RM900,000 per year just for cleaning morning markets alone.

The cleaning of markets includes rubbish collection, cleaning of drains, washing of roads, and transportation of rubbish to dumps.

Currently, MPSJ is only collecting a total of RM499,420 per year from morning markets.

Meanwhile, PJS 7 trader Yap Tee Chuang rebutted the claims that the fees are low.

“I think the fee of RM1 is high because I’ve never seen cleaners cleaning the market where I trade,” he said.

The 32-year-old, who has been trading for over 15 years, said he has been cleaning his own lot and disposing of his own rubbish.

He pointed out that he is open to paying the increased fee, but wants the council to make sure a proper cleaning job is done.

“If I have to do my own clean-ing, I don’t see why I have to pay the fees,” said Yap.

During the meeting, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo suggested that the cleaning fee be increased, but that MPSJ should also subsi-dise the rate.

“MPSJ cannot put all the bur-den on traders as many may find it hard to fork out that amount of money,” he said.

In the meantime, a committee comprising traders, representatives

from MPSJ and councillors will be established to come up with proposals and solutions to the issue.

“I will give them until end of this year to come up with a solu-tion. By next year, the fee should increase to at least RM2 to be fair to all,” said Gobind.

Status quo for market cleaning fees

Gobind

Yap

SHAH ALAM: Over 30,000 thronged the state secretariat during Selangor’s Hari Raya open house on Aug 30.

“Such events are good because it helps foster ties among the different races,” said Subang Jaya Municipal Councillor (MPSJ) Dr Loi Kheng Min.

Loi pointed out that it is always a good thing to see all races in the country gathered and united as one.

He was seen sharing his Hari Raya wishes to Muslims and enjoying the spread.

Some arrived as early as 11am and were seen standing in line to get a taste of the assortment of Malay delicacies.

Among the dishes served were curries, lemang and ketupat, rendang, curry noodles, traditional kuihs, ice kacang and much more.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and his executive councillors were also present to greet the public and give out duit raya to children.

Among the excos was Rodziah Ismail, whose portfolio in-cludes welfare.

“It was a pleasant event, and it was good to see the children’s smiles when duit raya was given,” she said, adding that it is not every day that people from different races get together for such a festive occasion.

Full house at state Raya celebration

SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ September 09 – 11, 2011 ⁄ 5

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6 ⁄ September 09 – 11, 2011 ⁄ SELANGOR TIMES

1. Selangor State Development Corporation is eager to invite tenders from contractors through pre-approval process for the following tender:-

Proposal for Designing, Building and Completing Interchange From Federal Highway To Development Area at Section 7, Shah Alam

Contract No: PKNS/SA/KA/KON-2/2011

2. Project Information(a) The planning briefs for this project cover the construction of interchange encompassing early works, piling works, bridge works, road and

drainage works, toll tools works, toll plaza construction works, street lights works and other related works.

3. Terms for Pre-Approval The Pre-Qualifying Application is open to all contractors who fulfill the above requirements:

(i) Contractors who are registered under:- Contractor Service Center (PKK) and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB)

(a) Contractor Service Center - A Class Head I Sub Head 1 & 2 Head II Sub Head 2(a) Head IV Sub Head 2

(b) Construction Industry - Grade G7 Development Board (CIDB) (c) Licensed contractors who have been suspended by Contractor Service Centre from entering a tender are not qualified to enter the pre-qualifying process.

(ii) Financial Capacity And Technical Ability (a) “Net Worth” value of more than RM 4.0 million or Rolling Capital of more than RM 2.0 million. (b) Value for yearly overall work which has been completed successfully within a period of 5 years of not less than RM 20.0 million. (c) Satisfactory work performance record within the period of 5 years in terms of after project completion period and work quality.

4. Pre-Qualifying Document can be obtained at the following office:- BAHAGIAN PEROLEHAN PERBADANAN KEMAJUAN NEGERI SELANGOR TINGKAT 7, MENARA HPAIC LAMAN SERI BUSINESS PARK NO. 7, PERSIARAN SUKAN, SEKSYEN 13 40100 SHAH ALAM, SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN.

5. The Pre-Qualifying Document will be available starting 22nd August 2011 until 6th September 2011.

6. The fee for the Pre-Qualifying Document is RM 100.00 per copy and payment must be in the form of Postal Order, Bank Draft or Money Order under the name of PERBADANAN KEMAJUAN NEGERI SELANGOR.

7. Pre- Qualifying Document will be issued to the contractor or their valid representatives only. Should any contractor wish to send a representative, please bring along an authorization letter. Contractor or their representative must bring along the ORIGINAL REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE OR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD REGISTER APPLICATION CERTIFICATION CARD and THE ORIGINAL REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE FROM THE CONTRACTOR SERVICE CENTRE and a copy for all three certificates when buying the tender document, for the Corporation to keep. A copy of PKK Registration Certificate can be accepted if it is certified by the Director of Contractor Service Centre.

8. The closing date for application is on 13th September 2011, at 12.00 noon. The completed Pre-Qualifying Document must be inserted into a sealed envelope and into the tender box at the following address:-

BAHAGIAN PEROLEHAN PERBADANAN KEMAJUAN NEGERI SELANGOR TINGKAT 7, MENARA HPAIC LAMAN SERI BUSINESS PARK NO. 7, PERSIARAN SUKAN, SEKSYEN 13 40100 SHAH ALAM, SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN. Tel: 03-5520 1234

9. Documents received after the closing date and time will not be processed.

SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ September 09 – 11, 2011 ⁄ 7

8 SEPTEMBER 9 — 11, 2011

NEWS

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9237•Intake Layout 18x26 (Selangor Times).indd 1 6/09/11 1:33 PM

By Alvin Yap

SHAH ALAM: Selangor aims to lease out two former landfills to green-energy producers to build solar-panel farms.

“Once the landfill is fully ready, we will lease out the area to high-tech companies to place as many solar panels as they want,” said Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim at a post-state executive committee press conference here on Tuesday.

The Menteri Besar said the opening up of former landfills – which cannot be inhabited for at least 20 years – will be used to attract high-tech companies to invest in green-energy generation.

He said the project is slated to have an investment value of at least RM1.5 billion, and will also contribute to job creation in the sector.

One location, a former 28-hectare landfill at Ayer Hitam, Puchong, will be leased out for private com-panies to build solar-panel farms.

The renewable energy power will be sold to Tenaga Nasional Berhad as part of the Feed-In Tariff (FIT).

Selangor’s location, Khalid said, has more clear and sunny days compared withother states in the country for solar panels to capture sunlight.

According to state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Malaysia must reduce its carbon emissions as it is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, or risk facing penalties for non-compliance.

“Selangor wants to be a key player in the country to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he added.

Dr Xavier also said there will be an open process for interested high-tech companies to bid for land parcels at the former landfills.

Former landfills for solar farms

PORT KLANG: The lack of parking space and the condi-tion of the Pulau Ketam jetty here are undermining the tour-ism potential of the fishing village, said Ronnie Liu.

The state executive councillor, whose portfolio includes local government, said he received complaints of overcrowding and traffic congestion at the jetty during the recent Hari Raya-Merdeka public holiday.

Liu visited the jetty with Klang Municipal Council (MPK) councillor S Selvadurai on Monday, and they identified three available plots of land which could potentially be turned into multilevel parking lots.

He said his office will determine the status of the three plots to see if they can be turned into more parking space.

There are also 100 parking lots at the Port Klang bus stop, where parking is free, and drivers can leave their ve-

hicles overnight.“The two floors of covered parking are just 10 minutes’ walk

away from the jetty, but there are no signboards, so the public is unaware that they are there,” Liu said.

He said he will get MPK to upgrade the car park and put up signs immediately.

Liu is also urging for both the Marine Department and the Port Klang Authority (PKA) to improve the gangway and floating pontoon at the jetty.

He pointed out that a second gangway should be built to accommodate more people, while railings should be added on the pontoon to ensure the safety of passengers.

Liu said two businesspersons from Pulau Ketam have vol-unteered funds for the upgrades if the Marine Department and PKA refuse to undertake the upgrades.

“With these improvements, Pulau Ketam’s status could be on par with Pulau Pangkor in Perak,” he said.

Pulau Ketam jetty upgrade long overdue

Liu and Selvadurai at the little-used parking lot at the Port Klang bus stop.

SHAH ALAM: Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim aims to attract more Ger-man investments to the state during an official visit to the country from Sept 11 to 16.

“The objective of this work trip is to get our state recognised as a highly potential investment destina-tion,” said the Menteri Besar on Tuesday.

Khalid is scheduled attend dia-logue sessions with manufacturers in Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, Muenchen, Bitterfeld-Wolfen and Munich.

“The targeted manufacturers will be those dealing with green tech-nology. I want to bring in more green investors to invest here,” he said.

He said he is committed to mak-ing Selangor the leader of green-technology industries around the world.

He will be accompanied by ex-ecutive councillor Dr Xavier Jaya-kumar and Selangor State Invest-ment Centre (SSIC) chief executive Datuk Jabar Ahmad Kembali.

MB to make official visit to Germany

9september 9 — 11, 2011

news

By Brenda Ch’ng

KAPAR: Residents of Taman Sri Mutiara are up in arms over what they fear is a new junkyard in their backyard.

Work to prepare the site at Batu 4 Jalan Kapar started recently, but residents are moving to stop it before it poses a threat to them.

“This is dangerous as scrap metal and bottles filled with chemicals dumped here will cause a breakout of diseases which will affect the entire neighbourhood,” said resident Tan Hong Jin. 

The 22-year-old, who lives on Lorong Sungai Daun 1A, said his home is only three doors away from the site.

Tan, who has been living here with his extended family for over six years, said they fear the site, located behind a petrol kiosk, may became a fire hazard, especially if flam-mable materials are dumped there.

The neighbourhood is also concerned that the junkyard may became a breeding ground for rodents and Aedes mos-quitoes.

So far, 160 residents out of the 200 households in the housing estate have taken out a petition to voice their objec-tions.

“This is upsetting because the only entrance into the junkyard is through the main road which passes my shop,” said resident Goh Chee Keong.

The 31-year-old car workshop owner is worried that sharp metals and nails from the junkyard could puncture his cus-tomers’ car tyres.

Goh, whose shop is situated right beside the site, said his business may dwindle, and hopes the project will be stopped.

Kapar MP S Manikavasingam went to the site on Monday after receiving the petition and found that work there has

been halted.“I went down to the site to check and it was empty. No

contractors were there, no lorries, nothing was being done,” he said.

However, he hopes that this was not temporary as he supported the residents’ demands and their concerns.

The Klang Municipal Council (MPK), when contacted,

said they were investigating the complaint and determining if a junkyard was being built there.

“We will be conducting an investigation to both confirm the status of the land and the legality of it,” said MPK pub-lic complaints department head Norfiza Mahfiz.

She said MPK officers will also be sent to the site and the owners of the land will be contacted.

Not in our backyard!

Manikavasingam (second left) and residents at the site of the purported junkyard.

By Gan Pei Ling

SHAH ALAM: SJK (T) Ladang Midlands, which has moved three times over its 103 years in existence, will have new and larger premises in December.

The vernacular primary school, which currently caters to 160 pupils at its site in Section 7, will also be expanded to cater to 1,000 pupils from all over Shah Alam.

“We expect enrollment to spike within the next two years,” said executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar when inspecting construc-tion of the new buildings on Wednesday.

The state provided RM3 million for the expansion and new facilities of the school, including 24 classrooms, a hall, a library, as well as computer and science labs.

Dr Xavier said the school’s temporary buildings will be torn down and the occupied land turned into a field once the new buildings are completed.

He added that the primary school would be perma-nently located on the four-acre land on Jalan Plumbum 7/100.

Established in 1908, the school was forced to move repeatedly due to redevelopment in Shah Alam while its student population fluctuated.

School principal G Varaletchimy expects a sharp rise in student enrollment next year as the existing Tamil schools in Klang are already bursting at the seams.

“We’ve observed that whenever one of the schools expands, their student population will increase

sharply,” she said.Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairperson S

Kumaravel is also grateful to the state for allocating funds for the school expansion and the four-acre land for its permanent home.

“I was a student here in the 1970s, and two of my three children also studied here,” said Kumaravel, 48, who was born here when the area was still a rubber estate.

Dr Xavier also told the press that the state has allo-cated land for 120 places of worship, of which 60 are for Hindu temples, since the state administration came into power.

He said the approved land ranges from 3,000 sq feet to 1.5 acres.

Permanent home for century-old Tamil school

By Basil Foo

HELPING revive Lembah Beringin and improve living conditions are among the uphill challenges faced by Harun Abdullah, who is a councillor with the Hulu Selangor District Council (MDHS).

“A few of the towns here are already dead. We need to redevelop small towns here to bring in both busi-nesses and customers,” he said.

At the halfway point of his second year as a councillor, he said development could boost flagging com-mercial areas, which would in turn attract potential house buyers.

Harun said several housing projects have been left decrepit for years, with some having only their foundations laid and others abandoned without buyers.

“How can people buy a house there? We need a small town with available shops and other facilities. Then the land value can also ap-preciate,” he said.

The 45-year-old councillor added that the natural environment of the district could also serve as a pulling factor for potential house buyers.

He said a nearby hot springs in Kerling’s and Hulu Selangor’s abun-dant rivers and jungles could serve as recreational facilities requiring minimal development.

“There is a proposal to develop a water park somewhere in the district. This would bring tourists to visit Hulu Selangor, which can also boost the economy,” he said.

He said their proposals for township and facilities development have been proposed to the 2012 Selangor budget, and they are awaiting the state’s feedback.

Working out of his office near the Village Development and Secu-rity Committee ( JKKK) of Kampung Sijantung, Harun also works as a marketer for light-emitting diode (LED) lights.

He cites providing welfare for single mothers, the disabled, and old folks as his interest, apart from reading books and spending time with his wife and four children.

His hopes for Hulu Selangor include the continuance of its stalled development projects, and that its councillors can work together to keep pushing for progress.

Know Your Councillor: Harun Abdullah

SHAH ALAM: A joint Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebration will be held at Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam from 8pm to midnight on Sept 16.

“The theme for this year’s celebration will be Selan-gorku Berjaya, Rakyat Sejahtera. Everyone is invited to come,” said Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

There will be activities to entertain the public during the event, which will climax with a fireworks display.

The line-up includes cultural and martial arts dem-onstrations, music, and special performances by rep-resentatives from local councils and government agencies.

State to organise Sept 16 celebration

Construction of the new buildings is 60% complete.

10 September 9 — 11, 2011

FEATUrE

The disturbing, unregulated trend of pet hotels

Reactions from other operatorsPet owners who are thinking of putting up their companion ani-mals at kennels and cat boarding centres must make a personal visit to the premises.

That is the responsibility that many animal lovers claim is often neglected.

“Pet owners have the responsi-bility towards their pets to make a visit and check that the facilities at the boarding place are up to stan-dard,” said Carlos Huertas.

Huertas owns the G-Pet dog training and boarding kennel in Shah Alam.

Owners are partly to blame if their pets receive sub-standard care due to cramped space or untrained and unqualified animal caregivers, says the canine trainer, who has 30 years’ experience.

“They’re (owners) at least 50% to blame in these matters,” he said.

Huertas, who is originally from Spain, says a site visit can deter-mine if the infrastructure at the centre is up to standard, especially the size of the cage or kennel units.

He reiterated that pet owners must visit the facility to verify if their cats or dogs will receive qual-ity care in the surrounding envi-ronment.

“Cats and dogs must have the space to move around while inside a cage or kennel.

“The units must have the height for them to jump around and play,” he said.

He added that pet owners should not be taken in by boarding facilities that charge exorbitant prices to house their animals, say-

ing that there have been cases where expensive pet hotels have mis-treated pets.

However, according to a cat boarding facility owner, pet lovers are courting trouble if they place their pets in hotels that advertise cheap rates.

“Those cheap rates could point to shoddy facilities or overcrowded units,” said the cat hotel operator, who wishes to remain anonymous.

He added that pet owners are not aware there are only a few pet hotels that cater to cats.

As such, there have been cases where cat boarding centres have accepted too many pets than there are places available, he said.

“the hotels are overbooked, [which] leads to cramped condi-tions, often dirty cages as they’re only cleaned out every two days,” he said.

He said cat lovers should not skimp on boarding fees for their “precious ones”, and added that pet hotels that charge higher fees often provide larger space for their feline guests.

“The cats are also not housed in cages, but stay in an area that is only fenced up, with space to jump and walk around,” he said.

By Alvin Yap

PETALING JAYA: The deplor-able condition of cats left to starve and thirst at Petknode during the Hari Raya holidays is casting shad-ows over mushrooming pet board-ing centres.

There is currently no regulation of pet hotel operations, and anyone can start a business to run catteries or kennels in the country.

this has led to some private homes opening up their space in order to cash in on the demand for pet boarding facilities, while pet shops also take in animal boarders.

“A lot of homes and even pet shops are taking advantage of the fact there are no licensing require-ments from local governments or monitoring from the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) on pet hotels,” said Jacqueline tsang, of animal welfare group Save a Stray.

She claims there are other cases of pet hotel staff or owners ill-treating boarding animals due to negligence or because they were unqualified animal caregivers.

tsang and other animal welfare non-government organisations (NGOs) have been pushing au-thorities, namely the DVS, to come out with licensing guidelines with local governments.

they want the guidelines to specify the minimum requirements that prospective pet boarding op-erators have to satisfy to qualify for a licence.

New ZealandKennels in New Zealand are monitored by local authorities, but regulations are established and enforced by respective Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) and the Boarding Kennel and Cattery Association.

Singaporethe Pet Hotel in Singapore is a premier boarding centre for cats and dogs. It is located on a 2.4-hectare land that houses pets in a comfortable and safe environment.

According to the company, the kennels and cattery are specially

designed to provide maximum comfort and isolation against shock and noise, and at the same time ensure a clean, dry, bacteria-free surface at all times.

It is the only kennel and cattery in Singapore to have American Boarding and Kennel Association accreditation, received after the operators go through courses on animal behaviour, medical emer-gencies, business practices, financ-ing, animal stress, anatomy, nutri-tion, vaccines, and handling of special-needs animals.

Ironically, the incident has also exposed the fact that there is high demand for cat boarding centres in Malaysia.

tsang said more people are likely to jump on the bandwagon to set up such centres now because of the high profit margin.

She explained that cats need smaller accommodation, consume less food and require less care than dogs.

“There’s going to be a huge mar-ket due to demand,” she said, adding that the booming industry has to be regulated before a repeat of the Petknode incident takes place.

In light of this, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani-mals (SPCA) is taking the lead in coming out with guidelines, and will submit the document to the DVS in the hopes that it will be used to draw up much-needed li-

censing guidelines.According to SPCA

media officer Kelvin Cheah, the authorities have to review the An-imal Act 1953 (Section 44) to prescribe stiffer fines and penalties to would-be negligent pet hotel operators, and to prevent such a situa-tion from happening again.

Currently, the section does not do enough to punish those who are negligent while taking care of ani-mals.

Perpetrators face a paltry RM200 fine and/or maximum six-month jail term for animal abuse.

The incident has also generated public debate if pet lovers them-selves might also be responsible for sending their pets to centres that are run on a “budget”.

Jess Leong, a single owner of three cats in Cheras, questioned the ability of pet boarding centres to provide quality care with low fees.

Leong said the company would not be able to hire additional staff for the long Hari Raya break, which could have led to the cats being left alone and neglected.

In this case, Petknode operators had allegedly gone away for holidays themselves, and left the cats starving and soaked in their own waste.

Sixteen cats died, and two men, allegedly the owners of the cat boarding centre, have been ques-tioned by the authorities.

“There is a price for good care, and if the offer is too good to be true, then leave it,” Leong said.

How it’s done overseas

Facade of the offending pet hotel in Damansara Damai.

New

!

11september 9 — 11, 2011

views

“We can do what we like, no one can stop us.” 

Early last month, London and a couple of other cities were held

hostage by rioters. The English’s castles were looted by 14-year-olds in hoodies. 

Though this sounds comical, the underlying issues of the youths involved are gritty and not to be taken lightly. 

Those young people are called “chavs”, described as “aggres-sive teenagers and young adults, of working-class background, who repeatedly engage in anti-social behaviour such as street drinking, drug abuse and rowdiness, or other forms of juvenile delinquency”.

But the question isn’t who they were, but why they were doing this. Left-wingers reasoned that the riots were a result of lack of hope, aspiration and firm parenting in Britain’s cit-ies. Right-wingers claimed it was because of our glorification of violence and ugliness in literature, art, media, etc.

Sure, both sides had some valid points, but quite irk-somely, it’s just not quite there.

It’s too simplistic to just ask why, and even simpler to draw parallels to the Middle East’s uprisings, our own Bersih move-ment on July 9, or Argentina’s 2001 mass looting. These had political direction, whether against overstaying dictators, unfair elections, or corrupt privatisation deals.

If we immediately assume the riots to be of the same mould, we’re discounting a vital element present in these riots: fun.

The photos of the rioting said it all. These young ones were running away laughing, or were posing with grins. While the

Last month I attended a fundraising dinner for a political party. For an opposition party la. When have we ever

heard of the ruling coalition ever needing to organise a FUND-raising party? No, right? No need what. Fund-giving got la. Especially near elections time. But I digress.

As it always happens at these fundraising dinners or any other ceramah, there were a lot of speeches. I laughed at some. But after about half an hour I started to feel bored and dis-satisfied. It’s always the same isn’t it? The topic is almost always about how bad things are under the present administration. Embel-lished with graphic stories about wastage, cronyism, corruption, vote-buying etc.

And no ceramah or fundraising dinner speech would be complete without a few stories about diamond rings and bouffant hair-styles and those water-fearing Scorpions. Is that spelt correctly? Scorpions. Scorpenes. Whatever la.

Each time a corrupt tale is told we cheer loudly. And every time there was an anecdote about Mongolians and explosive … denials about tear gas and camera angles and hospi-

tals, we all guffaw, holding our sides while trying to remember the story for our own little soap-boxing session at the next mamak stall gathering.

But after a while, all the stories become rather stale. The punchlines become clichéd. And I stop laughing. Then my thoughts turn to whether I should vote for people who are good stand-up comedians, or vote for people who have a good plan of managing the coun-try that I love.

If you’re an average Malaysian like me you would have often entertained the thought: “Hiyah! Any change is good change la.” How do you know that these flers will do any better once they get into Putrajaya? Never mind what! Sure they will be better than the current bunch. And if not we can always vote them out again.

But like the ceramah and dinner speeches,

these arguments soon become less and less convincing.

And that is when you really begin to want to know what these other flers have in mind for when they do become our elected govern-ment. Surely they have plans, right? They have told us to the minutest detail what is wrong with the present bunch, so they must have a big plan to correct all that, kan? So where is this big plan?

When I asked this question of the other diners at the fundraiser I was loudly chastised by… well, I guess someone who is more blindly trusting than I am or less cynical. Go and read the parties’ manifesto la. Don’t read want to talk what? And so I kept quiet and went home to Google some manifestoes to read.

Okay, for those of you whose Engrand not so terror, “manifesto” = a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives or views of its issuer.

In other words, the manifesto of a political party is its plans on how they would do things la. Boy, was I unpleasantly surprised! In the documents there was much rhetoric but very little detailed plans. It’s the same: they are so

bad cos of this that and the other, and we shall be better than them when the time comes.

Oi! How la dei? How? What’s the plan? Plans to bring down cost of living. Plans to improve GDP. Plans to bring in more FDI. And while you’re at it, what plans for MRT, KPI, MAS, GTP and all the other three-letter -nyms that the other flers are always bandying about?

I can almost hear the manifestoes cooing softly back to me: “Plans ah? Wait la. You vote us in first then we tell you lor. Can ma?”

And then I almost want to kick myself in the backside. They did declare their intentions ma!

We intend to take over the government of this country. Our motive for this intention is cos we want to take over the management of this country. That is our view. Yes, we (insert political party name here) issued this manifesto.

So, where does it say that we have to show or tell you our plans?

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I promise I shall con-tinue to laugh at the jokes about hair and corruption at the next dinner or ceramah okay? Sorry ah.

Teohlogy patrick teoh

youThology Lee Lian kong

Manifestoes un-manifest

Firefighters douse a shop and flats destroyed by arson during the initial rioting in Tottenham, North London. (Pic by Alan Stanton / Wiki commons)

A fun riot, indeed

initial protests in London had some political foundations, the ensuing riots elsewhere were just copycats taking advantage of the situation to steal some trainers. They wanted a piece of the action as well.  

Thus, the question to ask is, why do they find it fun to steal, loot and hurt? Is it for bragging rights? For a few pairs of train-ers and some designer goods? 

That’s the middle class in me talking. In my content little world of college and clubbing, I am unable to see the signifi-cance of such “rewards”. I’m part of the majority, the dominant culture. I belong. 

But what gets me and my middle-class friends going isn’t cutting it for the working class. We’re of different classes. For me to condemn their idea of fun, condemn the lengths they are willing to go for some branded clothes, is condescending.

Which is exactly what the media did. Their one-sided coverage of the events reflected the upper- and middle-class delusional idea of their “moral superiority”. This is a) hypocritical because we bail out bankers who screwed up our economies – even though as Russell Brand, actor cum social commentator, eloquently put it: “They got away with a lot more than a few f***** pairs of trainers.”

And it is b) stupid because we are judging something we don’t understand. 

When the argument on class comes in, this is when these UK riots found resonance in other nations as well. The media demonisation wasn’t restricted to just the

UK’s Daily Telegraph and The Independent. Society’s hypoc-risy is the same, be it in Birmingham, Buenos Aires or Kuala Lumpur.

Chavs, NEDs (non-educated delinquents), rempit – they’re the same. Violence, gangsterism, vandalism – it’s all just fun to them.  

Maybe this “fun” is mindless, maybe it isn’t. But this kind of fun is serious. A society that considers damage and destruction as fun is a society in serious need of a debate of where it’s going.

Incarceration is not the solution, but the willingness to remove our insecurities and to accept alternative views is. Understanding is. And until we do, let’s put those pointing fingers away.

Welcome to Hackney … Graffiti on a burnt-out car. (Pic by Alastair / Wiki commons)

Rioters attempt to loot a cycle shop in Chalk Farm, Camden. (Pic by hughepaul / Wiki commons)

12 September 9 — 11, 2011InsIght

The street bazaar on Jalan Bangkung will feature more than 50 stalls selling various food, clothing, face paintings, etc, and non-governmental organisation (NGO) booths from 3pm to 9pm. Participating NGOs include:

Arts, culture, books: Persatuan Warisan Sarawak KL, Gerai Orang Asli, Pusaka, Silverfish Books, Matahari Books, Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators

Social Issues: Institute for Democracy and economic Affairs (IDeAS), Women’s Aid Organisation, Sisters in Islam, Fiesta Feminista, Seksualiti Merdeka, Voice of the Children, Childline, My Constitution / Bar Council, PusatRakyatLB / UndiMsia, Transparency International Malaysia

Community: Yayasan Chow Kit, harvest Centre, Pusat Kebajikan Good Shepherd, Nur Salam, We R Malaysia

Environment, animals: Country Farm Organics, Malaysian Youth Climate Justice Network, Malaysian Nature Society, WWF Malaysia, SPCA.

Stage performances:3.30pm – Buskers4.30pm – Orang Asli nose flute performance by Raman Bah Tuin5pm – Singer Amirah Ali5.30pm – MyConsti Skit6pm – Acrobatic lion dance6.45pm – 6to8 Acapella Group7.15pm – Traditional Sabahan dance, traditional Sarawakian dance and Sape8pm – Singer Azmyl Yunor with special appearance by That effing Show8.30pm – Traditional Dikir Barat performance in the style of Main Tewas with two groups of performers from Kelantan in honour of legendary performer Daud Bukit Abal9.15pm – Candle-lighting ceremony and Negaraku9.45pm onwards – Jom Joget with The Rozells (with tunes from P Ramlee, Jimmy Boyle and more)

Malaysiaku 2011 Street Festival schedule

By Gan Pei Ling

S ept 16 marks the day Malaysia was officially formed in 1963. Our country will turn 48 next Friday. What are you doing on that day to celebrate our nationhood? If you do not have any plans yet, check out the Malaysiaku 2011 Street Festival

happening on Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar.Most of us have seen a Dikir Barat performance before, but have you watched Dikir

Tewas – where two groups of performers face off each other and seek to defeat the other group through pantun? There will also be a street joget party, a diversity of traditional dances from Sabah and Sarawak, as well as an Orang Asli nose flute performance during the festival.

The organisers want a Malaysia Day celebration to be more than just a day of fun, so the restaurants along Jalan Bangkung will also host discussions on sociopolitical, gender and environ-mental issues confronting our nation.

In addition, there will be fundrais-ing dinners for four civil society groups – UndiMsia, Pusaka, Sisters in Islam, and Institute for Democracy and Eco-nomic Affairs – in the evening.

Selangor Times interviewed the street festival’s chief organiser, Edward Soo, to find out why he is organising a Malaysia Day celebration for the second year in a row and the event highlights.

Soo, a lawyer, is one of the owners of the five restaurants on Jalan Bangkung.

 Who are the organiser(s) of the Malaysiaku 2011 Street Festival? Why are you all do-ing this?Soo: We (restaurant owners on Ja-lan Bangkung) decided to celebrate Malaysia Day last year when the gov-

ernment declared it as a public holiday for the first time. Ma-laysians have always celebrated Aug 31 (Malaya’s Independence Day), but Sept 16 is also a very important day as it marks the day Malaysia was originally formed in 1963.

Many Sabahans and Sarawa-kians have fought for Sept 16 to be recognised [before it was finally gazetted as a na-tional holiday in 2010]. So I felt strongly that we should celebrate Malaysia Day in the spirit of inclusiveness.

That’s why I decided to start this Malaysia Day street festi-val and my business partners have been very supportive of the idea. It’s our own way of contributing to the process of nation-building.

Most of us know about the problems plaguing our country, a lot of people I’ve talked to felt there was not much hope stay-ing in Malaysia and they wanted to emigrate for their children’s

Time / Space Leonardo’s Wine Loft Leonardo’s Dining Room Opus Bistro Opus Private Room Cava

3pm- 6pm Talk on “Constructed Environmental debate “Voices of the 3pm: The Nut “In Bed With Malaysia: Landscapes” organised by the Moderate” public Graph’s Found in Exposing the Rakyat’s by artists Yee I-Lann Malaysian Youth forum organised Malaysia Volume II Sexuality” public and Anurendra Jegadeva Climate Justice Network by the Centre for book launch forum organised by Public Policy Studies Seksualiti Merdeka

5pm: “Malaysian Writing in Experience – The Silverfish Experience” public forum 7.30pm UndiMsia! fundraising dinner Pusaka fundraising Sisters in Islam IDeAS fundraisingonwards (min. donation RM150/person) dinner “Conversation fundraising dinner dinner “Malaysian on Culture with “Pride without Economic Transformation: Farish Noor and Prejudice – Imagining MAS-Air Asia Merger” Eddin Khoo” a Future Malaysia” (by invitation only) (min. donation: (min. donation: RM200/person) RM100/person; 20% discount for students)

sake. There’s a lot of negativity. So I wanted to showcase and celebrate the good stuff – diverse cultural tradi-tions and civil society initiatives – we still have in this country through this street festival. To show people that there are still reasons for Malaysians to stay and together make this coun-try a better place.

I think many of us love this coun-try, and celebrating Malaysia Day is one of the ways to show that we are proud to be Malaysians.

 Why the theme ‘Malay-siaku’?We invited different non-govern-mental organisations (NGOs) and performers to take part in the street festival because we believe everyone, regardless of their interests and cul-tural or ethnic backgrounds, belongs to this country. All of us have a stake in this country.

The different colours in Malay-siaku symbolise the diversity of our nation. The idea is that [despite our differences in class, skin colour, age, etc.], we’re all a part of Malaysia, and being Malaysian is part of our indi-vidual identity.

The public will also have a chance to learn about various current issues from the talks and listen to distin-guished speakers from different fields discuss solutions to our national problems.

 Will this year’s event be different from last year’s? What are some of the high-lights of this year’s festival?Last year, around 2,000 people, young and old, attended the festival. The basic idea of the festival remains the same. We’re having a street bazaar, traditional performances, NGO booths and talks to celebrate Sept

Descendants of our country’s founding fathers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun Sambanthan, during a forum at the Malaysiaku Street Festival in 2010.

Wayang kulit performance

during Malaysiaku

2010.

By Gan Pei Ling

S ept 16 marks the day Malaysia was officially formed in 1963. Our country will turn 48 next Friday. What are you doing on that day to celebrate our nationhood? If you do not have any plans yet, check out the Malaysiaku 2011 Street Festival

happening on Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar.Most of us have seen a Dikir Barat performance before, but have you watched Dikir

Tewas – where two groups of performers face off each other and seek to defeat the other

16. But we’re more organised this year and we’re trying to reach out to more people.

I’m also trying to make the festival more meaningful this year. We don’t want people to just come, makan, have fun, go home and then forget what this event is for. We want them to learn, reflect and bring home some-thing. So apart from hosting forums on current issues, we’re also making little wishing trees along the street for children to write what they wish for the country, and stick it on the trees for others to read.

Another thing we’re currently working on is the My Tiger project. It’s a little art project that you’ve got to take home and do it yourself.  

It has yet to be confirmed, but I’m working with a designer who came up with the idea to let the public take home a paper tiger, which they can use to cut out the shape on a cardboard and use the pieces to make a standing tiger, so that those who come have something to remind them of this special celebration on Malaysia Day.

It’s also a way to remind the people that nation-building is everyone’s re-sponsibility, don’t just leave it to the government and politicians. Each of us has to be involved and contribute in our own ways.

Personally, I’m not a fan of politics, but I’ve my views of what sort of a country I want to live in. So organis-ing this festival on Malaysia Day is my way of showing my patriotism for this country.

Honestly, this event is still a work in progress, we’ve very limited re-sources but we try our best to think of ways for people to feel more con-nected to the idea of Malaysiaku.

I also hope this festival will inspire others to start a Malaysia Day celebra-tion in their own local communities.

What are your hopes for Malaysia? What sort of Ma-laysia do you hope your children will grow up in?I hope Malaysia can maintain its unique and diverse cultures. Due to globalisation, most of our youths are

more familiar with western cultures than our own traditional cultures.

A lot of the younger generations grew up watching American movies [but have never watched our tradi-tional cultural performances]. Last year, when we held a wayang kulit performance during the street festival, it was the first time many Malaysians watched a live wayang kulit show in Kuala Lumpur.

That is just one of the examples. Malaysia is rich in cultures, not just Malay, Chinese, Indian cultures, but also distinct cultures from Sabah, Sarawak, the Baba Nyonya and Portuguese-Malaysian etc.

I’m not saying we should shun western culture. In fact, we should always be open-minded but we also need to learn to appreciate and pre-serve our own traditional cultures.

Secondly, I believe in order for any country to progress, we need thinking people who will question and not just accept things as they are told. All countries have their own set of problems, what makes a difference

is whether the country has thinking people, the brains to tackle the prob-lems and find solutions.

That’s why I also invite NGOs to host different talks and discussions during the festival, to help create a culture of thinking, questioning and debating in a civil and mature manner.

Lastly, I hope Malaysians can live with respect, sincerity and compas-sion for each other. I think one of the problems we are facing in this country is that some of us are more interested in being “right” than being kind and compassionate to others.

We see the world and judge the people around us through our own lenses, and think that’s the only way, the “right” way. The failure to see the world through other perspec-tives is leading to a lot of anger in the country.

If only we could be more compas-sionate [and open-minded], laugh and not take everything so seriously, I think Malaysia will be a much bet-ter country.

Celebrating

Soo singing the national anthem.

Day sake. There’s a lot of negativity. So I wanted to showcase and celebrate the good stuff – diverse cultural tradi-tions and civil society initiatives – we still have in this country through this street festival. To show people that there are still reasons for Malaysians to stay and together make this coun-try a better place.

I think many of us love this coun-try, and celebrating Malaysia Day is one of the ways to show that we are proud to be Malaysians.

 Why the theme ‘Malay-siaku’?We invited different non-govern-mental organisations (NGOs) and performers to take part in the street festival because we believe everyone, regardless of their interests and cul-tural or ethnic backgrounds, belongs to this country. All of us have a stake in this country.

The different colours in Malay-siaku symbolise the diversity of our nation. The idea is that [despite our differences in class, skin colour, age, etc.], we’re all a part of Malaysia, and being Malaysian is part of our indi-vidual identity.

The public will also have a chance to learn about various current issues from the talks and listen to distin-guished speakers from different fields discuss solutions to our national problems.

 Will this year’s event be different from last year’s? What are some of the high-lights of this year’s festival?Last year, around 2,000 people, young and old, attended the festival. The basic idea of the festival remains the same. We’re having a street bazaar, traditional performances, NGO booths and talks to celebrate Sept

Children learning a traditional dance during last year’s festival.

Children having a good time during last year’s event.

14 september 9 — 11, 2011

views

My ambition is to be the personal bodyguard of a politician. Can you tell me if this move will take me to higher places? Ahmad “Tank” Saifuddin,

via email

LORD Bobo commends you for your bravery. Indeed, any person who chooses to literally use his body as a human shield for another deserves credit and much more. Unfortunately, there are no purple hearts for such types of courage in the universe. So Lord Bobo’s purple bananas will have to suffice.

Yet His Supreme Eminenceness must ask out of care and concern: are you certain you’re mentally prepared for such a punishing occupation?

Owning a temple carefully carved out of hours in the gym and nurtured by a disciplined diet of organic quinoa (farmed and harvested by your own bare hands, of course), vegetables (grown on certified non-chemically leeched soil, of course) and fish (personally speared and scaled, of course) is one thing.

But putting your life on the line for someone else? Espe-cially since there is no proof that sacrifices like this make the world a safer place to live? In some countries (Colombia comes to mind), being a bodyguard is a one-time-only expe-rience. You dodge bullets and get knifed in all quadrants of your body only to bounce off the nasty blast of a homemade bomb. All in one hour.

Malaysia is different, you may argue. Plus, you’re a body-guard for a Malaysian politician, for bananasakes, not Pablo Escobar! You may be right in thinking things will be more classy in this case. Maybe it’s just a lot of footwork, escorting your Boss to party meetings and walkabouts in his constitu-ency, with a few stops at the golf course and Seri Carcosa for a tea break or two.

If you’re right, you may be onto something purposeful, especially if your Boss lets you (1) carry his (golf ) balls, (2) nibble on a few secrets, and (3) join in his inner circle. Who knows, with enough trust, you could be Minister of Health in no time.

If you’re wrong, however – usually so if you end up being a bodyguard of a member of the opposition – you could be running in your first paralympics, if you’re not already in heaven (thanks to an errant gas canister to the head). If this is what you mean by “higher places”, then Lord Bobo has only one thing to say after this long-winded spiel: yes.

What is a torte? If I don’t like it, can I retorte? Tortoise, via email

A TORTE is a rich cake usually decorated or filled with cream, fruit, nuts, and jam. The cake originated from Austria. But since then, it has mutated into many delicious variants. Among them are chocolate, strawberry, and banana tortes. If you are more adventurous and have a hardy stomach, you can try durian, rambutan, or celery tortes. If you don’t like a torte, you just regurgitate. And ask for a refund of your money.

A torte is sometimes confused with a tort. A tort is a legal concept, not a dessert. A tort is a civil (as opposed to criminal) wrong done to by one person to another, for which the latter can sue the former.

There are many types of torts. There is the tort of negligence, which you can invoke to sue the Election Commission for carelessly transferring your voting station to Sandakan when you have voted in Petaling Jaya for the past 30 years, and registering 50 strangers as voters with your house address.

There is the tort of nuisance, which may allow you to get a court injunction against your neighbour who is planning to set up a rare earths refinery that threatens to spill out toxic waste onto your land.

And there is the tort of deceit, which really should be ex-tended to make politicians accountable for all the false prom-ises they give to get your vote and win elections.

The principles underlying most torts originated from Eng-lish judges long ago, and have been refined and updated from time to time to cater for changing sociopolitical and eco-nomic circumstances.

Lord Bobo, you look like the alpha-male type. Any pickup tips? @fareez_shah, via Twitter

SORRY, alpha males do not need “pickup tips”. Alpha males are so inherently attractive that they only need to speak to a girl or wait for her to crawl up to them in utter subservience to have their way with her.

“Pickup tips” are for non-alpha males that are unable to score with women, particularly those of wide aesthetic appeal; these would include beta males and below.

However, before these pickup tips can be used, the non-alpha male should strive to attain the following qualities: a

kamikaze attitude, skin like rhino hide and the tenacity of a hyena in heat. Once these qualities are possessed, you can then be in a position to utilise these pickup tips.

Tip 1: Don’t compliment the target too much. In fact, find some defect and tell her about it, like: “Man, you’d be gorgeous if that mole on top of your left eyelid wasn’t the size of my big toe.” That would disarm her “Get away from me you creep!” mode because she would be vulnerable.

Tip 2: Immediately demonstrate intent to target. Don’t try to get to know her, her feelings, where she wants to go in life. Every sentence you utter must be sensual, sexually provocative and indicative of where tonight will end. For example, ques-tion: “What are you ordering to eat?” Answer: “It’s not on the menu yet, so I guess I’ll have to start with the oyster foie gras with a huge banana on a bed of salad.”

Tip 3: Entertain the target. You have to keep her laughing, smiling and happy. Be unpredictable. Forget those deep pensive thoughts that would touch her soul. Most philoso-phers die virgins.

Tip 4: Be bold. Do not ask her whether you can kiss her. Think Nike. Just do it.

Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you wait-ing for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trem-bling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Libera-vi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!

Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by LoyarBurok (www.loyarburok.com) where all your

profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic, recondite, sagacious, and other thesaurus-described

queries are answered!

Source: sxc.hu

community

May 20 — 22, 2011/ issue 25

TI-M head disputes Christian state claim

Wesak Day: a time for giving p 4 p 15

may 13: recollections & reconciliation p 12 & 13

• Turn To page 2

Facelift for old flats

By William Tan Petaling Jaya: Dilapidat-ed low-cost flats throughout Sel-angor may get a new lease of life if a pilot programme to rehabilitate such homes is successful.The ambitious and first-of-its-

kind project is being carried out by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) in collaboration with Veri-tas Design Group, a private com-pany, and Rumah Air Panas, a community-based charity.The single block at the  Taman

Maju Jaya apartments here, which houses 59 families, will be the first to undergo the transformation, which includes renovations and re-furbishments while keeping the physical aspects intact."All works are based on the deci-

sions made by the residents," said social activist Wong Hay Cheong.

Wong, who mooted the idea, pointed out that many of the resi-dents were forced to move into the flats when squatter settlements were demolished, but the buildings and facilities were hardly adequate.

“The entry of Veritas Design Group, which has contributed RM100,000 and the skills [of their architects], means that is going to change,” said Wong.As many as 50,000 families were

relocated to low-cost flats between 2000 and 2008 under former Men-teri Besar Dr Khir Toyo's Zero Squatter policy which has been crit-icised for creating high-rise ghettos.

Wong said the private firm is car-rying out the project as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, having spent the last two years laying the groundwork for the project.The company has been liaising

with the families regularly to get feedback on their needs and help them decide on practical solutions.

Their architects, using the latest technologies and techniques, will remodel the building on a tight budget, which is estimated to be less than RM500,000.“It is very challenging; almost

everything needs to be redone. The wiring is horrible, the roof is leaking, and the septic tank emits an awful stench,” said Veritas Design Group

architect Iskandar Razak.Iskandar added that it was very difficult to obtain commitments from various parties at the start of the project, with funding still a seri-ous issue.

The success of the project rests on sponsorships for the various compo-nents, such as the supply of metal parts, and the company hopes to

obtain what they need from  their business contacts.“Despite it all, this is a very im-

portant project for us as we believe that a city should not be inhabited by the wealthy only, but by every strata of society. In a way, we are re-juvenating the city,” said Iskandar.

If the pilot is successful, the com-

LB_246391_Sun_m14.ai 1 5/12/11 9:56 PM

Keeping abandoned babies safe: Faizah Mohd Tahir (left) demonstrating the use of the baby hatch as local celebrity Datin Sofia Jane looks on.

• STory on page 10

Where to get your Where to get your LRT Stations (Distribution by hand) – MorningAmpang – Sentul TimurAmpangCahayaCempaka Pandan IndahPandan JayaSentul TimurSentul

Kelana Jaya – Terminal PutraKelana JayaTaman BahagiaTaman ParamountAsia JayaTaman JayaUniversitiSri Rampai Wangsa MajuTaman Melati

Sri Petaling – Sentul TimurTaman MelatiSri Petaling Bukit Jalil

Bandar Tasik SelatanSalak Selatan

Shopping Malls (From Saturday noon)1 UTAMA Tropicana Mall Sunway Pyramid The CurveIOI MallPlaza Damas Ikano Power CentreEmpire Subang MetroPointCentro Mall, KlangBangsar Shopping Complex

Hypermarkets (From Saturday noon)

Tesco (Puchong, Kajang, Mutiara Damansara, Rawang, Bukit Tinggi, Setia Alam, Ampang, Extra Shah Alam, Kepong)

Giant (Puchong, Kajang, Bandar Kinrara, Klang, Pandamaran, Bandar Selayang, Kota Damansara, Taman Setiawangsa, Putra Heights, Taman Connaught, Kelana Jaya, Bukit Antarabangsa, Subang Jaya, Bukit Tinggi, Setia Alam, Kota Kemuning)

Carrefour (Bukit Rimau, Subang Jaya, Wangsa Maju, Sri Petaling, Kepong, Puchong, Ampang, Jalan Peel, Jalan Kapar, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, S23 Shah Alam)

Jusco (Bukit Tinggi, Tmn Maluri, Wangsa Maju, Bandar Baru Klang, Mahkota Cheras)

Commuter Stations (Distribution by hand) – Morning

Sentul – Port KlangPort Klang Bukit Badak Shah Alam Subang JayaJalan TemplerPetaling

Rawang – SerembanKuala Kubu BaruSungai BulohKepong Sentral Kepong

Morning Wet Markets (Saturday morning)Jalan SS2/62 Taman Medan Jalan 17/27SS15 Subang Jaya Taman Kuchai Lama Taman OUG Pasar Taman Megah Pasar Jalan OthmanPasar Jalan 17/2Pasar Sek 14

Pasar Seri Setia SS9A/1Pasar Kg ChempakaTaman Tun Dr Ismail

HospitalForrest Medical Centre

CollegesHelp InstituteCollege Bandar Utama (KBU)Universiti Kebangsan Malaysia

Bodyguards, tortes (and torts), and tips

15september 9 — 11, 2011

Feature

By Basil Foo

SHAH ALAM: A campaign to get voters to cast their ballots based on issues rather than on racial or partisan lines is being run by UndiMsia!.

The voter education movement highlights issues affecting ordinary Malaysians during a three-week online voting simu-lation over Facebook.

Twenty candidates, championing issues like public trans-port, education and living cost, are counting on the number of “likes” their photos have garnered to get “elected”.

“People vote for their favourite candidates or causes. Every week, some candidates are eliminated,” said UndiMsia! repre-

sentative June Low.She said 10 finalists will compete at a fundraising dinner

organised by the movement called Come UndiMsia! – Imagin-ing a Tastier Democracy on Malaysia Day.

The finalists will present their causes in unique ways like singing and acting before voting for the winner.

Low said the movement would use the funds raised at the Sept 16 dinner for informational material and work-shops.

“UndiMsia! aims to carry out a series of voter education deliverables,” she said.

The dinner will also feature programme booklets with sketches of schoolchildren’s visions of Malaysia.

She said a lot of effort was taken to produce the booklets as they were taken to schools for children to draw straight onto the pages.

“The idea is that a better Malaysia requires effort and per-severance, but it’s worth fighting for because within it is something very beautiful,” she explained.

Ticket holders will also receive a booklet of photography from KL-based photographer Johnny McGeorge, apart from being able to meet well-known local jewelry designer Lisa.

Those interested in attending the dinner and participating in the voting simulation can visit move@undimsia.com or UndiMsia!’s Facebook page.

Malaysia Day dinner with a difference

VOTER education movement UndiMsia! has been conducting a voting simulation on social networking site Facebook for the past three weeks.

Twenty candidates were chosen and displayed on the movement’s Facebook page, each championing specific causes like public transport, education and living costs.

Each week, candidates with the lowest number of “likes” on their photos are eliminated – culminating in 10 candidates who will compete in a final round on Malaysia Day.

Selangor Times interviewed some of the candidates to find out more about what they stand for, their views on the electoral process, and other little tidbits about themselves.

“My stand for this campaign is equal and fair treat-ment for all Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other reason,” said See Xien Thean.

Standing for “equality in the Federal Constitu-tion”, he said he got along well with friends of all races and religions when growing up in a multicul-tural environment.

He believes that when left to themselves without political influences, Malaysians will accept their differ-ences and will naturally come together as one nation.

“I believe the vast majority of us are sick of being divided, and that is why I am fighting for this cause,” See said.

He dreams of a day when he can finally live in a Ma-laysia that has lived up to all it can be, and he wishes to help work towards making that a reality.

Championing the “treatment of refugees and asylum seekers”, Deepa Nambiar said she felt troubled when the issue is disregarded as unimportant by the public.

“This attitude of being unconcerned about their treat-ment because it does not involve Malaysian citizens re-veals our political and social immaturity,” she said.

She explained that refugees come to our shores out of fear of persecution in their homeland, but instead end up being detained in detention centres for long periods.

She added that while some have managed to fend for themselves, their children hardly receive formal education or access to medical care.

“Their treatment is unacceptable. We call ourselves a civilised nation, yet we can’t even offer them basic needs to preserve their dignity as human beings,” Deepa said.

She expressed hope that voters would better educate themselves on their rights, roles and responsibilities, and not rely solely on the powers that be.

Candidates share their views

Deepa

SHAH ALAM: With the influx of new voters and the grapevine abuzz with rumours about the next general election, voter education movement UndiMsia! wants to ensure the votes are not wasted.

“Having more voters is a step forward. What comes after is to see voters decide wisely,” said UndiMsia! organiser Zain HD.

UndiMsia! feels that people should vote on issues instead of along racial or partisan lines.

The movement also plans to promote greater participation by young Malaysians in decisions that affect them by making informed choices when they vote.

Zain said the newly minted group of several hundred Malaysians has so far conducted recruitment drives and created awareness of their cause.

Issues on food and housing, civil and political rights, and educat-ing the public on the national budget are some of their targets.

“We plan to disseminate information through online platforms and also on-ground for a nationwide-based audience,” he said.

He added that due to resource constraints, the group could only focus on the Hulu Langat parliamentary constituency to carry out their activities.

The group plans to hold workshops to engage closely with groups and communities.

The parliamentary constituency, which includes the Dusun Tua, Semenyih and Kajang state seats, was chosen to test UndiMsia!’s impact on society.

Those keen to join the group can email move@undimsia.com or visit www.undimsia.com.

Respondents can opt to be part of a youth action group to help people improve their lives.

What is UndiMsia!?

By Alicia Mun

SUBANG JAYA: Over 100 volunteers came together on Aug 27 to participate in the Revogarden project to beautify Millennium Park in SS13.

The volunteers, including primary school students and young adults, got their hand dirty to ensure the park got cleaned ahead of Merde-ka and Malaysia Day.

Tree saplings were also planted and walls painted to improve the façade of park.

The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) provided 90 trees for the project along with tools and paints, while an additional 100 trees were sponsored by the office of Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh.

Revogarden is a joint landscaping project

between Asian Youth Ambassadors, the Revo Movement, MPSJ and Yeoh’s office.

The Revo Movement is a movement that was started about three years ago by a small group of students in 11 schools. It has grown to include about 248 schools in Malaysia today.

Youths under the Revo Movement are constantly doing their part in contributing to their communities by picking up rubbish, cleaning their school toilets, raising funds for their school gardens, buying food for the needy and so on.

Nnete Bareetsi, a 23-year-old student from Botswana, expressed her excitement about participating in the project with her friends.

“We should love our community the best way we can and this project is part of our way of doing it,” she said.

Timothy Lee, 15, another enthusiastic volunteer, said that the project was a good opportunity for him to do some community work.

Also present at the event were MPSJ coun-cillors Dr Loi Kheng Min and R Rajiv.

Millenium Park, built in 2000, had been marred in controversy for being underused

despite the millions of ringgit spent on it under the previous state administration.

“MPSJ has been working in stages to restore the park for the residents,” said Yeoh.

She said there are free aerobic exercise ses-sions conducted on Wednesdays from 8pm to 8.30pm and Saturdays from 7.30am to 8am at the park for residents.

Subang’s Millennium Park gets makeover

Yeoh (in grey) with volunteers.

16 September 9 — 11, 2011

Media

Tan (right) at the press conference on Thursday, showing some of the sketches for the colouring competition.

A child being taught how a wau is made.

Joint Malaysia Day and Lantern Festival carnival

Fresh Paradise hero bags iPhone

SHAH ALAM: He saw, he played, he saved Fresh Para-dise.

Look Chee Heng of Kuala Lumpur, recently emerged as the hero who saved the fictitious city of Fresh Paradise from the impending doom of Stinky the monster’s breath in the first online competition by PRO FRESH by Fish-erman’s Friend.

Beating hundreds of other participants, the 30-year-old “popped” PRO FRESH Mini Mints into the mouth of the game’s nemesis, Stinky, while simultaneously fending off attacks from Stinky Skull monsters.

He walked away with the highest score and the grand prize of a 32GB iPhone.

“I can’t believe that I won! I’m glad I took part in this competition, it was a fantastic contest and I’m extremely happy.

“With my new iPhone 4, I can now access the contest page easily and continue playing this fun game,” Look said.

From March 7 to June 6, all participants of the Fresh Paradise online competition had to do was to play the game and submit their scores.

Winners were chosen based on their highest scores accumulated to win attractive prizes like the iPad 2, Olympus cameras and PRO FRESH merchandise.

The contest was hosted on a dedicated microsite, freshparadise.com.my.

Every superhero has a sidekick, and this honour went to the seven other winners. Third-prize winner John Clement Tang, who won an Olympus VG-110 camera, travelled all the way from Johor Bahru to attend the prize giving ceremony.

“I’m very happy that I won. I look forward to more fun and engaging contests,” said Tang.

GBA Corporation Sdn Bhd general manager Mohan Alagappar said: “The Fresh Paradise game emphasises the importance of fresh breath as well as the unique strong and lasting effects of our mints.

“We launched this interactive game on the online platform in conjunction with our commitment to remain fresh and relevant to our market segments.”

PRO FRESH Mini Mint is distributed exclusively in Malaysia by GBA Corporation Sdn Bhd, and is available at all major convenience stores, petrol marts and super-markets. Mohan (left) with grand prize winner Look and others during the prize presentation ceremony on Aug 26.

A taste of Raya at SunwaySHAH ALAM: Expatriates from Britain, United Kingdom, Australia and Indonesia had an eye-opening experience at Sunway Pyramid when they celebrated Hari Raya there last month.

Besides trying out the traditional Malay costumes such as baju kurung and baju Me-layu while holding onto an authentic Terren-ganu-ian wau, the visitors also learnt how to make a wau from Muhd Ariff Mazlan and were hennaed by an artist.

They later experienced breaking fast at Fuzion, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, where authentic and tantalising Malay delicacies such as kambing buah kurma bakar (baked lamb in date cumin gravy) and local kuih-muih – onde-onde, kuih seri muka and kuih lompang – were served.

PETALING JAYA: A joint Malaysia Day and Lantern Festival carnival featuring perfor-mances, exhibitions and lantern-making con-test will be held this Sunday (Sept 11).

Organised by the Chempaka Buddhist Lodge (CBL), the carnival aims to foster closer relations between residents and to share facets of Chinese culture with the public.

The event will be held at CBL, located at 60, Jalan SS23/25, Taman SEA.

On display from 1pm will be a decorative lantern exhibition and a Mini Cooper exhibition, while stage performances begin from 6.30pm.

Featured performers include the CBL Sunday Dhamma class and Wushu class, the Petaling Jaya City Council Cultural Troupe, and PJ schools.

Local artistes Christopher Lai and Vicky Chan, and Chinese instrumentalist Steven Chung will also be entertaining the crowd,

expected at 5,000.Carnival-goers can participate in colouring

and lantern-making competitions, with the former open to primary schoolchildren and the latter open to all.

“The colouring contests have two categories, Standard 1 to 3 and Standard 4 to 6, with gift sets and trophies for the winners,” said CBL External Affairs head SK Tan.

He said the lantern-making contest will have three categories: primary school, second-ary school, and open.

Cash prizes will be given out to the top three winners of each category.

Tan said only students from PJ schools may join the school categories, while all Malaysians are welcome to join the open category.

“Goodie bags with mooncakes, lanterns and Malaysia flags will be given at the carnival on a first-come-first-served basis,” he added.Expatriates enjoying themselves during the event.

17SEPTEMBER 9 — 11, 2011

FICTION

Fiction by Celine Tee

I yanked her long, luxurious brown hair and she flinched at my touch, submitting to the pain. Roughly, I pushed her into a small wooden chair in front of a big, brown wooden

desk. Somehow, she managed to maintain her dignified posture even on death’s dinner plate. Over her nose, she shot Boss a blank, yet threatening stare. Boss was not amused.

Standing behind her now, I tightly held her long hair, pull-ing her head slightly back. My other hand grasped a long knife, which I held to her throat.

In all honesty, I felt pity for the girl. She was young, prob-ably her mid-teens, with features that could soften a troll’s heart, yet she could not crack open the heart of Boss. He continued to stare her down in utter silence that could drive a bullet through any man’s heart.

The two were perfect enemies. Physically, they were op-posites, but both shared irresistible and death-streaked per-sonalities.

Boss finally broke the heavy silence.“Ms Clark, I’m sure you know why you are here today, in

this seat in front of me.” His voice was a mix of mock innocence and threat.

“Yes.” No more. Simple, straightforward and strong. She needed a push.

“Well, then.” Boss rose from his seat and standing in full height cowered over her, hiding her in the darkness of his humongous shadow. “Can you explain to me why Andrew Cohen is on his way to the British Embassy?” His voice rose, his face beginning to match his vocal outrage.

“No.”“I told you to get rid of him. What the hell did you

do?” Rhetorical. A pause. “You went and became his dream girl. It was going great. I thought you knew what you were doing. You were supposed to use your emotional power over him and bring him down. Force him into our carefully planned trap. What happened?”

The veins on his neck looked like they were about to explode and spout lava and blood. His nostrils flared with such monstros-ity that I held my breath and waited her reply under my knife.

Her body relaxed a little, and so did my grasp on her. Boss flashed me a look, and I obeyed instantly. I let go of her hair and removed the knife from her throat. I moved back towards the door and stood guard.

“It was a mistake.” A lousy attempt at a lie, and Boss saw right through it.

“Well that mistake cost us thousands!” he screamed.She glanced at the floor and her face reddened. She tilted

her head as if to think. Still, with all confidence she glared at Boss. He just could not stand another second of it.

“You will not glare at me. You no longer have that right in this office. You may be my daughter, but you have disdained my name and will not do so again. I will personally make sure of that. Think you can get away with this? You think you’ll get a second chance?”

He stared at her expectantly. No response from the girl.“No. There are no second chances here.” He paused for

effect and breath. “There is only punishment.”Boss motioned for me to come. I left my post at the door

and resumed my position threatening the girl with death. She

obeyed instantly when I pulled her head up to stand up. Gen-tly, I decided. She didn’t need to be forced.

Chin up, she still walked with the grace and poise of roy-alty. I glanced at Boss. He nodded towards me and I led her to a different room, directly connected to Boss’s office. It was his special bulletproof room.

Inside, there was only a small wooden chair. I guided her in and sat her down. I lowered the knife and dropped it behind me. One hand still tightly grasping her hair, I took out the handcuffs I had stolen from a police officer and as gently as I could, cuffed both of her soft hands and roped her legs to the chair. It was standard procedure. Boss was preparing his special gun. I retrieved my knife and left the room.

Standing outside, protectively guarding the secret room, I heard nothing.

Then the girl came out alone, free of cuffs and clean from the cuts I had carved into her throat. She had a voice of an angel.

“Clean the room, please. It’s a complete mess in there.”She walked out with the same attitude and posture as she

had coming in.

Bulletproof

There will be no publication on 16th September. We will be back on 23rd September 2011.

Credits: Discpicture/PhotoAsia

Source: sxc.hu

Source: sxc.hu

18 september 9 — 11, 2011

technology

By Edwin Yapp

For the past few issues, I’ve been wri t i n g a b o ut

some Android apps you can consider down-loading onto your tablet/smartphone.

This week, I shall con-clude the list of apps in the following categories: communications, utili-ties and games.

Communications One of the best apps you should have on your Android

device is eBuddy, an instant messaging (IM) programme that integrates most, if not all, of your messaging needs. eBuddy supports all major IM platforms: Yahoo, Google, MSN, Fa-cebook, and even less popular ones such as ICQ and MySpace.

To use eBuddy, you’ll need to sign up for an eBuddy account, after which you can log in to all your IM accounts by selecting the ones you are connected to, entering your username and password.

eBuddy’s interface is clean and the app is easy to use. The best thing about it is you can see all your IM contacts on one single page and communicate simultaneously with all of them on different chat screens.

An alternative to eBuddy is MeeGo IM and IM+. They are virtually the same as eBuddy, albeit with some changes to the look and feel. Do download these apps to see which one you’d prefer.

A must-have app for communications is Skype. As most of you will know by now, Skype is an app that lets you talk to anyone in the world who has an account for free by sending your voice signals over the internet. Skype can also be used to call fixed and mobile phone lines through an extended service called Skype Out.

Skype became available recently in the Android market-place. After testing it, I can say that it works just like the app on desktops and laptops.

Video calls on Skype are available, though not all smart-phones and tablets support this feature. Do check with www.skype.com for more.

UtilitiesThere are literally hundreds of Android utility apps, but

the first utility you’ll need to get for your Android tablet/smartphone is a task manager or killer.

One of the features of the Android software is that it runs multiple background processes and applications. This could sap up your battery life, which is something you’ll not want.

The two best apps on the Marketplace for this are Android Task Killer by ReChild and Android Task Manager by Infolife. I prefer the latter as you can set it to automatically kill all unused processes running in the background. You can also try Juice Defender by Latedroid.

Sometimes, you may find that your volume control on your Android tablet leaves a lot to be desired. Try downloading Equaliser, a nifty programme that gives you the ability to tune your preferences via a five-way equaliser control. You’ll in-stantly find that your volume not only goes up, but clarity on certain frequency bands does, too.

The base package is free, while the upgrade allows you to store various preset settings.

Next up are antivirus and security programmes. No software is immune to this, and there are a number of antivirus/secu-rity apps that you could consider. Common names from the desktop/laptop world that have made inroads into the Android platform are AVG antivirus, BitDefender and McAfee.

Some of these apps are free, while others are paid apps. Other noteworthy one is Antivirus Free by Creative Apps.

Another great app to have is a online diction-ary. Try Advance Dictionary and Thesaurus from Mobile Systems or Dictionary.com, both of which are pretty good.

Some other personal favourites of mine are Speedtest.net for measuring your surfing speeds; File Manger by Rhythm Software for file man-agement; Battery Monitor, a nifty programme that plots your battery usage over graph forms; Screen Off FX, a programme that allows you to turn off your screen without touching your on/off switch; and Uninstaller by Rhythm Software, a quick programme you can use to uninstall unwanted apps.

GamesAgain, there is no shortage of games that are

available here. While the database is not as comprehensive as the one found in Apple’s App Store, the major games have all been ported onto the Android Platform. Favourites such as Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, as well as games such as

Paper Toss, X Construction, Mouse Trap and Bubble Blast 2, just to name a few, are pretty involving to play.

While this list in by no mean exhaustive, these are apps that you could start with. Finally, a word of caution, do read care-fully the terms and conditions that apply to some of the app downloads, as it’s always wise to apply the principle of caveat emptor – or “let the buyer beware.”

Happy downloading!

Talk, task and toy with Android

(Pic source: gadgetsin.com)

(Pic source: android.com)

eBuddy allows you to view contacts on multiple platforms simultaneously.

19september 9 — 11, 2011

food

By Brenda Ch’ng

Hidden right in the heart of Puchong’s bustling commercial area is Restaurant Leong Ah, which promises patrons a mouth-watering experience of

authentic and scrumptious Chinese delicacies.Formerly known as Restaurant Leong Ya, this family busi-

ness, which has been passed down through the generations, serves Hakka and Cantonese dishes whipped up from tradi-tional recipes.

It may look like a common Chinese eatery from the outside, but step in and you will be proven wrong as the fusion of Chinese aromas stimulate your appetite.

As we stepped into the packed res-taurant at dinnertime and maneu-vered our way to an empty table, we were surprised to s e e p a p e r - w r a p p e d chicken (RM3.20 per piece) on every occu-pied table.

Anxious to get a taste of this promising dish, we placed our or-ders. Within minutes, the dishes were served, one at a time.

First up were four bundles of the chicken, each square bundle neatly wrapped in plain white bond paper resembling an envelope.

The white paper may mislead you into thinking the dish is burnt or overcooked, but don’t be deceived as the greaseproof paper prevents it from being burnt.

It also holds the marinade intact while the heat of the oil caramelises the gravy on the chicken.

The sweet yet salty caramelised gravy is made of Chinese wine, ginger, sesame oil and other Chinese seasoning and herbs.

It is recommended that you tear open the paper with your hands or with a pair of chopsticks slowly and carefully, as the abundance of brownish gravy inside is sure to gush out.

Buried inside the little bundle of joy was one meaty piece of drumstick, dressed with a marinade that was neither too salty nor too pungent.

The whole dish was simply cooked to perfection. Despite being tightly bundled up and deep-fried for three to four minutes, the tenderness of the chicken might leave one think-ing it was steamed or baked instead.

Next up was the oat fried soft shell crab (RM18), which was covered in a mountain of yellow oats and blended to re-semble semi-fine crumbs.

The saltiness of the soft shell crab complements the bland-ness of the oats, which, when eaten in a mouthful, gives off a satisfying crunch. This dish left us craving for more.

It is recommended to complement the dish with rice, even though you can treat the dish as a standalone item.

We then tried the house specialty toufu (RM8): home-made with a mixture of dried shrimp, prawn meat, herbs and seasoning.

Toufu, which originates from China, resembles soft cheese, and is made from coagulated soya bean milk.

This dish is not hard to make, but getting the right blend of flavour and texture to complement the blandness of the

toufu is a challenge indeed.Fried in orangy square cubes, this dish was very nicely

blended, with a smooth texture on the inside and rough crispy texture on the outside.

It is recommended to dip it into the chili sauce provided and to bite into it slowly, as the heat trapped inside the toufu pieces might burn your tongue.

In comparison to other homemade toufu dishes we’ve tasted, this one sure met expectations and overshadowed others.

Finally, we decided to go for their famous Tau Fu Kang (RM10), a toufu-based soup dish eaten with a dash of vinegar.

Cooked with toufu, mushrooms, prawns, vegetables, minced chicken and egg, this dish resembles shark’s fin soup.

Seasoned with oyster sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, it is thickened with corn flour and egg to resemble a white, thick, sticky broth.

The soup is best consumed piping hot from the kitchen, before the main dishes arrive. This is to ensure that you can get the full flavour of this delectable dish.

It is also available in medium and large sizes, priced at RM15 and RM20 respectively.

All in all, the food served at this restaurant will surely leave patrons coming back for more, as it is uniquely cooked and

seasoned to portray its homestyle.The restaurant is located at 95, Jalan Kenari 23, Bandar

Puchong Jaya, 47100, Puchong Selangor.Call 03-80755579 or 012-6579140 for reservations.

Leong Ah’s Chinese delights

Paper-wrapped chicken (above and inset).

Oat fried soft shell crab.

Homemade specialty toufu.

Tau Fu Kang.

20 september 9 — 11, 2011

travel

If anyone wants to veer off the beaten track and head towards Pulau Ketam on a public holiday, my advice is: DON’T.

It took an LRT, a commuter train and a noisy ferry to reach the island. At least that was the case for the four of us.

It wouldn’t have been so traumatic if it had been smooth-sailing all the way. Unfortunately, after purchasing tickets for the air-conditioned ferry for Pulau Ketam at Port Klang, we found ourselves among hundreds of eager and impatient people standing on a floating extension of a newly opened jetty.

Since it was a public holiday, the crowd was much larger than usual. The port workers, about four or five of them, could hardly control the throng, which started to swell after 12pm.

We had arrived at the jetty, a short distance from the com-muter train station, before high noon. All thoughts of a smooth voyage to Pulau Ketam were cast to the wind when we discov-ered that the ferry arrivals were sporadic.

A port worker said there was a shortage of staff because of the Raya holidays. In fact, he didn’t even know about the ferry times. And there seemed to be a grand total of only two ferries.

When the long, sleek and air-conditioned ferry docked next to the floating platform, the visitors jostled their way to the water’s edge. It was a frustrating sight. Children leaned close to the edge to take a look at the muddy waters. It seemed as if someone could fall in anytime.

I spoke to a man in uniform who was manning the walkway leading to the jetty. He told me that someone had, indeed, fallen into the water. I didn’t ask about the outcome.

Just when we had given up and wanted to sell our tickets to other eager beavers, a large green boat pulled next to the jetty. A woman in her fifties shouted to the people to climb on board.

We had already missed four ferry trips. Our choice came down to the privately owned green boat, or throw away the ferry tickets and return home.

We had waited for more than two hours, so we took our chances with the green boat. It left the Port Klang jetty with a loud roar of its engine and turned towards the open seas.

It was one of the noisiest boat rides I have ever experienced, but the rush of the sea wind, anchored cargo ships and long stretches of mangrove had a soothing effect.

The boat gave the impression that it was moving reasonably fast, but it was an erroneous perception. Minutes later we were

overtaken with ease by the air-conditioned ferry that we had bought tickets for.

The estimated time from Port Klang to Pulau Ketam on the official ferry is 30 minutes. The green boat, which had at least about 80 to 90 people on board, took about an hour to reach the island.

The conductor with orangish hair had under her arm a big handbag. We soon learnt that it was for putting in the hard currency that she would be collecting from the passengers.

The fare for four of us was RM30 for a single trip. On the return journey on the same boat, we had to fork out another RM30, but that’s another story.

Halfway through the journey on relatively quiet waters, the conductor started to sing, much to our surprise. Some pas-sengers were clearly amused by her antics. She belted out some familiar evergreen Chinese songs, and her vocals were horrible. Some passengers were aghast, while others just wanted to be entertained. Some craved in-house music, but there was none due to the absence of a PA system.

To make herself heard above the din of the roaring engine, she used a hailer with a broken horn. My ears took a beating because the hailer was mere inches away.

We nicknamed her the “karaoke lady”. At one point, she leaned close to three Indian women and started to sing “hota hai, hota hai”. One young Indian woman sneaked a peek at me and laughed when I told her, “Scary, isn’t it?”

Welcome to Crab IslandThe history of Pulau Ketam goes back to 1880. When it

was first populated by fisherfolk and their families, the island was a small, desolated clump of mangrove swamp.

More than 130 years ago, some Hainanese fisherfolk found out that the island was a rich breeding ground for crabs. They made daily trips to the island, which took almost a day because they had to row.

After a while, the fisherfolk decided it was more practical to settle there. By 1883, the population had exceeded a hun-dred. With activities revolving around fish, prawns and crabs, more fisherfolk began to live on the island. They started to build wooden houses on stilts.

Before long, the Hainanese fisherfolk were joined by the Hokkiens and the Teochews. With the growing Chinese population, kongsi houses began to mushroom. In time, there were more than 20 of such kongsi homes.

During the Second World War, a number of people took refuge on the island, where life was less threatening.

In the 1950s, the fishing industry underwent a transforma-tion when diesel engine boats and modern fishing nets were introduced. Then, about 50 years ago, a post office appeared and schools were built. These were followed by a new jetty, piped water and a hospital.

Pulau Ketam consists of two villages, the main Pulau Ketam village and the Sungai Lima village. A forest separates the two villages.

In the 1980s, the population of Pulau Ketam was about 20,000. Today, there are only about six to seven thousand inhabitants on the island.

Over the decades, the younger people have gone over to the mainland to earn a living. These young people return to the island to visit their parents and older relatives only on festive occasions.

Presently, about 80% of Pulau Ketam residents are fisherfolk. The abundant catches from the bountiful waters have been turned into com-mercial by-products like fish balls, fish rolls, dried prawns and sambal shrimp.

The large number of seafood res-taurants is ample evidence that Pulau Ketam’s biggest draw is the fresh sea produce served at the eateries.

We had lunch at a particular res-taurant that had received favourable reviews on the internet. However, we waited for nearly for an hour for the dishes to appear.

The three cooks in the kitchen were

Slow boat to Pulau KetamPublic holidays are usually best spent away from home. LIN ZHENYUAN takes the LRT, commuter train and a ferry to Pulau Ketam and returns home with quite a story to tell

Visitors surging forward to board the air-conditioned ferry. The ‘karaoke lady’ with the hailer issuing instructions to boarding passengers.

One of the 11 small bridges found in Pulau Ketam village.

Pulau Ketam – island of floating wooden houses.

21SEPTEMBER 9 — 11, 2011

TRAVEL

Have you cHecked your electrical switcHes before leaving Home?

Ibu pejabat polIs Daerah subang jayaTel: 03-5637 3722 Fax: 03-5631 9815

Take 5 minutes to fill this form up and drop it off at the nearest police station to have regular checks at your house while you are away.

Borang maklumaT Memaklumkan tentang meningalkan rumah kediaman untuk bercuti.

Kepada Kawasan pentadbiran balai polis

..............................................................................................

BuTiran penduduk:

nama: ..................................................................................

alamat: .................................................................................

..............................................................................................

..............................................................................................

nombor telefon bimbit/kediaman: ........................................

nombor telefon yang boleh dihubungi: ................................

..............................................................................................

tarikh meninggalkan rumah: ................................................

tarikh dijangka balik ke rumah: ...........................................

Kenderaan yang ditinggalkan (jenis model & nombor daftar kenderaan).

1. ..........................................................................................

2. ..........................................................................................

3. ..........................................................................................

lain-lain maklumat:

..............................................................................................

✂

...............................................tandatangan

.......................................tarikh

Before leaving your home for a holoday, have you checked all your electrical switches and turned off your gas tanks?

Call the SS17 BomBa for advise at

03-5634 9444

working non-stop. Under hectic conditions, we got the wrong vegetables and wrong species of fish, but we didn’t mind. By 4pm, we were just too hungry.

The cooks looked like they were on auto mode and were clearly harassed because of the influx of customers. Consequently, the quality of our dishes was found to be lacking. Although the seafood was very fresh, I had tasted better dishes elsewhere.

I was surprised to find Pulau Ketam village thriving in ramshackle conditions. There are two Chinese tem-ples worth mentioning: the Nang Thiam Keng Temple and the Hock Leng Keng Temple.

There are 11 small bridges on Pulau Ketam, with three more bridges in the Sungai Lima village. There are only bicycles, pedestrians and dogs on the island. The only passing visitors are sea birds.

Visitors can rent bicycles and get acquainted with the quaint little nooks and corners. The constant ring-ing of bicycle bells is a familiar tune on the island.

There is a floating fish farm near Pulau Ketam, but visitors need to pay to visit that place. Understandably, most of the fish caught around the island make their way to Hong Kong, where they fetch better prices. Lo-cal visitors to Pulau Ketam have to be contented with the less exotic fish at the restaurants.

The Pulau Ketam jetty is obviously poorly managed.

In fact, it is a sorry excuse for a jetty. The relevant au-thorities are well advised to put the jetty in order for the sake of visitors, local or foreign.

Those arriving at and departing from Pulau Ketam must get the assurance that it is not a free-for-all situa-tion when the ferries arrive. It was most distressful for a large number of visitors. Their facial expressions said it all.

Pulau Ketam is clearly an island that has great poten-tial. Right now, the only word for it is shameful. The Crab Island desperately needs the hard work of intel-ligent administrators and planners who have foresight and vision for growth and development on the island.

The green ferry filled with passengers from bow to stern.

One of the many crowded seafood restaurants on public holidays.

Bicycles for hire. One way of getting around the little village.

The roof of the Hock Leng Keng Temple with symbols of crab, fish and prawn.

22 September 9 — 11, 2011

Gallery

Ayam panggang cooked by the dozen to keep up with the crowd at the Shah Alam City Council’s Raya open house on Thursday.

Visitors at the Pulau Ketam jetty, which is

long overdue for an upgrade. “Hundreds visit

the island during week-ends and public holidays,

but many more are put off because there’s no

place to park and [because of] the poor

condition of the jetty,” according to state

executive councillor Ronnie Liu.

Muhd Ariff Mazlan demonstrates how to make a wau during a Hari Raya event at Sunway Pyramid last month.

Volunteers planting trees to beautify the Millennium Park in Subang Jaya on Aug 27.

State excos Elizabeth Wong, Ean Yong Hian Wah and Dr Xavier Jayakumar handing out duit raya to children during Selangor’s Hari Raya open house at the state secretariat on Aug 30.

Executive councillors Ean Yong Hian Wah (left) and Teresa Kok offer their condolences to the family of late Bernama TV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor at his funeral last Sunday. Noramfaizul, 39, was killed in Somalia on Sept 2 while covering a humanitarian mission organised by Putera 1Malaysia Club. He is survived by a wife and two sons, aged eight and three.

23September 9 — 11, 2011

Culture

Pics by Kelab Shashin Fotografi KL 2011

Compiled by Nick ChooSend your events to: nick@selangortimes.

Just a Dream – The Green Play

Theatre; 15-24 Sept; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; www.klpac.org, 03-40479000; RM63/RM38

Presented by Singapore Repertory Theatre’s The Little Company in association with Adventure Theatre Washington DC. When it comes to the environment, young Walter is far from enlightened. He’s a litterbug who believes sorting trash is a big waste of time. But one night, Walter dreams about a very different future. Filled with humour and fantasy, Walter’s dream is a wake-up call for him – and all of us – about what we need to do to protect and preserve the future of our planet. This original eco-play uses magical stage effects and lush soundscapes to create a theatrical version of Chris Van Allsburg’s (author of The Polar Express and Jumanji) beautiful illustrations. All production materials (costumes, props and sets) will be made of earth-friendly and recycled materials. Recommended for four- to 10-year-olds.

The Story of Adam & Eve: It’s All About You

Theatre/Dance; 12 Sept; KLPac; www.klpac.org, 03-40479000; RM35

Presented by the Romanna Dance Group, comprising over 40 talented dancers which is supervised and directed by Shaharareh Shahhosseini. This group was established in 1998 and has performed in Vahdat Hall, Tehran, Iran. The Story of Adam & Eve “aims to act as a spiritual trigger for people, to wake them up … full of delightful moments, full of love, full of colours, full of songs and full of compassion. The people of heaven used to

love one another, an unbiased and unconditioned love”.

Much Ado About Nothing

Theatre; 22-25 Sept; The Actors Studio @ Lot 10; www.klpac.org, 03-40479000, 03-2142 2009; RM23/RM13

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre’s T4YP 2011 ensemble presents its last performance for the season, paying tribute to the Bard. “Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero are deeply in love. Beatrice and Benedick are deeply in denial. All is well. Then Claudio humiliates Hero. Hero has a fainting attack and pretends to die. And Beatrice and Benedick join forces with a vengeance.” Christopher Ling directs Shakespeare’s sharp, smart comedy about men and women and what it takes to make love happen.

Silent Cry

Exhibition; 19 Sept, 10am onwards; KLPac foyer; free admission

Photo exhibition by Amir Dabaghian. “I really don’t know anything about myself. But I think this is very important for any photographer that they need to be seen in their photos and this is true about me. I don’t really specialise in one type of photography or another. If people are involved, I am interested. This has led me to photograph everything. I am a very curious person, and that’s what drives me when I have a camera

in my hand. I really love to work all over the world. I really love to lay down the record of our life and time in pictures.”

Obsessive Art Disorder

Exhibition; 16-19 Sept; Core Design Gallery; 012-6674348 (Anni)

“Creativity is a spark of mind in inventing, experimenting, growing, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun with it.” This notion is showcased in Obsessive Art Disorder, featuring works presented by a group of artists with diverse art backgrounds, styles and ideologies within the boundaries of their own disciplines.

reviewBy Terence Toh

RED is truly an evocative colour. From crimson to scarlet, from basic shades like ginger and pink to more exotic varieties like vermillion and magenta, few other colours have such a hold over our imagination.

Red has its positive aspects. It is the colour of prosperity in Chinese and central African culture, and is also the colour of passion and love. But it also has its destructive aspects. It is the colour of sacrifice, the colour of wrath, a symbol of bloodlust or warning.

These darker undertones of the colour were the basis for A Darker Shade of Red, a collection of plays showcased at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), Sentul from Aug 24-28.

Directed by Marvin Wong, the production featured Iskandar Zulkarnain, Karanbir Hundal, Miho Yeap, Morten Stender Christensen, Natalie Heng, Nina Shah, Nitia, Omar Ali and Sandee Chew, all of whom played multiple roles throughout.

Despite an overall feeling of dragginess and some poor staging choices, all in all, A Darker Shade of Red proved to be a decent watch, thanks to compelling performances and moments of scripting brilliance.

The production opened with The Kopitiam on Jalan Sehala, written by Calvin Wong. The play revolved around a man named John, who finds himself in a surreal kopitiam seemingly detached from reality, eventually encountering the place’s eccentric owner and a mysterious girl who seems strangely familiar.

The play had a witty script, with some very good lines, but was too abstract to leave much impression. The acting performances were also rather lifeless, making it easy to lose interest in the story.

Games We Play, written by Freddy Tan, was slightly better. Tom, a troubled young man, engages in a rather unconventional form of therapy, discussing his fractured relationship with his mother while engaging his therapist in a game of Battleship. This segment was rather draggy, and while Heng performed well as the various

characters in Tom’s life, the rapid transitions into her various roles were often jarring.

Confessional, written by Jude James, centred on an unexpected meeting in a church confessional, which leads a man to choose between following his desires or doing the right thing. This play was one of the highlights of A Darker Shade of Red, well staged, with engaging performances by Ali, Zulkarnain and Yeap. While the circumstances of the setting was somewhat contrived, the climax was brilliant, suspensefully leading up to a tricky ethical dilemma that was beautifully resolved.

This was followed by A Gift of Mercy, a monologue based on an anonymous piece written on popular message board 4Chan. A narrator from an alien race describes the discovery of a brutal and violent alien species (no prizes for guessing who it turns out to be) and the measures taken to quell the threat.

Monologues are tricky to pull off successfully: to make an impact, they not only need to have compelling subject matter, but capable delivery as well. In this case, unfortunately, both criteria were not fulfilled, as the monologue went on too long, becoming somewhat dull in the middle, and the narrator’s delivery lacked conviction, preventing A Gift of Mercy from truly shining. This was a pity, as the monologue’s ending

was genuinely creepy, with the potential to truly shock.

Next was The Story of the Wanderer, also written by Calvin Wong. The play, a homage to old Westerns as well as gritty post-apocalyptic survival films, had a terrific atmosphere, with the production’s full ensemble decked out in cowboy gear, speaking in southern drawls, and engaging in battles and gunfights.

While fun to watch, this play would have done better staged on a larger scale: in the tiny Indicine theatre, the action came across as cramped, cluttered, and disorganised.

The production concluded with Enough, an intense tale of a woman’s unsettling vengeance on her philandering husband. This play featured an amazing script, capably written by Jude James, and was bolstered by fantastic acting.

Chew (pic above), in particular, did a spectacular job, her character the embodiment of “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. She and Christensen had great chemistry, and whether taunting, screaming or yowling, her performance was both disturbing and delightful.

A rather fluctuating production, featuring woefully uninspired scenes as well as dazzling scenes of greatness. When A Darker Shade of Red fell short, it was unpleasant to watch, but when it succeeded, it did so brilliantly.

CALeNDAr

Seeing Red

Published by Selangor State Government and printed by Dasar Cetak (M) Sdn Bhd No. 7, Persiaran Selangor, Seksyen 15, 40000, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.