EDWARD LEE | BUKIT GASING NEWS

Protect Klang Gates Quartz Ridge and Selangor State Park from the proposed KL Outer Ring Road (KLORR)

2012-01-20T14:55:00.001+08:00

To: The Malaysian Federal and Selangor State Government

We, the undersigned, are troubled by the proposal to align the Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road across the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge and through the Selangor State Park.

We would like to draw your attention to the following concerns.

The Klang Gates Quartz Ridge is a world-class geological monument that is internationally recognized for the size, scale and splendour of its quartz dyke - the longest in the world - and, if not disturbed any more, stands every chance to be declared a World Heritage Site. The site also harbours a unique vegetation with five species of plants that are found nowhere else in the world, and our endangered wild goat (serow).

The former state government gazetted nine forest reserves as the Selangor State Park in 2007 in recognition of the need to protect their immense natural heritage value for present and future generations.

The many rare and threatened plant and animal species found in these increasingly rare lower altitude forests attest to its value. They include the merawan kanching tree, the gaharu tree, the tiger and the Malayan tapir, and eight threatened species of birds.

The proposed expressway will fragment and disturb habitats making it more difficult for threatened plant species to propagate and for animal species to hunt and forage for food, and to mate. It will also lend poachers easy access to coveted wildlife. Poaching remains a serious threat to our endangered animals.

The forests also provide a vital ecosystem service by serving as a catchment for clean water, a critical resource which is already in short supply in the state. Building and maintaining road infrastructure in the catchment will contaminate and reduce our clean water supply.

Other important ecosystem services that we receive from the Park include flood mitigation, slope protection and landslide prevention, and the presence of landscapes of great aesthetic and spiritual value. A highway will diminish all of these services.

We believe that better planning of townships and choice of transport infrastructure can provide a holistic long-term solution to the overcrowded roads and traffic woes that constantly beset us.

We, therefore, appeal to you and the authorities to protect the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge and the Selangor State Park from the proposed expressway and all other threats.

If you'd like to sign the petition, you may do so here:
http://www.petitiononline.com/KLORR/petition.html

MBPJ to hire 98 new contractors for cleaning services

2011-12-23T14:34:00.000+08:00

By Aida Ahmad
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/12/23/central/10148264&sec=central

THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will hire 98 new contractors for cleaning services next year.

Some 34 new officers will also be hired to monitor 77 zones in Petaling Jaya following an public outcry on the poor rubbish collection services in the city.

Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said each officer would be in charge of four to five zones.

“We need look into hiring more labourers to collect rubbish since the local councils have taken over the duties from Alam Flora.

“Our biggest problem now is the lack of workers and monitoring,” Roslan told reporters after the MBPJ full board meeting.

“We are well aware of the problems now and will outsource or hiring more workers to do the job,” he said.

The council has taken over garbage collection as of Oct 16 from Alam Flora. Those with complaints can call the council’s hotline at 03-7954 2020, SMS to 33213 or e-mail aduan@mbpj.gov.my.

During the full board meeting, councillor and Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian raised the issue of rubbish collection.

“Residents in Section 18, 17, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in Petaling Jaya said the rubbish had not been collected for more than a week.

“Every time a wakil rakyat meets the grassroots we get bombarded by numerous complaints about the rubbish situation. The council needs to take action quickly,” said Hee.

Hee said there was also the problem of potholes especially along Jalan Universiti, Jalan Semangat and Jalan Utara.

“This is a problem that should be looked into. The authorities should not wait until it is close to the general election to do something about this,” he said.

On another issue, Roslan said the council would foot the outstanding electricity bill of RM188,000 for residents along Jalan PJS 1/52, who had been coping without streetlights for the past 10 months.

“We will pay the outstanding bill, for the sake of the well-being of the public and order the developer to reimburse the council later. In future, the council will be more stringent in ensuring the developers are trustworthy and reliable,” said Roslan.

During the meeting, councillors Derek Fernandez and Chan Chee Kong were opposed to the idea of footing the bill as it was the responsibility of the developer.

At the start of the meeting, the council offered its sympathy and condolences to the family of Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee Poh Lin who succumbed to colon cancer on Dec 20.

Appellate Court reinstates suit by three BN assemblymen against Selangor government

2011-12-16T14:37:00.000+08:00

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/12/16/nation/20111216195012&sec=nation

PUTRAJAYA: Three Barisan Nasional Selangor assemblymen succeeded in their appeal Friday to reinstate the civil suit that sought declaratory relief concerning the legality of the Selangor State Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat).

A three-member Appellate Court panel, comprising justices Datuk Wira Low Hop Bing, Datuk Abdul Malik Ishak and Datuk Clement Allan Skinner, unanimously set aside the Shah Alam High Court's decision to strike out the suit filed by Sungai Air Tawar State Assemblyman Datuk Raja Ideris Raja Ahmad, Morib assemblyman Hasiman Sidom and Kuala Kubu Bharu assemblyman Wong Koon Mun.

Low, who chaired the panel, said the court was unable to agree with the High Court judge that their originating summons did not have sustainable cause of action.

The court ordered the suit be reinstated and remitted back to the High Court. The case would be heard and dispose off the merits before another High Court judge.

The assemblymen filed the originating summons naming Selcat chairman Teng Chang Kim, six Selcat members, namely Haniza Mohamed Talha, Mohamed Azmin Ali, Saari Sungib, Edward Lee Poh Lin, Sulaiman Abdul Razak and Ismail Sani, Selangor state assembly speaker, Selangor state assembly secretary and Selangor Government as defendants.

They filed the suit, seeking among others, a declaration that the formation of Selcat and/or its proceedings were null and void and had no effect, whatsoever.

The assemblymen also wanted the court to declare the committee was in breach of standing orders, state laws and federal constitution, and had acted in excess of its jurisdiction; and did not reflect the balance between the parties within the state assembly.

The High Court on March 22 had struck out the suit under Order 18, Rule 19 (1) (a) of the Rules of the High Court 1980 on grounds that it (the suit) disclosed no reasonable cause of action.

Lawyers Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin and M. Athimulan represented the assemblymen while counsel Tommy Thomas represented the respondents. Bernama

Choo-chooing in for seventh year

2011-12-16T12:43:00.001+08:00

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/12/16/central/10082579&sec=central

IN A bid to spread light and warmth to the lives of the underprivileged, the charitable year-end project of Hilton Petaling Jaya — the Hilton Christmas Train — is returning for the seventh year.

Aiming to raise funds for the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF) and to enable an educational trip to Aquaria KLCC with the children from Rumah Hope, the miniature train exhibit and icing setting will be showcasing at the hotel lobby from now until Jan 8, 2012.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee pulled the train lever during the launch which saw the attendance of NKF chief executive officer Chua Hong Wee, Rumah Hope chairman Jacob Mathew, Hilton Petaling Jaya business development director Manu Koshy, children from Rumah Hope and corporate sponsors. Apart from the Christmas carol sung by the children, the hotel engineering and pastry teams gave a short brief on the design concept to the guests and children.

It’s official: Lee (right) pulling the train lever with (from left) Manu, Chua and Mathew.

Staying true to the spirit of giving and caring during the festive season, the hotel has spearheaded this renowned Hilton tradition since 2004. Hilton Christmas Train brings together different parties by raising fund through offering advertising space on various wagons, hot air balloon and billboards and donation from diners to promote the cause and benefits to the community.

“We have received continuous support from various stakeholders such as corporate clients, suppliers, restaurant diners and the local community since our first Hilton Christmas Train. It’s a great opportunity for companies to play their role as responsible corporate citizen yet at the same time leverage on advertising mileage by having their company logo visibly branded on the train exhibit,” Manu said.

This year, the launch of the train is a significant moment for Hilton PJ because the train was constructed entirely in-house.

“We are proud to say that this is solely our very own year-end charity project as it is assembled completely by our engineering and pastry teams. It is amazingly incredible, magnificent and, in fact, better than expected. Despite its smaller scale compared to previous years when we outsourced experts and college students, the satisfaction gained when you see the smile on children’s face and compliment from guests are simply cannot be put into words,” said Manu.

The Hilton Christmas Train 2011 features a winter setting at the North European Village with royal icing mountains, royal icing tress as tall as 30 inches, traditional buildings made of gingerbread, bridges, billboards, tunnel and hot-air balloons. At least two locomotives that can pull up to six wagons each, 30 pieces of 4’ x 8’ plywood, 30m of wires, 500kg of icing sugar, 500kg of flour, 200kg of butter, 200kg of sugar, 50kg of ginger and 50kg of spices comprise the magnificent display.

Chugging through the winter wonderland is a series of G scale trains, 22 times smaller than the actual train. They will be passing through tunnels, steaming over bridge and stopping to take on more passengers at the little town station. The display covers a space of approximately 35sq m.

Besides obtaining support from corporate companies, the hotel will be running a fundraising campaign. Guests are invited to contribute through the donation boxes placed at the train exhibit and dining outlets.

More pictures here: http://www.zestpj.com/general/hilton-christmas-train-launch/

Positive response at briefing

2011-11-27T13:13:00.001+08:00

Writer: Gan Pei Ling
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=Positive%20response%20at%20briefing

PETALING JAYA: Homeowners unsure of how to extend their 99-year leases were delighted to be able to renew titles during a briefing and registration exercise on Tuesday.

Lee, 60, told Selangor Times she came from Perak to renew the lease for her mother’s house in Section 1, Petaling Jaya.

“The lease is expiring in 12 years’ time, of course I must take advantage of this good opportunity to renew it,” the homemaker said.

Azizah Rashid, 52, complimented the authorities for organising the public briefing at the Arena Sports Complex as the new Petaling District Office in Shah Alam U5 is out of the way.

“This is much more convenient for us,” said the home- maker, who owns a house in Section 3, Petaling Jaya with her husband.

She found out about the registration exercise via a flyer distributed in her housing area as this Private Residential Ownership Scheme initiated by Selangor was not widely reported in the mainstream press. Under the scheme, property owners can opt to pay RM1,000 instead of the full premium to extend their leasehold titles, and are only required to pay the remaining premium when they sell or transfer their properties.

This is to encourage private residential owners to keep their properties.

Alternatively, owners can choose to pay the full premium within six months of their application approval and receive a 30% discount.

Petaling chief assistant district officer Yahaya Hassan said property owners can find out whether their applications are approved after a month.

“After we receive their applications, the Department of Land Evaluation will determine the premium based on the land’s market price,” said Yahaya.

He added that a similar registration exercise had been conducted last week on Sept 21 and 22 at the same venue, which attracted a few hundred people to inquire about the scheme, and 80 applications for lease extension.

The public briefing-cum-registration exercises were organised by the Petaling District Office and the offices of Bukit Gasing assembly person Edward Lee and Taman Medan assembly person Hanizah Talha.

Hanizah said they plan to organise it again next month on a weekend for the public’s convenience.

Market road to be upgraded

2011-11-17T14:40:00.000+08:00

Tan Karr Wei
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?sec=central&file=/2011/9/17/central/9484908

THE road where the open air wet market in Section 17, Petaling Jaya, is operating on will be upgraded to a concrete one.

Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) engineering department director Cheremi Tarman said Jalan 17/27, which is a tarred road, was not conducive for a wet market because water from the stalls caused the surface to break easily, creating potholes.

“The council will turn the road into a concrete one at a cost of RM170,000,” said Cheremi, who visited the site recently with Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian and Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee to discuss the upgrading work with traders.

The traders have agreed to allow work to start on Sept 19 and they would move their stalls temporarily to the open car park in two phases.

Bad drainage: The road is riddled with potholes and the water is not flowing into the drains.

Fifty-seven traders will move the car park under the first phase and the remaining 66 will move in later when work starts on the second stage.

Section 17 Hawkers Association chairman Lim Keh Seng said the upgrade was timely because the road condition was getting from bad to worse and the drainage system was bad.

Committee member Tan Yew Leong said water from the meat and fish stalls would create pools on the roads.

“Some of the marketgoers have even slipped on the road,” said Tan.

The upgrading work was expected to be completed in three months but Hee urged the council to get the job done earlier to minimise the disruption to the business.

Lee said after the road was upgraded, it was the traders’ responsibility to maintain the cleanliness of the area.

He said there was a proposal to build a waste disposal and recycling centre at the carpark but the project was still pending approval.

Traders were also concerned if they would be charged for operating at the carpark because it was privately-owned.

Cheremi said they had obtained a verbal approval from the landowners and would request for a formal one.

He added that the engineering department would also look into installing proper lighting in the area, which was also used by a night market.

Bukit Gasing project starts

2011-10-18T13:37:00.000+08:00

Bulldozers begin clearing forests for 69 bungalows

Meena Lakshana

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/84634-bukit-gasing-project-starts

GREEN NO MORE: A billboard advertises bungalow land for sale at the entrance to where the hill is being cleared for the project

PETALING JAYA: The fate of Bukit Gasing appears to be sealed. Bulldozers have cut huge tracts of forests to build 69 bungalows on 15.3 ha.

Work on the Sanctuary Ridge Kuala Lumpur City project began in August despite the fact the residents' appeal against the High Court's dismissal of their application for a judicial review of the development is to be heard on Dec 12.

Petaling Jaya city councillor Derek Fernandez said the developer, Gasing Meridian Sdn Bhd, was acting within the law by commencing work on the land pending the appeal in court.

"From a legal standpoint, they can do the earthworks because there is no interim stay on the court's decision or an injunction against it," he told The Malay Mail yesterday.

"If the residents want to stop work on the land, they could apply for a stay on the court's decision pending the appeal. However, the residents would then have to pay a certain sum to the developer if an injunction is filed."

Bukit Gasing Joint Action Committee chairman Gary Yeoh said the injunction remained an option and he questioned the local authorities' role in upholding residents' interests.

"My main contention is, where is Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) responsibility towards ratepayers and residents?" he said.

"It's about time local authorities lived up to their responsibility to ensure the safety of residents."

On Sept 6 last year, the High Court dismissed the judicial review application filed by residents seeking a public hearing on the development.

Judge Datuk Aziah Ali, who delivered the decision, said residents in the area had no right to be heard in relation to the hill slope development as the right for a public hearing only arose if there was a change of density or use to a plot of land.

The site for the development had been individually titled since 1977 and the land is categorised as "building". Gasing Meridian has owned the land since 1995.

On the clearing of vast tracts of forested areas, Yeoh said it was unsettling for residents.

"Large tracts of land are now exposed to the elements. Do we have to go through a landslide before an inquiry into the development is held?" he asked.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said the onus was on the developer to ensure the land clearing work did not cause any untoward incidents.

Sanctuary Gasing Group marketing manager Steven Tan said the company had appointed an independent consultant, Ikram Engineering Services Sdn Bhd, to monitor the project.

He said development impact and mitigation measures such as proper drainage, and silt traps and bunds to divert and channel run-off water, mud and silt from public roads and the surrounding areas would be implemented.

Tan also said technologies such as inclinometers and settlement markers or gauges would be fixed to ensure the stability of the development into the future.

"Measures for slope protection include retaining walls and cutslope management using turf, hydro-seeding (where grass seeds are sprayed onto the slope along with mulch and binder), gabion mattresses, stone pitching, slope drainage and horizontal drains," he said.

It has also been reported Gasing Meridian intends to relocate the existing sewerage treatment plant at Taman Gasing Indah, and convert the site into a public park.

Lee out of line, says Guan Eng

2011-10-10T11:53:00.005+08:00

**Just to clarify, Edward never "threatened". There were rumours that he'd be dropped, and a reporter called up to ask what would he do if DAP were to drop him, and he merely replied that he'd run independent.

By Sylvia Looi
http://www.thestar.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/10/10/nation/9664330&sec=nation

IPOH: Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee was out of line when he threatened to stand as an independent if he was dropped in the next general election, said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said Lee's statement was completely unexpected as the assemblyman had not discussed the matter either with him or other party leaders.

“This kind of statement is out of line and completely unexpected. It is an unusual statement,” he said after opening the Perak DAP convention here yesterday.

It was reported that Lee had made it clear that he would quit the party if he was dropped as a candidate.

Lee, who was speculated to be one of the four DAP incumbents to be dropped, said he would contest as an independent if the party decided not to field him in the 13th general election.

In an earlier report, a party insider said Lee and three others Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan, Balakong assemblyman Yap Lum Chin and Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin might be dropped in the next general election.

He said Lee's declining health was the reason why he might be dropped, but Lee claimed that it was due to political agenda.

Lim admitted that it had been quite some time since he last met Lee although they communicated through the phone on several occasions.

On hudud, Lim said if it was not tackled carefully, the issue could affect Pakatan Rakyat in the next election.

What is important, Lim said, was for all three Pakatan parties not to lose sight of the fact that the opponent was Barisan Nasional.

Lim added that the hudud issue was turning into a psychological battle with Barisan.

“With the election around the corner, there is a psychological war going on,” he said.

Lee threatens to contest as independent if left in the lurch

2011-10-09T12:47:00.002+08:00

By Wani Muthiah

http://www.thestar.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/10/9/nation/9661678&sec=nation

PETALING JAYA: Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee (pic) is threatening to quit the party if he is dropped in the next general election.

Lee, who is speculated to be one of the four DAP incumbents to be dropped, said he would contest as an independent should the party leave him in a lurch.

“It's unfortunate as I am a long-time life member of the party.

“But I may have to make this drastic move because I still want to serve my constituents,” Lee said.

A party insider said Lee's declining health had been cited as the reason to replace him.

The other three are Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan, Balakong assemblyman Yap Lum Chin and Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin.

Lee said he was confident his constituents would back him if he chose to stand as an independent.

However, he said he would remain in the party should the DAP stand by him.

“If the party still wants me, I will be more than willing to contest on a DAP ticket in the next general election,” he added.

Lee said although he had some health problems, he was still well enough to serve his constituents.

“If I want to put my health on the line to serve my constituents, it is my business and no one else's,” he said.

Lee said that the move to oust him was politically motivated by those unhappy with him.

“I have been doing a lot of investigative work.

“Most of this has been published and some are uncomfortable with it,” Lee said.

He added that his experience as an activist had also not gone down well with his detractors.

He claimed his track record as an assemblyman was also good because he was “hands on” and “easily contactable” by his constituents.

DAP to drop three more Selangor reps

2011-10-05T14:39:00.000+08:00

By Wani Muthiah
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/10/5/nation/9623835&sec=nation

PETALING JAYA: Three more DAP elected representatives in Selangor, in addition to Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan, will be replaced at the next general election.

A Selangor DAP leader, who declined to be named, said the three were Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, Balakong assemblyman Yap Lum Chin and Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin.

He said Yap was being replaced because the party leadership felt he was not doing enough for his constituents.

“He has not been performing as expected and we feel it's best to replace him if we want to keep the seat,” he said.

He said Lee and Dr Cheah would not be contesting due to health reasons.

Lee is said to be ill while Dr Cheah is recuperating after a serious automobile accident.

However, Lee said the decision was not his.

“If they don't want me they should just tell me instead of saying that I'm ill,” he said.

Yap said it was up to the party leadership to decide if they wanted to field him.

Manoharan is being removed because some of the state leaders are unhappy with him.

His recent remark on his Facebook page that the Malaysian flag would be changed if Pakatan Rakyat came into power hurt his chances of being retained, said the leader.

Dr Cheah was not available for comment at press time.

Former mining pool emits noxious gas

2011-09-23T19:09:00.000+08:00

By TAN KARR WEI

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/9/23/central/9452800&sec=central

EIGHT years have passed since Taman Sri Manja residents in Petaling Jaya first detected the stinking smell of hydrogen sulphide coming from the drains, and the problem has not been solved completely.

The problem began in 2003 when industrial waste was dumped into a pool in the area. The resulting chemical reaction from the industrial waste releases hydrogen sulphide which is carried through the drains in the housing estate.

The 46.13ha of land was a former mining pool that now belongs to four owners and residents living in the surrounding residential areas said they would occasionally catch a whiff of the gas.

Taman Sri Manja Flats resident S. Kaliamah, 40, said they could still smell the gas coming from the drains especially in the morning or after heavy rain.

Dumping ground: The former mining pool has been filled up and lorries can be seen coming in and out of the area with loads of construction waste.

“We have become used to it but friends and relatives who visit us will comment that it was hard to breathe,” said Kaliamah.

The drain leading from the pool goes past several residential areas and have since been covered up by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to prevent the gas from polluting the air.

Kaliamah said when the hydrogen sulphide emission was at its worst in 2003, metal grilles would rust quickly and electronic equipment with copper wires would also be damaged.

“I have changed three television sets and two refrigerators. Our copper vases for prayers would turn black very quickly and we have to polish it almost every week.

“It is not so bad now but we still have to clean it about once a month,” she said.

Question remains : Residents are also concerned whether their flats are still structurally safe.

Universiti Malaya solid and hazardous waste management professor Dr P. Agamuthu, who was part of a team who conducted a study in the area in 2007, said the presence of hydrogen sulphide was a tell-tale sign that organic matter had been dumped into the pool.

“The pool should only be filled with inert waste like construction material or sand.” he said.

During the study, the level of hydrogen sulphide was monitored at various locations around the pool and an average reading of 21ppm (parts per million) was recorded.

Dr Agamuthu said consistent exposure to that amount of gas could pose health risks to residents, with children and senior citizens being more vulnerable.

Another concern: There are pools of stagnant water at the perimeter of the former mining pool in Taman Sri Manja, especially near the Petaling Perdana flats.

Among the short-term measures proposed to tackle the problem was to neutralise the water with oxidising agents, cover up the drains, fill the pool with inert materials and vacate a nearby kindergarten to minimise the children’s exposure to hydrogen sulphide.

Dr Agamuthu said the treatment involved releasing hydrogen peroxide into the water before it flowed into the drains to reduce the gas emission.

“This is something that has to be done continuously until the pool is eventually filled up,” he said.

The kindergarten was not vacated but the covering up of the drains had drastically reduced the smell but Dr Agamuthu said there would still be traces of hydrogen sulphide as long as the pool has not been filled up.

“The smell becomes unbearable after a downpour because the rain compresses the gas so the concentration is higher at ground level,” he said.

The issue became a hot topic during council full board meetings last year due to the illegal dumping into the pool. The council even resorted to stationing enforcement officers round the clock to ensure that only construction waste was thrown at the reclaimed land.

MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria said the council was now monitoring the levels once every six months, the latest being from Aug 4 to 11.

“The readings have always been at an average of 2ppm. The treatment is still being carried out by the Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Asma) using mud balls and reclamation with construction materials and stones,” she said.

MBPJ engineering head Cheremi Tarman said a part of the reclaimed land had been designated as a retention pool and another identified as a road reserve.

Dr Agamuthu said the level was safe for residential areas but residents would still smell the rotting stench.

Another problem faced by residents was water becoming stagnant at the fringes of the reclaimed land.

Petaling Perdana Residents Association chairman Hamzah Harip said it was especially bad near Blocks O and N of their flats, which was next to the reclaimed land.

“When it rains, the water will rise near the flats,” he said.

Residents have made matters worse by throwing rubbish and old furniture in the area.

Hamzah said there were a lot of mosquitoes in the area due to the stagnant water and he hoped the pool would be filled and levelled properly.

Kaliamah said they were also concerned whether their flats were structurally still safe.

“We have seen what it has done to the grilles, so how will we know if the steel foundation of our flats has not corroded?” she asked.

There are many questions still left unanswered and Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, who was part of the committee set up by the Selangor government to monitor the issue, said it was up to the state to consider taking back the land from the owners.

“My recommendation is to leave it as a open recreational area to ensure the safety of the people.

“It has been filled up but we do not really know what is inside,” he said.

Dr Agamuthu said the pool was 100m at its deepest and high-density development was not recommended.

“The land will take years to settle and even then, any development will have to be low-density ones or open spaces like golf courses and recreational parks,” he said.

He cited an issue in Kelana Jaya, where residents of houses built on a former landfill found compressed garbage under only 15cm of soil.

“That landfill was only 5m deep but even now, some of the land around the houses are sinking. The pool is much deeper so the soil would need time to settle,” he said.

Report on PJ Palms to be handed to state

2011-07-01T13:20:00.000+08:00

Writer: Alvin Yap
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=report-on-pj-palms-to-be-handed-to-state

PETALING JAYA: The mayor will present a detailed report on the operations of PJ Palms Sports Centre to the Selangor Economic Action Council.

The report by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will include the refurbishment work and operations at the former Kelab Syabas.

“We will present the report to the Menteri Besar and state executive councillors soon,” Roslan Sakiman said on Wednesday after the council’s full board meeting

The move follows complaints from Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee that the private operator, Sepang Mekar, has been given a lease of RM15,000 per month for the 60,000 sq ft area.

Lee said it was unfair for Sepang Mekar to make its sub-tenants fork out triple the rent they used to pay to the previous operator.

PJ Palms is within Lee’s state constituency, and sub-tenants have complained to him that they are paying high rental rates.

Two traders, Waikiki Bar, a pub, and a barbershop called Barber Joe claim that the new management’s policy of charging RM4.50 per sq ft rental space has caused a threefold increase  in rental.

Waikiki Bar has to pay over RM19,000 instead of the usual RM5,000, and Barber Joe, which used to pay RM500 monthly, now has to pay RM1,800.

Roslan said MBPJ would review the lease rates to Sepang Mekar every three years.

“We will likely increase the monthly rates then,” he said at a press conference.

He pointed out that Sepang Mekar had given the sub-tenants rental discounts.

Roslan said Sepang Mekar was spending RM4.2 million to renovate and refurbish PJ Palms.

He said the previous operator operated a slot-machine gambling business and neglected the olympic-sized swimming pool.

A comprehensive audit report on the finances and work carried out by Sepang Mekar will be presented at a later date, he said.

Councillor Derek Fernandez said the club was in disrepair, adding that MBPJ had at one point planned to demolish the 30-year-old club, which was turning into an eyesore in New Town.

Selangor citizens' private residence ownership scheme

2011-06-29T14:03:00.002+08:00

SELANGOR CITIZENS' PRIVATE RESIDENCE OWNERSHIP SCHEME

Kelab Syabas: Rental rates not high

2011-06-24T13:23:00.000+08:00

Writer: Alvin Yap
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=kelab-syabas-rental-rates-not-high

PETALING JAYA: The private operator of PJ Palms Sports Centre has refuted claims it charges high rental rates.

The new management of former Kelab Syabas said the rental is to recoup the RM4.2 million investment that was spent to refurbish the iconic club.

“We created a new look for the place to make it more family-oriented. We’ve placed new signages, installed new canopies and laid new flooring for our tenants,” said co-director David Solomon.

Solomon was clearing the air over allegations that his company, Sepang Mekar, is charging his tenants high rental since it took over PJ Palms early this year.

The swimming pool that was upgraded by Sepang Mekar at a cost of RM1.2 million.

Solomon pointed out that he had offered to renegotiate a lower amount after hearing their complaints.

Two tenants, Waikiki Bar, a pub, and a barbershop called Barber Joe, have complained that the new management’s policy to charge RM4.50 per sq ft rental space has caused a threefold increase in rental.

Waikiki Bar has to pay over RM19,000 instead of the usual RM5,000, and Joe, which used to pay RM500 monthly rent, now has to pay RM1,800.

They brought up the matter to Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee, who says rental at PJ Palms is too high.

Lee also claimed that MBPJ was leasing the 30-year-old club to Sepang Mekar at 11 sen per sq foot.

Solomon said he had offered to lower Barber Joe’s rental to RM1,500 a month.

“He asked for 24 hours to consider it. But he never responded to the offer after that,” said Solomon.

He said Waikiki currently occupies the largest floor space in PJ Palms, and after consideration, was given a discount over non-rent generating space.

Solomon said he did not charge rent for some 1,000 sq ft as a result.

“I measured the storage room area and other utility spaces and did not charge them for the area,” he said.

Solomon said he still wants to extend the olive branch to Waikiki and Barber Joe by offering instalment plans for them to pay their rental.

“We can still sit down and discuss terms,” he said.

Meanwhile, MBPJ councillor Richard Yeoh said Sepang Mekar is guaranteed a tenancy of 12 years made up of four three-year terms based on the council’s appraisal of Sepang Mekar’s performance.

Yeoh also said the rent was based on a set figure of RM15,000 per month and not at “11 sen per sq ft” as alleged.

He also said Sepang Mekar investors had to recoup the capital investment of RM4.2 million.

Yeoh explained that MBPJ would get to keep the upgraded facilities consisting of a swimming pool, squash courts, indoor cricket hall and other amenities at the end of the tenancy agreement period.

He said it is not feasible for the sub-tenants to pay the same rental as it had done in the past as rental prices in the city had increased.

He further said that the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreements had been recommended by the city council’s committee on privatisation and investment.

He pointed out that out of six bids for the open tender, Sepang Mekar was chosen as it offered to turn the club into a “family-friendly” club.

“The tender process was carried out in an open and transparent process. It was also vetted by councillors during the full board meetings here at MBPJ,” he said.

He said previous operators had failed to maintain the eight-lane Olympic-size swimming pool, and also turned the premises into a gambling den.

Happy ending for Barber Joe

2011-06-21T15:03:00.002+08:00

BY T.K. LETCHUMY TAMBOO

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/75638-happy-ending-barber-joe

LET THERE BE LIGHT: Power supply to Joe's Unisex Salon reconnected yesterday

PETALING JAYA: Barber Joe is here to stay as power supply to his salon in Jalan Sultan was reconnected on Sunday. Over the past month, the outlet had faced power cuts on weekends for refusing to agree to a new rental which was more than triple what he had been paying for many years.

"I had a meeting with PJ Palms Sdn Bhd two days ago and the matter was settled amicably when a more reasonable monthly rental of RM1,250 was agreed upon," said 60-year-old M. Inthirarasa, better known as Barber Joe whose clientele, built up over two decades, includes celebrities, sportsmen and corporate leaders.

"I don't want to lose my regular customers. I want them to know I'm back in business and here to stay."

PJ Palms are the new caretakers of the PJ Palms Sports Centre which also houses Joe's Unisex Salon.

Over the past month, The Malay Mail highlighted that Joe, who had been paying RM500 monthly to the previous management, felt the new rental of RM1,800 was exorbitant. He had also turned to Bukit Gasing State assemblyman Edward Lee for assistance.

PJ Palms director Seelan Chelliah, when contacted, said: "We brought down the rent significantly after negotiations with Joe, and took into consideration the longevity of his business, his age and the passion he has for his salon and his customers. We wanted a win-win situation."

Lee said the May 21 agreement between the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council and PJ Palms was the root cause of the unhappiness of the tenants there.

Councillors blast Lee for incorrect statement

2011-06-21T14:49:00.000+08:00

By Jade Chan
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/6/21/central/8923503&sec=central

TWO Petaling Jaya City councillors hit out at Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee for issuing statements on the rent hike at the PJ Palms Sports Centre without fully understanding the tenancy agreement details.

Richard Yeoh and Derek Fernandez were responding to the story “Proprietors cry foul over higher rent under new agreement” published in Friday’s StarMetro.

The proprietors of Joe’s Unisex Salon and Waikiki Bar had claimed harassment by the building’s main tenant to sign a new tenancy agreement or leave the premises.

Proposals were called for via an open bidding. Of the half dozen or so proposals, Sepang Mekar’s was the most advantageous to the MBPJ and it offered only family-friendly facilities. — RICHARD YEOH

The proprietors also complained of a four-fold increase in their rental rate under the new agreement with Sepang Mekar Sdn Bhd, the main tenant of the centre formerly known as Kelab Syabas.

The agreement was signed between the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Sepang Mekar, who are the landlord and main tenant respectively.

Yeoh stressed that it was incorrect and misleading for anyone to say that the premises was let out at “11 sen per sq ft”.

“That calculation was evidently derived based on the total land area of the title that PJ Palms sits on of 136,500sq ft (12,681sq m) and the RM15,000 monthly rental paid by the head tenant, Sepang Mekar to the MBPJ,” he said.

“For the record, the area under the tenancy is less than half of the total land area, that is about 60,000sq ft.

“We must also take into account the RM4.2mil that Sepang Mekar is legally bound to spend within the first two years to rebuild and upgrade the facilities at the centre,” said Yeoh.

“The 136,500sq ft (12,681sq m) refers to the entire land area held under the title, including the Complex C carpark, which is not included in the tenancy.

“The fictitious ‘11 sen per sq ft’ rate is irrelevant as the agreement is not even based on per square footage, but on a lump sum of RM15,000 monthly rental.”

The tenancy agreement was signed on May 21, 2010.

Yeoh said if there was no breach of the agreement and both sides agreed on the subsequent rental reviews, Sepang Mekar was guaranteed a tenancy of 12 years made up of four three-year terms.

Unfair: The proprietors of Waikiki Bar and Joe’s Unisex Salon are crying foul of the harassment they have been enduring from Sepang Mekar, the main tenant of PJ Palms Sports Centre.

“Sepang Mekar will be paying a monthly rental of RM15,000 to the council for the first six years,” he said.

“Sepang Mekar will be given a rent-free period for PJ Palms for the first year, which is an international industry practice to help them cope with the revamp and upgrade period.”

After the first two terms, Yeoh said renewal of the agreement is subject to rental rate review with the increment cap at 10% for each renewal.

“Sub-tenancy agreement details are negotiated between Sepang Mekar and the sub-tenants. The MBPJ will not interfere in that unless there is a breach of the agreement by Sepang Mekar,” he said.

“The main terms and conditions of the tenancy had been recommended by the MBPJ PJ Palms Sports Centre Project sub-committee, and approved by the MBPJ Committee for Economic Development, Privatisation, Industry and Investment, and endorsed by the MBPJ Full Board.

“The entire exercise in handling the PJ Palms project was done in an open and transparent manner,” said Yeoh.

“Proposals were called for via open bidding. Of the half dozen or so proposals, Sepang Mekar’s was the most advantageous to the MBPJ and it offered only family-friendly facilities.”

Yeoh said the detailed negotiations and drafting work were carried out over a period of many months and the MBPJ was advised by the legal firm of Messrs Chooi & Co.

“The terms obtained for this tenancy are far superior to the terms in the demised tenancy which we had refused to renew as the level of maintenance of the premises was considered not up to the mark and our firm conviction that council premises should no longer be used for any form of gaming,” he said.

Yeoh added that as part of the agreement, the swimming pool rates at the club must be approved by the MBPJ.

In the agreement, the proposed rates are as follows: RM4 and RM5 for adults on weekdays and weekends respectively, RM2 and RM3 for senior citizens above 55 and children below 12 on weekdays and weekends respectively, and RM1 for people with disabilities on both weekdays and weekends.

“One of the issues raised recently was the distribution of some leaflets advertising a RM8 rate for using the pool during peak hours at night, which is a matter that the council will check on,” said Yeoh.

“The MBPJ will ask the PJ Palms management to update the committee on the progress of the project.

“We will mediate and act if the head tenant acts unfairly or does not adhere to the agreement.”

Fernandez said the MBPJ was getting a good deal because the community would be getting first class facilities costing RM4.2mil and the MBPJ was collecting RM15,000 in monthly rental.

“If the tenancy is terminated or expires, the RM4.2mil capital renovation will belong to the MBPJ without any compensation,” he said.

“The whole idea is to bring back facilities to the public. The previous tenant was operating a gambling den in a public facility. Sepang Mekar is restoring the centre with a first-class pool and several sports facilities.”

Noting the controlled swimming pool rates, zero gambling element and RM4.2mil investment, All-Petaling Jaya Residents Association Coalition (Apac) chairman Johan Tung Abdullah said: “As far as Apac is concerned, the swimming rates are reasonable and the rental for sub-tenants is strictly a commercial decision issue that must be left to market forces without interferences from any politicians.

“APAC is happy that the MBPJ now collects three times more rental from the new operators, and at the same time has new and better facilities for PJ ratepayers.”

Proprietors cry foul over higher rent under new agreement

2011-06-17T09:50:00.002+08:00

By Jade Chan

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/6/17/central/8899864&sec=central

THE proprietors of Joe’s Unisex Salon and Waikiki Bar are being harassed by the building’s main tenant to sign a new tenancy agreement or leave the premises.

Salon owner M. Inthirasa (better known as Barber Joe) and bar proprietor Tony Siew whose outlets are in the former Kelab Syabas, now known as PJ Palms Sports Centre, said there appeared to be a force in asking them to sign the tenancy agreement and a testament to this was the intermittent disruption of power supply at their premises over the past three months.

“Sepang Mekar Sdn Bhd, the building’s main tenant, has been forcing us to sign a new tenancy agreement. This means we have to pay higher rent,” said Siew, who has signed the new agreement but yet to pay the deposit.

Joe said he had yet to sign the contract, as under the new agreement he would have to pay four times more than his rent now.

Crying foul: Edward (right) speaking at a press conference to highlight the dispute between Joe’s Unisex Salon and Waikiki Bar with Sepang Mekar, the main tenant of PJ Palms Sports Centre. With him are Tony (centre) and Joe (second from right).

“Under the new agreement, I will have to pay a monthly rental of RM1,700, as opposed to the current RM500 per month,” said the 61-year-old who has been operating his business for two decades.

“I have had no problems with the previous management, Bina Syabas, who managed the building for 18 years until their contract ended. The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) ran the place until Sepang Mekar won the contract last year.”

Siew, whose has been opearting his business for 15 years, said under the new agreement, the rent for his premises soared to RM18,900 from the present RM5,000.

“I had to lodge a police report last Thursday when my premises was padlocked without my knowledge. I had to reconnect the electricity supply on my own when it was cut off as I needed it restored to run my business,” he said.

Joe and Siew also complained about their inflated electricity bills, which they said were above Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s (TNB) commercial rates.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said managed to get a copy of the agreement, which was signed between the MBPJ and Sepang Mekar, who are the landlord and main tenant respectively.

“The total area of Kelab Syabas is 136,500sq ft (12,681sq m), including the shops and swimming pool,” said Lee.

“Sepang Mekar is paying the MBPJ a monthly rental RM15,000 for the entire club, which after a quick calculation means that they are paying 11 sen per sq ft.

“However, Sepang Mekar is charging sub-tenants like Waikiki Bar and Joe’s Salon RM4.50 per sq ft, while the other sub-tenants are charged RM5.20 per sq ft.

“It appears that the main tenant is buying time (by cutting off the electricity) to force the sub-tenants to sign the new agreement.”

Lee said he met PJ mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman two months ago and he promised to look into the matter.

“Roslan later acknowledged that something was not right, but that the agreement had to be complied with as the councillors had already agreed to it,” he said.

“When nothing happened at the council level, I brought the matter up to the state government.

“Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has requested for the matter to be tabled at the MTES (Selangor Economic Action Council).”

Lee said the issue was now with the state government and he hoped that the MTES would discuss the matter this week.

When contacted, Sepang Mekar managing director David Solomon expressed his disappointment and frustration, saying that both Waikiki Bar and Joe’s Salon had been difficult to sort out.

“We are not here to evict anybody. The agreement is still under negotiation with Joe’s Salon. Waikiki Bar has signed the agreement but have not honoured it,” he said.

“These two businesses have not paid their rental since March 2011. Their utility bills have not been paid on time either.

“The other 10 sub-tenants at the centre have been cooperative and paying their dues regularly.”

Even with the new agreement, Solomon said Joe’s Salon and Waikiki Bar would be paying lower than the average rental rate.

“The average rental for a basic commercial premises in PJ is RM6 per sq ft,” he said.

“We want to help these two businesses and tried hard to work with them and the MBPJ. We have a number of upgrades planned if they had come to an agreement on the tenancy details.”

Solomon said Sepang Mekar signed the agreement with MBPJ in May 2010, but only received access to the building in August 2010.

“We began refurbishment work in September 2010, and the new pool was completed within six months for its re-opening in March 2011,” he said.

“The delays have put a damper on the official launch of PJ Palms Sports Centre’s new look.

“The initial stage of its re-opening was scheduled for July 2011, with the new look to be fully unveiled by the end of this year.”

Solomon clarified that Sepang Mekar is the main tenant and was given the agreement to upgrade and refurbish the centre, while PJ Palms Sdn Bhd is the management company assigned by Sepang Mekar to manage and run the premises.

Barber Joe’s case goes to Shah Alam

2011-06-16T09:48:00.000+08:00

By Azreen Hani
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/75166-barber-joe%E2%80%99s-case-goes-shah-alam

PETALING JAYA: THE predicament of M. Inthirasa, popularly known as 'Barber Joe', and other tenants at PJ Palms Sports Complex in Jalan Sultan will be discussed in the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) session today.

This was confirmed by Bukit Gasing State assemblyman Edward Lee when contacted by The Malay Mail yesterday.

"The Menteri Besar has already taken up the matter and he immediately called for the report papers to be presented in the meeting tomorrow (today)."

Lee had submitted the report to the MB's office about a month ago. "Hopefully, the matter would be discussed tomorrow (today) and we will just have to wait for the outcome."

He expressed regret over an agreement between the council and the sports centre management which he believed was the root cause of the trouble now. "There should not have been such an agreement in the first place."

The agreement dated May 21 was signed by a councillor and the mayor. Lee also told The Paper That Cares the city council and affected tenants had met earlier to work out on the issue.

Asked whether there were talks between the complex's management and councillors with him, he said: "No. Besides, there is nothing to talk about. Let the State government decide."

Earlier this week, The Malay Mail reported Barber Joe's 20-year-old business may be under threat after PJ Palms Sdn Bhd raised the rent to more than double the original, an amount he refused to pay as he felt it was unfair.

The company subsequently cut off power supply to his business premises during weekends.

UNCERTAIN FUTURE

2011-06-15T15:47:00.003+08:00

By Veena Babulal

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2pllo/Article/art_print

Tenants of PJ Palms Sports Complex claim they are unhappy with the rent hike

PETALING JAYA: Joe's Unisex Salon and Waikiki Bar and Restaurant which have been around since the heyday of the former Kelab Syabas in Jalan Sultan here are facing an uncertain future.

M. Inthirarasa and Tony Siew, proprietors of the salon and restaurant, respectively, claimed that they were being pressured by the management of PJ Palms Sports Complex which took over the dilapidated Kelab Syabas to sign a new agreement and consent to a rent hike or leave the premises.

Inthirarasa pays RM500 for his salon while Siew pays RM5,000 for the bar. With the new rates they must pay RM1,700 and RM18,900, respectively.

A document uncovered by Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee showed an agreement between the Petaling Jaya City Council and the management of the PJ Palms, Sepang Mekar Sdn Bhd.

It revealed that the complex building was leased out to PJ Palms for 11 sen per sq feet.

The agreement on May 21 was signed by a councillor and the mayor.

The tenants claimed that the hike which has been in effect since March did not include utility bills and that they were made to pay electricity bills above commercial rates.

Inthirarasa has faced electricity supply cuts a couple of times since February while Siew faced a bigger predicament of having his bar sealed with a padlock by the management last week.

"I had to remove the padlock and protect myself with a police report. There was no warning or notice.

"They also cut my electricity supply even though I paid my last two bills which had jumped from RM3,500 to RM5,000," he said adding that last month's invoice from the management had yet to arrive.

"Since the council owns the place, I would like to pay the council the rent directly instead of them hiring a second and third party.

"I don't want to be forced out of this place which I've been operating my business in for the past 15 years," he said echoing Inthirarasa's sentiments.

Inthirarasa, who has been operating his business over the past 20 years, said that his electricity rates had also doubled from RM300 to RM600.

He also said that his electricity was usually cut on Sundays when he had a lot of customers.

He has now paid up the three months' arrears but claims his electricity supply is still cut occasionally.

"How can they cut off my power supply when I have not even received the month's bill," he asked.

Lee, who held a press conference on the matter yesterday, said that he had raised the issue at the state's weekly economic action committee meeting.

He also said the Menteri Besar would deliberate on the matter.

He also quoted clause 9.16 in a deed of assignment between the council and Sepang Mekar Sdn Bhd which states that tenants should not sign, transfer outlets and facilities in and around the facility without prior consent of the landlord which is the Petaling Jaya City Council.

"Based on this, the tenants should not be made to face these issues," said Lee.

He also said he had raised the matter with Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman who said that he would look into the matter.

It was earlier reported that Seelan Chelliah of PJ Palms had contacted Inthirarasa to reduce his rent.

They also claimed to have reduced his rent by about 30 per cent to be fair to him as his lot faces the street as opposed to the shop lots that face the pool.

However, Inthirarasa claimed that he was only given a discount of RM1.

Mothers' Day Celebration

2011-06-13T19:04:00.002+08:00

Click on image to enlarge

Welcome relief for leasehold owners

2011-06-03T12:55:00.000+08:00

Writer: Alvin Yap
Published: Fri, 03 Jun 2011
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=welcome-relief-for-leasehold-owners

SHAH ALAM: Residents with leasehold titles, which are fast expiring, are welcoming the RM1,000 policy that allows them to extend their leases for another 99 years.

Michael Muniandy was among those who were overjoyed to hear the news announced on Wednesday.

“It’s very good news indeed, especially for retirees like me,” said the former engineer with the Land and Mines Department.

The 78-year-old pensioner had just 20 years left on his lease for his home in one of PJ’s oldest neigbourhoods, Section 1, Jalan Carey.

He pointed out that the RM1,000 premium would be less of a financial burden on his savings and pension.

Similarly, music teacher Raymond Pragasam, 46, said the move would encourage more home ownership as prospective housebuyers have balked at having to pay hefty premiums to extend the leases.

“Our house in Section 4 has 55 years remaining [on our lease], but our neighbours around us have less than 10 years. This is good news for them,” Raymond said when met at Taman Petaling here.

Former public school teacher Ng Sik Poon, 81, said the RM1,000 amount was within the means of every resident in Petaling Jaya.

“Even if you are short of money, you would borrow the amount to secure the lease,” he said.

He pointed out that the move by the state government would assist middle-income families.

Ng added that he expects a “rush” at the Land Office as ratepayers would clamour to extend their leases.

“Too bad I just extended my lease a few years ago, and I paid quite a hefty sum based on the land size,” he said, who could not recall the amount offhand.

Pragas Marimuthu admits that he is lucky to stay on freehold land in Puchong. Nevertheless, he said it was very good news for leasehold landowners in Selangor.

The 50-year-old businessperson said the move would encourage citizens to own residential property.

“A lot of prospective housebuyers put off buying property around the Old Town and New Town housing area,” said Pragas.

He pointed out that when it came to the renewal of leases, buyers would be saddled with large amounts.

Pragas added that the unprecedented initiative showed that the government was “caring” towards the middle-income group.

Siti Hanim Mohd Nasir, 38, said the announcement was “very good news” as her home on Jalan 3/60 here has only nine years remaining.

According to her land title documents, the lease is at RM12.50 per sq ft, and the total area of her bungalow lot is around 3,400sq ft.

“I’d have to pay at least RM40,000 to renew the lease,” she said.

Section 3 Residents Association (RA) head Shamsuddin Hassansaid he was “shocked” upon receiving the news from Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee.

“When I told my residents this morning, they told me to stop joking,” he said when met at the RA office here in Section 3, Old Town.

The 61-year-old retiree said the residents had bought all the daily newspapers in order to confirm the announcement.

He pointed out that many of the houses, some of them the oldest here in Petaling Jaya, have their leases expiring within 10 years.

Shamsuddin said it would have cost some of the residents between RM40,000 and RM50,000 to renew their leases.

“We are not earning very much, and many of us are pensioners,” he pointed out.

He said he would be accompanying the residents as soon as possible to the Land Office to take full use of the state’s initiative.

“On behalf of the residents here in Section 3, I want to say thank you very much to the state administration,” he concluded.

Mind your PQRS, bloggers told

2011-05-06T13:19:00.000+08:00

Writer: Basil Foo
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=mind-your-pqrs-bloggers-told

AMPANG: Bloggers interested in writing food reviews of their favourite eateries were advised to keep a simple formula in mind: PQRS.

“The Personality, Quality, Reader-friendly, and Serviceability factors will help bloggers write more interesting and useful blog posts,” said Chuah Guat Eng.

(From left) Amri, Chuah, Lee, Tourism Selangor general manager Noorul Ashikin Mohd Din, and Tourism Selangor events and marketing manager Fazly Razally.

The Selangorlicious! Foodster Blogging Competition chief judge addressed bloggers and the press during the competition launch on April 28.

The competition is expected to draw 5,000 submissions from bloggers who will vie for RM12,000 in cash prizes, holiday packages, and digital cameras.

“The reviews have to be attractive, easy to read, and bloggers have to remember the purpose is to draw readers to eat there,” said Chuah.

As such, she said, not only should the food be reviewed but the restaurant’s surroundings and even the condition of their washrooms.

Language quality and grammar are not as important as the main point of the competition is for people to have fun.

“There are no restrictions for the food outlets reviewed – small stalls to five-star restaurants, halal or non-halal,” said Amri Rohayat.

The Storm Studio managing director is part of the competition’s organizing team, together with creative agency Bright Lights After Midnight and Tourism Selangor.

Submissions must be between 200 and 400 words, in English or Bahasa Malaysia, and submitted from May 1 to 31.

“Each write up must be accompanied by 10 photographs, of which two are of the eatery exterior, two of the interior, and six of the food or participants,” said Amri.

Also at the launch was Selangor assistant executive councillor for tourism Edward Lee Poh Lin, who said this competition was also to identify Selangor’s trademark cuisine.

This would assist Tourism Selangor’s efforts in marketing the state at international level through a food-tourism initiative.

“Penang is well known for nasi kandar and char koay teow. Melaka is well known for nyonya cuisine.We want to know what food is Selangor famous for,” he added.

Keeping the home fireflies burning

2011-05-06T13:15:00.001+08:00

Writer: Gan Pei Ling
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=keeping-the-home-fireflies-burning

KUALA SELANGOR: Selangor is moving to save its dwindling population of fireflies by setting up a breeding nursery along Sungai Selangor next month.

“We will set up artificial breeding grounds for the fireflies,” said Dr Ang Lai Hoe at the Kampung Kuantan Firefly Park last Friday.

Ang, a senior research officer from the biotechnology division in Forest Research Institute Malaysia (Frim), said the fireflies’ natural spawning grounds have been disturbed due to plantations and other developments along the river.

“The breeding ground has become too hot and dry, and lacks organic material,” he said.
Indigenous tree species like sago will be planted, and artificial shade will be set up in a one-hectare plot in Tanjung Beluntas to help rehabilitate the area by the riverside.

He said sago trees are the natural habitat for firefly larvae as the plants provide sufficient moisture and shade.

“If the project is successful, we will replicate it in other areas,” said Ang.

Selangor has acquired and gazetted 95 hectares of land as a firefly sanctuary along Sungai Selangor in 2009 to preserve the species.

Ang said that previously, around 60% of the 95 hectares were converted into plantations and other land use, according to satellite images. Only the remaining 40% are forests.

Frim experts will be working together with the state to carry out the three-year breeding project sponsored by Aeon, a Japanese retailer.

The company donated RM390,450 to the project and signed a memorandum with the state last Friday.

Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) acting director Norzamri Sondor said they also plan to invite villagers to help plant trees along the riverbank.

“We must get the community involved to help protect the fireflies,” Norzamri told Selangor Times.

He said fireflies can be found along a 20km stretch of Sungai Selangor and its buffer zone of around 2,000 hectares.

Around 60% to 70% of the 2,000 hectares are private lands, with some converted into plantations and other residential areas.

He said the Luas enforcement team would monitor the river and its buffer zone from time to time with Frim and the land office to ensure there is no big-scale development that would threaten the firefly colony.

“Villagers will inform us whenever there are encroachments,” said Norzamri, adding that the highest penalty for encroachment is a fine of RM50,000 and imprisonment for two years.

Frim entomologist Nada Badruddin said fireflies can be found worldwide, but the special behaviour of fireflies that congregate, as seen in Kuala Selangor, is only limited to Southeast Asia.

“Kuala Selangor is special because the location is strategic; other areas are not as accessible to humans,” she told Selangor Times.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the popular eco-tourism site attracts around 3,500 visitors a month.

Visitors usually take a boat tour via Kampung Kuantan Firefly Park or Kampung Belimbing to view the fireflies at night.

Also present at last Friday’s memorandum signing ceremony were Aeon president Datuk Abdullah Yusof, state secretary Datuk Khusrin Munawi, executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar, and assistant executive councillor Edward Lee.

They took a boat tour to witness the beauty of the fireflies after the signing the memorandum. Kuala Selangor district council officials and councillors were also present.

MBPJ: Bukit Gasing temple still closed to the public

2011-02-10T14:54:00.000+08:00

BY Yip Yoke Theng
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/2/10/central/8031943&sec=central

CRACKS have appeared on the roof of the Sivan Temple atop Bukit Gasing, said Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officers during their periodic checks on the structure perched precariously on the sensitive slope.

During a briefing on Tuesday at the MBPJ headquarters, it was reiterated that the temple was still not open to public as claimed by Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan and Human Rights Party secretary-general P. Uthaya-kumar, because the site was still deemed unstable.

The temple’s board of trustees assured attendees at the briefing that stabilisation works were going on and they were also removing several non-essential structures in an effort to reduce the risk of landslips.

Fear factor: A photo taken by MBPJ officers showing that cracks have appeared on the roof of Sivan Temple, Bukit Gasing (inset).

Three landslips had occurred near the temple since 2007 following the temple’s expansion, which was carried out without approvals and later slapped with a stop-work order. Stabilisation works were then carried out but it still failed to prevent the last landslip from happening last month.

Councillor Derek Fernandez, who chaired the briefing, requested that the trustees submit applications with all relevant work plans within 48 hours for the intended demolition and other additional works, to which the latter agreed.

The trustees also agreed to implement interim measures including placing warning signage while the works take place.

It was also learned that the stabilisation works had been delayed due to financial constraint but the trustees had pledged to resolve that.

Also present at the briefing were Selangor state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San, Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee’s aide and representatives from the relevant authorities including Public Works Institute (Ikram).

“The temple cannot be opened to the public until Ikram declares the site or slope is safe. Public safety is of utmost importance,” Fernandez said.

He said the council could not give the temple a timeframe for the stabilisation works as they needed to study the plans to be submitted.

He also explained that the state could only go ahead with the de-gazettement of the said land from forest reserve to religious use after the site’s safety and stability had been guaranteed.

Dr Xavier said the council, Ikram and the temple’s trustees had been working closely to address the issue, and called for patience as slope stabilisation would take a long time.

“Safety comes first. The temple cannot be opened for now because it poses a danger to the public. Once safety is ensured, the state will hand over the land to the temple’s trustees,” he said.

Trustee Datin Sri Indrani Samy Vellu said they were willing to abide by the council’s requirements.

She said the temple was not open but allowed access to a controlled number of worshippers on certain days so that the deities would not be left idle.

Traffic lights to be installed at busy Rothmans Roundabout in Petaling Jaya

2011-01-15T15:25:00.000+08:00

By Yip Yoke Teng
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/1/15/central/7778336&sec=central

Work to turn the infamous Rothmans Roundabout in Petaling Jaya into a traffic light junction has begun.

Under the project, the T-junction of Jalan Harapan and Jalan 19/8 will also be installed with traffic lights.

An additional lane will be added to both the roads, as well as to Jalan 19/1 and Jalan Universiti leading to the roundabout.

The first phase of the project would cost RM4.2mil and was expected to take eight months to complete, said the Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) engineering director Cheremi Tarman after a briefing on the project at the council’s headquarters.

Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian, Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San and residents attended the briefing.

Produktif Sepakat Consulting Engineers Sdn Bhd is the consultant, while Gorass Sdn Bhd is the contractor.

“The project will not involve any road closure and work will only be carried out during off-peak hours to minimise congestion,” said Cheremi.

He said the second phase of the project to link Jalan Harapan to Sprint Highway would cost RM5.3mil.

“We are still collecting contribution from developers who have new projects in Section 13. We will start Phase 2 when we have collected half the amount. The same consultant will work on the project,” he added.

Cheremi highlighted that having traffic lights to replace the roundabout was only an interim solution, until a flyover was built.

“However, we do not see that happening soon as that can cost about RM25mil,” he added.

Cheremi said the traffic light junction project was delayed from last year because the council wanted to ensure that there were no major utility cables underground and also to attract more contractors for the open tender.

Let landslide be a lesson

2011-01-07T16:07:00.006+08:00

By Noel Achariam
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/gogas1/Article/

The landslide that occurred next to temple on Bukit Gasing.
— Picture by PC Lim

PETALING JAYA: Residents of Bukit Gasing are living in fear after a landslide occurred near their homes on Thursday morning.

The 150m landslide occurred on the north-east corner of Sivan Temple on Bukit Gasing.

Gasing Joint Action Committee coordinator Gary Yeoh said he was shocked to hear about the landslide from a neighbour.

"The landslide had brought down part of the hillslope next to the temple. The 150m drop was shocking.

"We're counting our blessings that the landslide did not hit the water tank at the bottom of the reservoir," he said.

Yeoh said the action committee was concerned over the stability of the hillslope when extension works on the temple started in 2006. There was a landslide on the hill facing Fraser Towers in March 2007.

"We now live in fear and are worried every time there is a heavy downpour. This landslide demonstrates why development should not be allowed on Bukit Gasing," he said.

"Our fears of soil and slope disturbance on the hillslopes around the temple have been justified with this landslide incident," he said.

Yeoh hoped Bukit Gasing would not be another case of the Highland Towers or Bukit Antarabangsa disasters.

Fraser Tower resident Mohamed Kamar Mohamed said stern action needed to be taken to prevent another landslide.

"Authorities need to take action to ensure the lives of people here are protected," he said.

Petaling Jaya councillor Derek Fernandez said the recent landslide showed precisely why the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had not allowed the temple to be opened to the public.

"The temple will not be opened until Ikram has certified that the area where the landslide occurred is safe," he said.

Fernandez said that this was a powerful reminder to those who are adamant about developing Bukit Gasing.

"MBPJ will not compromise public safety under any circumstances. We will take caution and not bow to pressures," he said.

Fernandez also issued a warning to Gasing Meridian Sdn Bhd, which is proposing to develop the Sanctuary Ridge Kuala Lumpur City project comprising 70 bungalows on a 15.5ha site on Bukit Gasing.

"Let this incident be a warning that no development should take place on Bukit Gasing," he said.

Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee said the safety of temple devotees and residents in the area must be protected.

"MBPJ has instructed Ikram to present a report on the landslide and the development at the temple.

"The fate of the temple will be decided by MBPJ.

"If Ikram gives the go-ahead then there must be strict conditions applied for the safety of all.

"If it says no, then we will have to sit down with the temple committee and decide on the next course of action," he said.

Lee said it was the responsibility of the temple committee to ensure the safety of its devotees.

What's next for Sivan temple?

2011-01-07T16:03:00.000+08:00

By Sheila Sri Priya
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2dos/Article/

Sivan Temple Bukit Gasing

PETALING JAYA: The fate of Sivan Temple in Bukit Gasing is now not known following the landslide on the hill on Thursday morning.

Earlier in the week devotees of the temple were told that they could look forward to worshipping at the temple in three months if the Public Works Institute of Malaysia (Ikram) approves the temple structure.

That decision was announced at a meeting chaired by Petaling Jaya city councillors Derek Fernandez and R. Selvarajan last Wednesday.

An Ikram official at the meeting said approval would be given once a thorough inspection of the temple was done and this process may take three months.

During the meeting it was decided that the stop-work order on the temple reconstruction which was issued in 2008 after a landslide there remains in force although repair works to stabilise the hillslope are carried out.

State executive councillor Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar who attended the meeting said the state had plans to allocate the land to temple trustees once it was regazetted and all requirements met.

Fernandez explained the process flow to get the temple reopened to those present at the meeting.

Datin Seri Indrani Samy Vellu, who represented the temple trustees, said the temple would comply with all the rules and regulations set by Ikram, the local council and state to ensure public safety.

She said the temple management was raising more funds for the temple reconstruction.

A temple spokesperson said over RM4.5 million had been spent so far for the reconstruction works.

The expansion of the temple became an issue in 2007 after it caused a landslip.

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) issued a stop-work order and a compound to the temple management for violating the Street, Drainage and Building Act.

The landslip was rectified by the temple management and was later certified by Ikram in 2008.

The reconstruction work at the temple soon intensified. MBPJ later received a complaint that a portion of the land facing the KL side of Bukit Gasing had given way.

The council issued a second stop-work order and requested a proposal plan for the temple reconstruction works.

Also present at the meeting were Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation president Dr V. Suppiah, Malaysian Indian Progressive Association president and founder A. Raja Retinam, representatives of non-governmental organisations and devotees.

99-year lease cheer

2011-01-06T15:16:00.001+08:00

By Lim Chia Ying
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/1/6/central/7740275&sec=central

HOUSE OWNERS occupying land with lease tenure of less than 30 years will see their leasehold increased to 99 years.

Selangor MB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim announced this at the Petaling Jaya Sustainable Community Award and Commu-nity Leaders Award 2009/2010 ceremony on Tuesday night.

“We will be studying the premiums to be paid in line with the increase in the number of years,” he said in his speech at MBPJ banquet hall in Civic Centre.

He said the government would also be looking into redeveloping Petaling Jaya city.

“We hope the councillors and the Petaling Land Office will brief the people about the programmes to be carried out.

“Also, we want to study the number of schools needed here because one of Petaling Jaya’s strengths is that the community will continue to stay on for a long time; which calls for the need for more facilities like schools, parks and other infrastructure.”

Over the moon: The Bandar Sri Damansara RA committee members and its president Ravindran (third from left) rejoicing after being named the champion in the Petaling Jaya Sustainable Community Award 2009/2010.

He added that the development of Greater Klang Valley would start soon and that parcels of it would involve Petaling Jaya.

Khalid noted that garbage collection and disposal remained an issue given that the population growth in this city was high.

“I will need to go to the ground with mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman to look into ways of resolving this problem. We may have to channel resources from the 2011 budget for a better solution to the garbage issue.

“We will not allow any differences between us at the state level, the Federal Government and government officers to hinder our intention of beautifying and doing more for this city,” he assured.

He said there was a deficit in the estimated MBPJ 2011 budget compared to the 2010 budget when there was a surplus.

“We will need to monitor spending more closely and prudently especially given that Petaling Jaya is one of the highest revenue collectors among all cities in the country.”

Meanwhile, Mohamad Roslan in his speech said the annual award ceremony that was previously known as the PJ Best Neighbour-hood Award had been renamed in line with the 10th anniversary of PJ Local Agenda 21.

After thanking the panel of judges for selecting the award recipients, he said Budget 2011 had been approved with a sum of RM272mil to focus on solid waste collection, upgrading of drainage systems and resurfacing of roads as well as maintenance of infrastructure and greening of the city.

“We need to tackle issues of safety and poverty while increasing the quality of life for the people of Petaling Jaya.”

The awards started with the presentation for the Community Leaders 2009/2010 segment.

The three recipients were Section 3 PJ Rukun Tetangga chairman Shamsuddin Hassan, SS2 Selatan residents association chairman Lim Theng Kau and Damai Senja Petaling Utama RT chairman Sathiveloo Kanniah. They each received prize money of RM500 and trophies.

The PJ Sustainable Community Awards were presented to five incentive recipients and one champion.

The five incentive winners were: Rukun Tetangga Taman Gasing Indah (Safe Neighbour-hood), Damai Senja Petaling Utama Apartments Rukun Tetangga (Administration), Taman Mayang Jaya residents association (Green Neighbourhood), Desa Mentari Block 3 residents association (Social Integration), and Section 21 residents association (Entrepreneurship).

They each received a development grant of RM10,000 and trophies.

The champion of the PJ Sustainable Community Award 2009/2010 went to Bandar Sri Damansara residents association, which received a development grant of RM50,000, certificate and a Champion’s Trophy.

Bandar Sri Damansara RA president Ravindran Raman Kutty said their committee deserved the award for their hard work and efforts.

“I wish to thank our committee and other agencies who were supportive of our efforts.

“We will use the money to develop a basic customer relations management system to manage complaints and feedback received from residents more effectively, so as to facilitate better customer service,” he said.

He added that the RA had always been active in activities such as environmental programmes that encourage residents to do their own green farming, annual get-togethers with the residents, and constant dialogues with the police.

“This year we will continue with the programmes we have been doing but on a greater scale with even more participation from the people,” said Ravindran, adding that there were some 60,000 residents in Bandar Sri Damansara.

A total of 17 Rukun Tetangga / RAs in Petaling Jaya took part in the Sustainable Community Award.

Lease extensions to 99 years

2010-12-02T15:17:00.000+08:00

By Izatun Shari
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2010/12/2/nation/7543012

KUALA LUMPUR: State governments can approve applications for renewal or extension of leasehold land for a period of not more than 99 years unless they require the land for public purposes.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said all state governments had agreed to adhere to the new policy.

“The implementation of this policy would fulfill the needs of the rakyat who are worried about losing their land titles,” he told reporters after chairing the 66th National Land Council meeting here yesterday.

Tackling land matters: Muhyiddin (left) getting ready to chair the 66th National Land Council meeting at Parliament House Wednesday. On his right is Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas. – Bernama

He said the policy, which was decided during the meeting, would be used as a guide with several conditions which include:

> leasehold land under the categories “building”, “industrial” or “agriculture” for which owners can apply at any time to extend their lease and are not bound by the remainder of the lease period;

> applicants are required to make simultaneous applications in order to surrender their land in accordance with Section 197 of the National Land Code and apply for alienation using Form Schedule 1 of the respective State Land Rules and existing rules and procedures under the National Land Code 1965;

> extension of the new lease is not more than 99 years if the land is not required by the government for public purposes;

> it is subject to imposition of relevant fees;

> the new period of the lease is effective from the date of the registration of the new title; and

> it is not contrary to any written laws that are enforced.

Asked about cases of 999 years’ lease being given by some state governments, Muhyiddin said: “This policy has been decided by the National Land Council and must be adhered to by all state governments.”

In 2008, when Perak was led by Pakatan Rakyat, the state government had awarded 999 years’ lease to some new villagers.

On another matter, Muhyiddin denied that the Umno supreme council’s decision to postpone the party elections was a sign of snap polls.

When asked whether the move was to prepare for an early general election, he said: “I never said that. The media can speculate. As far as the party is concerned, it is an appropriate decision.”

Selangor government out to address issues relating to land lease

2010-12-02T15:11:00.003+08:00

By Yip Yoke Teng
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/12/2/central/7539734&sec=central

The Selangor government will soon launch an awareness campaign on land lease renewal to address the many issues that have surfaced.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the state could understand the anxiety of residents in Section 1 to 4 of Petaling Jaya Old Town pertaining to renewal of their lease.

“We are formulating the policy and we are looking at ways to lessen the people’s burden especially those who are facing financial difficulty,” he said.

He was responding to StarMetro’s cover story on Monday on the drastic increase in premium that residents in Petaling Jaya Old Town had to pay to renew their leasehold titles expiring in three to 15 years.

Left to rot: Some houses in Section 3, Petaling Jaya Old Town, have been abandoned by their owners who cannot sell or renovate the property due to the many issues involving lease extension.

They had been asked to pay between RM80,000 and RM100,000 to renew the lease but those who did it four years ago paid only RM40,000.

Residents were crying foul because many of them were retirees and hawkers who could not afford the huge sum. They also noticed that there were discrepancies in land premium, even though location, floor area and duration of lease were the same.

Khalid said the state government would give due consideration to house buyers based on their financial background and duration of ownership.

“We are looking at how the calculations should be done and we will make the formula public when we have finalised everything,” he said.

Selangor to announce policy on land ownership by year-end

2010-11-30T15:29:00.001+08:00

By Yip Yoke Teng
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/11/30/central/7523252&sec=central

THE Selangor government has been researching on the legal and historical aspects of land titles in Petaling Jaya and will announce a policy statement by the end of the year.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee urged residents in Petaling Jaya to give the state a little more time to deal with the city’s land ownership matters. In other words, they should wait for the answer before applying for lease extension and paying the land premium that had doubled compared to four years ago.

“The state is aware of the anxiety and fears of the local population with regard to the impending expiry of land leases.

“We have been conducting an in-depth study into the legal and historical aspects in dealing with this issue, as well as its impact on the state. It is not confined to PJ Old Town, but also other areas in the city where they qualify,” he said.

Lee was commenting on StarMetro’s cover story yesterday on the drastic increase and discrepancies in premium that residents in Petaling Jaya Old Town had to pay to renew their leasehold titles expiring in three to 15 years.

He said he and other elected representatives, including Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and deputy speaker Haniza Talha, had on previous occasions stated that the state would issue a policy statement on land ownership in Petaling Jaya by the end of this year.

“It is therefore desirable that residents wait for the decision of the state and not politicise the issue in the mean time.

Section 4 Rukun Tetangga chairman Dr K. Muthukumarasamy said the community hoped the state and federal governments could look into the matter with the evidence presented.

“Documents we discovered suggest that there might have been an oversight. Residents in PJ Old Town, which could have been privately-owned, should have freehold titles. We are not fighting with the government, we just hope they will investigate,” she said.

Petaling Jaya City councillor Derek Fernandez said that it was high time that the state government reduced the lease renewal rate.

“The issue is serious as property values have skyrocketed, making it very hard to renew leases as per formula based on the market value especially for residents in PJ Old Town who may have difficulty securing bank loan due to their age.

“It would have a tremendous impact if the state would consider announcing a reduction in the lease renewal rate from the current 0.25 market value of land to 0.125 as a recognition of the contribution of Selangor citizens who helped build the state.

He commented that the formula based on market value actually discriminated against responsible citizens who kept their properties in good condition, as they would have to pay a higher premium due to the properties’ better market value.

Selangor to make policy on land ownership

2010-11-30T14:51:00.000+08:00

http://www.starproperty.my/PropertyScene/TheStarOnlineHighlightBox/8703/0/0

Petaling Jaya: It is better for residents in Petaling Jaya Old Town not to pay the premium to renew their leasehold titles now, as the Selangor government will soon make a policy statement.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said the state was scheduled to make the statement on land ownership in Petaling Jaya by end of the year, after researching extensively on legal and historical aspects of the matter.

Residents in the oldest part of the city had a rude shock recently after learning that they had to fork out between RM80,000 and RM100,000 to extend their lease which was expiring in three to 15 years, but their neighbours paid only RM40,000 four years ago.

There is also talk that the leasehold titles held by PJ Old Town might be invalid due to an oversight decades ago.

“A special task force on land lease in Selangor was established under the office of the State Secretary to draw and execute the state’s policy to rectify anomalies currently present in land leases.

“It is therefore desirable that residents wait for the decision of the state,” he said.

Fate of hockey stadium undecided

2010-10-15T15:33:00.001+08:00

By Tan Karr Wei
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/10/15/central/7228343&sec=central

TWO weeks after the one-week deadline given by Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman, no decision has been made on the fate of the Petaling Jaya hockey stadium.

MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria said the council had not reached a decision and that the committee was scheduled to meet today.

During the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) full board meeting in September, councillor Latheefa Koya had asked for the decision to upgrade and maintain the stadium in Jalan Selangor to be brought back to the Culture, Tourism, Youth and Sport sub-committee.

The issue went back to the August full board meeting when Latheefa and Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee debated on the issue.

Subject of controversy: The Petaling Jaya hockey stadium along Jalan Selangor.

Latheefa was in favour of turning the stadium into a multi-purpose sports complex while Lee said the stadium should be retained.

Because the stadium was a public facility, councillor Cynthia Gabriel suggested that the discussions should not be limited to the councillors and assemblymen in the area but should involve everyone in the council.

On Sept 20, the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) wrote to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to appeal for the stadium to be retained.

In the letter signed by MHF president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and copied to the mayor, the association appealed to the state to retain and upgrade the stadium instead of changing it into a multi-purpose sports complex.

He said the stadium was badly needed for the development of the sport since there were currently only two stadiums in Selangor, with the other in Pandamaran, Klang.

If the stadium was not retained, there would not be enough facilities to support the sport as the stadiums have been widely used by hockey clubs, schools and the Selangor Hockey Association.

When contacted, Lee said he was invited for today’s meeting and would fight hard for it to be retained.

“I see no reason why it should become a multi-purpose complex. It would cost the ratepayers a lot of money and does MBPJ even have the funds for it? If they do have funds, they should be using it to upgrade existing sports facilities around Petaling Jaya,” he said.

Lee added that the meeting was initially scheduled for last week but he was only given a six-hour notice to attend it.

No answers yet to list of illegal billboard sites

2010-08-25T15:16:00.010+08:00

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2ph2/Article

PETALING JAYA: "How many illegal billboards are there in Petaling Jaya and where is the full list?"

The questions was raised at the Petaling Jaya city council (MBPJ) full board meeting yesterday by Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee.

However, mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman refused to answer the question although the assemblyman repeatedly raised the question.

Instead, Roslan said a complete report on the illegal billboards in the city would soon be made public.

Lee said some billboard owners recently received notice to demolish their billboard structures.

However, there were questions raised on the full list of unsuitable billboard spots in the city.

"Why can't the council disclose the real number of the illegal billboards todate? Why is there a secret ?"

Lee told the press that there were two law suits against the council by different billboard operators. He said the billboard agreement needed to be restudied and the process in approving billboards should be revamped.

He also hoped that there would be no injustice to the public and the billboard operators.

"I will not take sides but I don't like what I see. When matters are brought to the court it will certainly expose the wrongdoings of all parties. My advice to the council is to be open and to reveal the details to the public."

Councillor Latheefa Beebi Koya, meanwhile, told reporters that there should not be any attempt to undermine the decision and implementation made by the council.

"All the decisions were made collectively and had gone through the various stages. In fact, it was also reviewed by the state government," said Latheefa.

Still many illegal structures despite new guidelines

2010-08-06T15:44:00.000+08:00

By Tan Karr Wei and Christina Low
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/8/6/central/6804319&sec=central

MORE than a year after the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) introduced guidelines for billboards, such structures are still springing up at every nook and corner.

The new guidelines was launched a year ago amid protest from industry players who did not agree with the calculation of licensing fees based on 30% of revenue generated from the billboard.

Petaling Jaya residents were hoping to see their city rid of illegal billboards and for a more controlled approval of new ones.

With a high concentration of middle- to high-income residents, Petaling Jaya has become a gold mine for advertisers and sites for billboards have become a highly sought-after real estate.

Too close: A billboard along Persiaran Surian that was erected less than three metres from the kerb.

While the MBPJ has recently done its part in taking down a number of illegal billboards, some that were recently put up did not comply with the guidelines.

The erection of a billboard inside the compound of the MBPJ Landscape Department in Kelana Jaya, along the busy Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) in December last year is a good example of how council’s billboard site inspection committee has approved sites which were not suitable.

StarMetro has been receiving letters of complaints about billboards that seem to contravene the guidelines.

Some of the letters were anonymously sent while the rest had different names on them and usually addressed to various people like the Selangor state executive councillors, Petaling Jaya assemblymen and even Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.

One of the letters highlighted a billboard in Persiaran Surian, Kota Damansara, which was built less than three metres from the kerb, which was against the guidelines.

Another highlighted a board along the LDP in Bandar Sunway, erected near the road on a traffic island.

No care for the environment: A complaint was received regarding three billboards put up in a green lung in Damansara Utama.

In a recent letter, a reader questioned the legality of three billboards that were constructed in Jalan SS21/42, Damansara Utama.

The reader questioned if it was right to construct such billboards on land slated to be a green lung.

The billboard which he mentioned was built in December last year and more had been put up since then.

There are no clear guidelines of whether a billboard could be placed on a green lung but Section 5.1.2 (vi) did mention that a structure should not be built in a roundabout, around the roundabout, road islands or on an empty piece of land where the landscape of the area was being emphasised.

There is even a billboard erected in a school compound in Bandar Utama and one within a traffic island across the road from the SMK Kelana Jaya.

Not allowed: A unipole billboard was spotted within the compounds of SMK Bandar Utama 4.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee confirmed that he had also received letters complaining about billboards.

“It’s troubling that after more than a year, the MBPJ and the committee that was established cannot get their act together.

“Billboards that are clearly in conflict of guidelines have been allowed to be put up and I have received complaints about them,” said Lee.

He added that to his knowledge, some of the operators had not signed the agreement offered by MBPJ because it was one-sided.

In one letter addressed to Roslan, a company stated that they had been “intimidated, harassed, threatened and forced to accept unfair terms and conditions” and were requesting for Selcat to investigate billboard issues in MBPJ.

The company also questioned why it was contributing 20% of the revenue purportedly being collected from billboard licensing fees when they only had 1% of the total billboards in the city.

Former All Petaling Jaya Residents Association (Apac) chairman Liew Wei eng, who has been invited to join the MBPJ billboard site inspection committee, said the MBPJ should be getting rid of all illegal billboards before approving new ones.

‘Unfortunately, there are still many around that do not follow the guidelines and the council has been slow in taking action against them,” he said.

MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria have yet to give a reply on the legality of the Damansara Utama billboards and the number of newly-approved billboards and illegal billboards that has been taken down.

The history of billboards in Petaling Jaya goes back to 2005 when residents exposed how billboard companies who wanted to put up billboards on public land were required to donate to the then Petaling Jaya City Council (MPPJ) Football Club to get an approval from the town planning department.

Soon after, leaked documents revealed that approval was given to one company for a 15-year outdoor advertising licensing deal.

Residents have been making numerous calls to rid Petaling Jaya of its “billboard city” reputation.

Chronology of events

Jan 2006 - Petaling Jaya residents start questioning the then Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) over a football club formed in 2000 when the council had wanted to raise the assessment rates by 10%. Allegations that the club was spending some RM15mil from billboard advertising started to surface.

Feb 14, 2006 - Residents request for full set of accounts for the years 2000 to 2005 and other relevant documents. Among those vocal in speaking out on the issue were then Section 5 Residents Association legal advisrr Derek Fernandez (current MBPJ councillor), Taman Mayang Jaya Residents Association chairman Liew Wei Beng (recently stepped down as All Petaling Jaya Residents Association chairman) and Section 5 Residents Association chairman Edward Lee (current Bukit Gasing assemblyman)

March 2, 2006 - Then MPPJ president Datuk Ahmad Termizi Puteh was quoted as saying that the football club was sponsored by various companies and the council spent RM5mil for the club in 2005, with sponsors contributing RM4mil.

March 8, 2006 - Residents produce evidence of impropriety where the MPPJ Sports and Cultural Club issued receipts for a book that was produced by MPPJ.

March 23, 2006 - Residents reveal that MPPJ does not have a clean bill of accounts as shown in the auditor-general’s website and the council’s accounts have not been published in the Gazette since 1999.

March 29, 2006 - MPPJ finally reveals their summarised accounts to residents for a brief period of two hours and 30 minutes. Photocopies were not allowed. Residents made handwritten copies of the accounts.

March 31, 2006 - Residents reveal the facts they gleaned from the accounts, which includes RM38.6mil in arrears that was accrued from 1999 to 2004. They also could not find any trace of the football club’s monies or revenue from billboard advertising.

May 31, 2006 - Termizi confirms a newspaper report that the council was mulling over the possibility of awarding a single consortium advertising rights for areas under its jurisdiction.

June 8, 2006 - PJ residents reveal that unknown people have leaked out council documents. The documents reveal that approval for a proposed privatisation of outdoor advertising licensing to Seni Jaya Sdn Bhd for 15 years was given to the company, despite the councillors not having signed their approval.

June 28 2006 - A search at the Registrar of Societies (ROS) revealed that the MPPJ Sports and Cultural Club had not disclosed its accounts and other relevant documents since 2001 while there was no information on the football club.

June 29, 2006 - Sources claim that media contractors seeking to build billboards on public land are required to get an approval from the town planning department, with a minimum donation of RM10,000 to be made to the MPPJ Football Club before they are allowed to pay for the licence.

June 30, 2006 - During the fullboard meeting, the MBPJ rejected the privatisation proposal

April 16, 2007 - Seni Jaya Sdn Bhd threatened the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) with a lawsuit for the breach of contract of a deal worth RM379mil in total and demanded unspecified damages.

May 9, 2007 - MBPJ had asked Seni Jaya to produce documents that would show that the council had such an agreement with the company but did not receive any.

July 25, 2007 - Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman considered the billboard case closed with the closure of the MPPJ Football Club and the MPPJ Sports and Cultural Club despite.

July 2008 - New councillors appointed by Pakatan Rakyat sworn in.

Aug 2, 2008 - After councillors appointed by Pakatan Rakyat sworn in, MBPJ announced that it would obtain temporary occupational licences (TOL) for billboards and lease out these approved pieces of land to billboard operators to generate income for the council

Sept 12, 2008 - Residents question why new billboards were being erected despite freeze by state government in July and Selangor State local government committee chairman Ronnie Liu then asked for billboards erected after March 8 to be taken down.

Nov 17, 2008 - MBPJ hold consultative dialogue with stakeholders on the formulation and implementation of a new billboard policy, chaired by councillor Derek Fernandez. Tempers flared as industry players object to the new licensing fee structure where they will be charged 30% of the billboard revenue.

March 5, 2009 - The new billboard guidelines finally launched by MBPJ after months of feud between the council and industry players.

Parking area for joggers in Bukit Gasing

2010-07-20T11:56:00.000+08:00

By Tan Karr Wei
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=central&file=/2010/7/20/central/6688575

AFTER four years of waiting, residents near Bukit Gasing in Petaling Jaya finally succeeded in getting a car park for joggers and jungle trekkers.

“There are many morning joggers and jungle trekkers using Bukit Gasing especially during weekends and parking is a big problem,” said Friends of Bukit Gasing (FOBG) member H.J. Lim.

Lim and several volunteers gathered recently at a 0.5ha site in Jalan Tanjung 5/4, Section 5, with Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee.

More than 20 Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officers were also present with three bulldozers to help clear the area of undergrowth and shrubs.

Lim said they had identified 26 trees at the place that would not be cut.

Lee said he had discussed with the MBPJ and the District Office to convert the piece of land owned by the Public Works Department to be used as a car park.

“Parking has always been a problem at Bukit Gasing so we have been talking about the need to have proper parking facilities for quite some time. There is also a need for a toilet and shower facilities for park users,” he said.

Lee said the FOBG would identify someone to maintain the facilities by collecting a minimal fee from the public.

He added that work to clear the undergrowth and pave the surface were expected to be completed within two weeks and the toilet would be ready within two months.

Kumpulan Semesta chairman defends company pay-out

2010-06-04T14:18:00.002+08:00

By Shahrim Tamrin
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/38621-kumpulan-semesta-chairman-defends-company-payout

SHAH ALAM: Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) non-executive chairman Abdul Shukor Nagor today defended the company's decision to give two months bonus in 2008 and four months bonus end of last year as due reward for hard work and the "threats" they had to endure.

"We took into consideration that our staff have been working diligently despite the work hazard, stress and threats received while performing their duties," he told the Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) inquiry this morning.

Abdul Shukor said 45 KSSB personnel had received RM503,613.59 for financial year June 2009, and RM137,500 at the end of 2008, which included top management as well as the directors.

But Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim, who is the inquiry's chief panellist, was not impressed with Abdul Shukor's answer that the bonuses were given because of work hazard and threats.

"Did you receive the four months bonus?" Teng asked. Abdul Shukor replied, "Yes."

Abdul Shukor admitted he received a bonus of RM48,000 while KSSB executive director Ramli Abdul Majid received RM82,000 for the duration from September 2008 to June 2009, respectively.

But when Teng asked Abdul Shukor if he himself had received any threats while working, the latter replied "no".

Teng also requested for Abdul Shukor to justify why the board of directors and three senior managers received four months' bonus payout while the rest of the KSSB frontliner staff were only given one-and-a-half month bonus.

"You mentioned yesterday that sand-mining industry is difficult, shouldn't bigger bonuses be given to frontliner staff?" asked Teng. To this, Abdul Shukor kept mum.

The chairman later said KSSB officers have been working hard and able to contribute dividends of RM5.7 million and RM10.1 million in profit to the state government via the Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) after KSSB generated RM31 million in revenue for 2009.

"We were able to increase the operations year after year. In 2002, it was only at 446 tonnes (of sand) per day, then in 2009 it was 4,922 tonnes daily," said Abdul Shukor.

"This year, we recorded per day at 8,417 tonnes in January; 12,508 tonnes in February; 19,677 tonnes in March, and 18,912 tonnes in April."

Abdul Shukor also reiterated that there is no monopoly in the sand-mining industry in Selangor.

Responding to a question from Hulu Kelang assemblyman Saari Sungib, if KSSB had exclusive control on sand-mining operations in Selangor, Abdul Shukor said: "I strongly disagree with your question and the people's perception. Please bear in mind, we were not the ones issuing the permits, controlling the transport sector and setting the market price for sand."

Abdul Shukor is the third witness to speak before the Selcat inquiry. Yesterday, State chairman for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Entrepreneurial Development Yaakob Sapari, as well as KSSB director Ramli Abdul Majid, took centre stage.

Aside from Teng and Saari, other panellists in the Selcat inquiry are Haniza Talha (PKR-Taman Merdan), Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua) and Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang).

KSSB staff given bonuses after only 4 months in operation

2010-06-02T13:28:00.001+08:00

Azreen Hani

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/38408-kssb-staff-given-bonuses-after-only-4-months-operation

SHAH ALAM: The staff and directors of Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB), a subsidiary of the Selangor government and a sand-mining concession holder, were given two months' bonus in December 2008, four months after it started its operation, an inquiry here heard today.

The company's non-executive chairman Abdul Shukor Nahor, who testified before an inquiry conducted by Selcat, said they also received an additional four months' bonus between January and June last year.

There was nothing wrong with giving bonuses to the staff, he said, because the company made profits.

"Sand-mining is a difficult industry and our employees work very hard despite receiving threats regularly," Abdul Shukor, the third witness to testify in the inquiry, said.

Selcat or the Selangor Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency, is probing into the allegations by Kapar Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam that there were corrupt activities involving senior officials of KSSB.

The three-day inquiry started today.

Selcat has seven members namely Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim, who is the chairman, Haniza Talha (PKR-Taman Merdan), Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa), Saari Sungib (PAS-Hulu Kelang), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua) and Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang).

Teng questioned the move by KSSB in rewarding its staff with six months' bonus altogether, saying the company had just been formed in July 2008.

"How come KSSB can reward its staff with this hefty sum when the company only operated two mining areas at that time?" he added.

Abdul Shukor also said that 40 police reports had been lodged by KSSB staff over the threats they received since the time the company started its operation.

He also said that KSSB did not have sand-mining monopoly in the state.

Selcat hearing starts with Yaakob Sapari as first witness

SHAH ALAM: This morning’s public hearing by Selcat saw State chairman for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Entrepreneurial Development, Yaakob Sapari, as the first witness for the probe into Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB).

Yaakob, who is also Kota Anggerik State assemblyman, appeared calm when questioned by the panel headed by Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim.

Among the issues raised were the involvement and authority of KSSB towards sand-mining activity in Selangor and the progress that has been made by the company which was set up in June 2008.

Yaakob said as a wholly-owned state subsidiary, KSSB only had jurisdiction over state-owned land and the rivers in the state.

"KSSB had not issued permits for sand-mining activities in privately-owned land and as such, did not have the power to do anything when private land was encroached into," Yaakob told the panel.

In one of the sessions, Dusun Tua assemblyman Ismail Sani questioned the credentials of four people from the KSSB board of directors which led them to be appointed in the state-owned subsidiary company.

“They are all professionals. Ramli Abdul Majid, for example, was among the first degree holders in mining engineering in the country,” Yaakob replied.

Ismail then asked if it was true that one of the directors was related to Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, to which Yaakob immediately replied that the question was malicious.

Yaakob also told the panel that the selection of the directors was made and agreed in the Selangor State Exco meeting.

He said as such, the appointment of Abdul Shukor Nahor as the company's non-executive chairman, and Wong Su Kok and Mohamad Khairuddin Othman as the director and executive director respectively, was made by the state government based on their experience and qualifications.

Teng also asked if Yaakob was aware of how bonus payments were made in KSSB, to which he said "no".

“Do you agree that you should monitor this to ensure the efficiency of the company and the State governance in the matter?” asked Teng. Yaakob said he agreed.

Teng then elaborated by saying such activities needed to be monitored as not to risk the State government from being doubted and criticised at.

Landslide on hill temple

2010-06-01T16:15:00.004+08:00

By Meena L. Ramadas
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=47478

PETALING JAYA (June 1, 2010): A landslide at the Sri Maha Kaliamman temple in Bukit Gasing last night startled some 20 devotees who were in the midst of prayers, but fortunately did not cause any injuries.

Sri Maha Kaliamman worker S. Aridharan, 28, shows the area where
the landslide occured. The store room's zink roof and wall backed
by the hill was destroyed by the landslide. Sunpix: Sharil Amin.

Sri Maha Kaliamman temple two workers clean up the debris
caused by the landslide. Sunpix: Sharil Amin.

The landslide, which occurred at 9pm, damaged the back portion of the temple, resulting in the temple committee deciding to close the house of worship until further notice.

A temple worker S. Aridharan, 25, told theSun devotees who were sitting on the floor in the main prayer hall when the landslide occurred. A fridge nearby toppled over, narrowly missing the devotees.

Temple chairman P. Puharasan, 29, said the landslide affected the newly extended section of the temple and damaged the store room.

"We spent more than RM200,000 to on the extension and it was supposed to be opened this year," said Puharasan, who was clearly disheartened by the incident.

He said this is the third time a landslide has occurred at the temple in recent years. The temple is backed by a small hill. The first two landslides occurred in 2006 at the old section of the temple.

"That is why we extended the temple to make it more safe for the devotees," he said.

"And now, the landslide has occurred at the new section."

He said between 300 and 500 devotees pray at the temple weekly and feared for their safety if more landslides occurred.

Puharasan said the temple should be relocated in view of the landslides.

"We are appealing to the state government to offer any sort of assistance," he added.

He said he had made several requests to the state government on it, but has not received a reply.

When contacted, Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said the temple committee has agreed to identify a suitable location for relocation and pledged to assist them. -- theSun

Stakeholders set to oppose new development in Section 52

2010-05-27T16:24:00.001+08:00

By TAN KARR WEI
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/5/27/central/6321280&sec=central

THE PKNS headquarters at Section 52 Petaling Jaya, has already been earmarked for development.

Interestingly, a notice board has been erected to announce the proposed new development and get feedback from the people in the area.

The joint development between Puncak Wangi Sdn Bhd and PKNS consists of four-and-a-half levels of basement parking, six-storeys of business podium and a car park.

The rest are as follows;

— one block of 27-storey offices;

— three blocks of offices/institution between 27 and 37 storeys;

— two blocks of 22-storey hotels; and

— two blocks of 22-storey serviced apartments.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said many residents who found out about the proposed development were not happy with the prospect of having such a massive project in the area.

Sneaky move: This signboard was put up to inform the public about the proposed development with a May 25 deadline for written objections.

“The developers and PKNS should have had prior discussions with the residents and stakeholders in the vicinity before planning such a project that will inflate the traffic flow which will result in congestion, possible new undesirable activities and overcrowding.

“The sentiments of PJ residents towards development and the restrictions on infrastructure are well known to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and they should have cautioned PKNS from planning such a massive project, knowing very well that there will be opposition and limitations,” said Lee.

He said MBPJ should be more transparent and should have announced these massive projects well in advance instead of springing surprises on the people at the eleventh hour.

“If I had not passed the corner of Jalan Yong Shook Lin last Sunday, seen the notice board and brought the project to the notice of the people, the project would have gone ahead without any consultation.

“The board was erected at a sharp corner and I doubt if anyone would have noticed it and raised objections as there was only one week left to the objection period.

“Work would have started and the public would be denied the opportunity to object as the project gets the go-ahead due to the developers having spent money already. Would it not be better if the developers of projects of this magnitude proudly announce their project to residents earlier if it was all good and appealing?

“Besides the road systems, the current infrastructure in the area like drainage, water, sewerage and electricity does not seem to be able to cope with such a big development,” he said.

Residents are worried that the roads in the area will not be able to cope with the traffic density.

All Petaling Jaya Residents Association (Apac) chairman Liew Wei Beng said that residents have been calling for the MBPJ to conduct a comprehensive traffic study but none has been done so far.

“We are very concerned about the alarming rate of development in Petaling Jaya.

“We’ve been protesting several other projects like the PJX and V Square but it was allowed to go ahead,” said Liew.

He said MBPJ should be aware of the traffic congestion in the Section 52 area which has a high concentration of office buildings.

“And there are many buildings there that are still under construction or have not been fully occupied yet so that would bring in additional traffic as well,” he said.

Liew was in agreement with Lee in calling for the MBPJ to put up a centralised list of proposed developments so that it was easier for the public to know about.

“Some of these signboards for proposed developments are put up in places that people can hardly see,” said Liew.

When contacted, a PKNS spokesman confirmed that the agency’s headquarters would move from its present site at Section 52, Petaling Jaya to a new building to be constructed at Shah Alam.

Councillor reveals misuse of allocation

2010-05-20T13:29:00.007+08:00

By TAN KARR WEI
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/5/20/central/6288709&sec=central

MORE than 500 Petaling Jaya council employees illegally own low-cost flat units, a city councillor was told.

MBPJ councillor Mak Khuin Weng said he received a tip-off last month on alleged misuse of low-cost flats allocation in Petaling Jaya and wants an investigation conducted as soon as possible.

"I have received no official word that Selcat would pursue the matter since my first statement was made" MAK KHUIN WENG

“I received an anonymous letter last month which stated that these officers were not eligible to purchase these houses as their household income was above RM2,500. I want the council to do an audit so we can find out if the allegations are true,” said Mak.

He said that the letter further alleged that the information on these employees could be traced using the following methods:

· A search through the assessment tax records for details of property owners available from the MBPJ valuation department.

· A search through the records of individual certificate of fitness issued to each low-cost flat unit purchaser by the MBPJ building department.

· A search through the records of a named bank that provided most of the loans for low-cost flat unit purchases.

“As proof, the anonymous writer provided a copy of a bank loan statement for a low-cost unit. The copy of the loan allegedly bore the names of persons who were related to a senior MBPJ officer,” he said.

As a result of the allegation, Mak has written a request to the MBPJ mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman on April 29 to conduct an investigation to ascertain the relationship of these persons to the senior officer.

“I have requested, in the same letter, that an audit of all low-cost housing ownership be done using the prescribed method in the letter to trace these staff members and that the results of the audit be forwarded to the Select Committee for Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) for further investigation and action.

“The request was copied to all MBPJ local councillors, the MBPJ secretary Puasa Md Taib, Selangor Exco Ronnie Liu, Selcat chairperson Teng Chang Khim, Selcat deputy chairperson Haniza Mohamed Talha and Selcat committee member Edward Lee.

This was Mak’s second statement on the matter of improper ownership of low-cost flat units following his statement in February revealing two senior MBPJ officers owning low-cost apartment units despite drawing a salary of more than RM2,500 at the time of purchase.

Prime target: A number of units at this low-cost apartment block in Petaling Jaya are allegedly owned by senior MBPJ officers.

“I have received no official word that Selcat would pursue the matter since my first statement was made. The mayor had also given assurances to the media after the March full board meeting that the matter would be investigated by the MBPJ disciplinary committee but the matter has not been tabled to date either,” said Mak.

He added that he had in the past received complaints from former squatter village residents who were promised a chance to purchase a low-cost unit yet never received the offer once the construction of the low-cost flat was completed.

“These former squatter residents have shown me proof that they were interviewed and given alternative accommodation prior to waiting for the demolition of their village to make way for development and subsequent relocation to the completed flat in their former locale.

“The plight of these former squatter residents may be related to the purchase of low-cost flat units by MBPJ officers who may not be qualified to do so, thereby depriving these legitimate qualifiers from getting their rightful homes. That is why I am requesting for an audit and for thorough investigations to be done,” he said.

As of press time, the MBPJ has yet to issue a statement on the matter.

Both Selangor Housing and Property Board (LPHS) and the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) websites states that those who want to apply for low-cost housing must be Malaysians above 18 years old, do not own any houses, and do not have a combined household income above RM2,500.

Face to Face with IGP: Residents and police in dialogue in Petaling Jaya

2010-04-30T14:03:00.000+08:00

http://1mytomyam.blogspot.com/2010/04/face-to-face-with-igp-residents-and.html

Petaling Jaya residents had the opportunity to meet and speak to the nation’s No. 1 police officer - the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan in a “Face-to-Face with IGP” dialogue session held on Saturday 6th March 2010 at Dataran Petaling Jaya (opposite Amcorp Mall).

In meeting face to face with many Petaling Jaya residents, the IGP aims to increase public confidence and build closer rapport between police officers and the community, reduce the fear of crimes, and ressure the people that their concerns are being dealt with.

The turn out by the residents were excellent. Although some people were afraid about meeting face to face with police officers, many residents who came were very excited and felt privileged for having this opportunity to meet face to face with the IGP and other senior police officers. It was an effective and meaningful meeting judging by the large number of residents who participated in the dialogue session.

Also present at the dialogue session were Petaling Jaya city mayor Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar, senior police officers, the All Petaling Jaya Residents Association Coalition (APAC) president Liew Wei Beng and committee members of Residents Association (RA) and Rukun Tetangga (RT) in Petaling Jaya.

Spotted among the crowd were state assemblymen YB Edward Lee (Bukit Gasing) and YB Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku), who although both not officially invited came anyway to show their support.

Before the dialogue session began, there were police band performance, police cadet marching, and wushu demonstration among others. Later the Police K9 (canine) unit thrilled the crowd with the police dogs displaying their skills and abilities.

Arrival of Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.

Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) chairman Gan Keng (left) greets the arrival of Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar.

Committee members of Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) greet the arrival of Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar.
x

Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar extend greetings to all present.x
x

Arrival of Petaling Jaya Datuk Bandar (city mayor) Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman.

A tiger mascot representing the Year of the Tiger 2010 welcomes Petaling Jaya Datuk Bandar) Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman.

(city mayor

Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar (left) chatting with senior police officers.
x

Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar chatting with Datuk Bandar (city mayor) Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman.

A senior police officer chatting with committee members of Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA).

Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) chairman Gan Keng (in yellow shirt & vest) with Balai Polis SEA Park Officer-in-Charge of Station (OIC) Chief Inspector Mohd Sahar Bin Yunus (centre) and another police officer.

Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) committees: (From left) Cliff Yin, James Chan, Gan Keng (chairman), Susan Chan, Jimmy Tee, tiger mascot and Wendy Khoo.

Arrival of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan (right).

Senior police officers greeting the arrival of IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan (left).

Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) committee members Susan Chan greets IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) chairman Gan Keng (in yellow shirt & vest) greets Tan Sri Musa Hassan. x
X

A lion's welcome to IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan.
xxx

The lion unveil the scroll with the 1Malaysia logo to signify the support for the 1Malaysia concept and principles.

IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan shaking hands with the lion.
x

(From left) Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar, IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Datuk Bandar (city mayor) Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman stand to attention when the national anthem Negaraku is being played.

IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan (left) and Datuk Bandar (city mayor) Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman watching performances on the field.

A colourful smoke screen to start the launch of the event.

The show started off with the Royal Malaysian Police Band with entertaining tunes.

The Royal Malaysian Police Band was clearly the crowd favourite with their rendition of catchy tunes.
x

A police cadet performing a marching drill.
x

A wushu demonstration.

A large crowd watching the performances under a make-shift tent.

Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee (first from right) and representatives of Residents Associations (RA) watching the performances on the field.

Speech by the IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

(From left) Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar, IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Datuk Bandar

All Petaling Jaya Association (APAC) chairman Liew Wei Beng raised some issues of concern to the IGP.

IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan answering questions raised by the residents.

Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San making his hand print at one of the booths at the event.

Used-car dealers want to stay put in Taman Kanagapuram

2010-04-18T14:56:00.000+08:00

By Jade Chan
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/4/18/central/8494872&sec=central

THE Selangor MCA Public Complaints Bureau handed over a memorandum to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s office requesting to look into the plight of used car dealers in Taman Kanagapuram in Petaling Jaya.

Bureau deputy chairman, Kelvin Chong, said the used-car dealers were appealing to Khalid to help resolve their plight.

“This would mean overriding the Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) eviction notice for the dealers to move out.

“We urge the mentri besar to provide an opportunity for the dealers to continue their business.

“Some of the dealers who approached our bureau for help even came crying as they have invested their savings into their business and have no money left to relocate.

“We hope the state government would consider allowing the dealers to operate their business out of residential premises, just like the operators along Jalan SS2/24 and Jalan Gasing.”

Highlighting traders’ plight: Chong (right) and Hanipuddin (second from right) holding copies of the memorandum that they handed over to Khalid’s office. With them are (from left) bureau committee member Lim Yong Han, bureau deputy chairman Allan Liew and PJ Selatan Umno committee member Raja Azman Raja Aidros.

Taman Medan state liaison officer Raja Datuk Hanipuddin Raja Datuk Nong Chik said evicting the dealers would result losses in millions, but legalising them would earn the council some revenue.

The used car dealers said they were in a dilemma because they have been operating their used- and new car dealership businesses for years, and had invested a big amount, including property purchase.

They said their numerous attempts to apply for a business licence had been to no avail, and that more than 200 employees would be affected by the eviction.

However, the Taman Kanaga-puram Residents’ Association (RA) wants the used-car dealers to move out because none had approval from the local authority to operate in a residential area.

Besides contravening Section 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 which prohibits any use of land or building other than those stipulated in the local plan, the RA attributed the used-car businesses to the increased congestion and crime rate in the residential area.

Of the 119 lots in Taman Kanagapuram, the RA said 42 lots (about 35%) were illegally converted to business premises.

Twenty-four of the 42 lots are used for car dealerships and the others comprise scrap metal businesses, old folk’s home as well as places of worship.

The MBPJ confirmed that the used-car dealers had committed an offence for misuse of building because the houses they are operating from had not been converted into business premises.

The council also said enforcement action had been delayed numerous times despite several notices due to the traders’ appeals.

Yuen Mun Wai and Mohd Gafil Mohd Fauzi, who are both Taman Kanagapuram business operators and house owners, questioned the legality of the RA and whether the association truly represented all the residents.

“We are also residents but the RA has not made any attempt to engage us. When the traders attend meetings with the council, only a handful of the residents turn up,” said Mohd Gafil.

“The properties facing the Old Klang Road and New Pantai Expressway are not ideal for residential anymore due to their proximity to the main roads and high volume of traffic.

“If the properties in which the traders are operating from are vacated, they would either be left empty or be used as drug haunts,” he said.

Yuen said since the traders were carrying out business activities there, the value of the properties would also go up.

He said they would look into forming their own RA.

Trader Tan Hai Chuan said the dealers had approached Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee for assistance, but he only helped them extend their eviction deadline and not resolve the relocation issue.

When contacted, Taman Kanaga-puram RA president S. Selvaratnam said the association was registered in October 2006.

“We send out notices about our meetings and functions to residential properties,” he said.

He added that when they attended the meetings with the council,the assciation only sent three committee members.

“However, a meeting was later held with the residents, MBPJ heads of departments and councillor Latheefa Koya.

“Eviction notices were sent out after the residents voiced their concerns and the MBPJ verified the facts.” he said.

While he empathised with the dealers, Lee said the law was such that they had been operating illegally.

“They have been given ample time to thrash out their issues with the MBPJ and find a place to relocate. Their other option is to take the MBPJ to court.

“I did suggest a site for them to relocate to, but the land owner was not interested in the deal,” he said, adding that it is not the MBPJ’s or elected representative’s responsibilities to find an alternative site for the traders.

New turf for hockey pitch

2010-04-05T13:31:00.007+08:00

By Tan Karr Wei
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/4/5/central/5986544&sec=central

HOCKEY players using the Petaling Jaya hockey stadium could look forward to a new turf soon with the RM2mil budget by the Petaling Jaya City Council.

StarMetro highlighted the bad shape of the pitch inside the stadium which was built in 1995.

Located along Jalan Selangor, the stadium is home to the MBPJ junior hockey development programme.

Still in use: The juniors may get injured training on the worn out turf at the PJ Hockey Stadium.

The MBPJ hockey team was also using the field as their home venue until the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) withheld its approval after inspecting the turf three years ago.

Parents of the young hockey players had also expressed displeasure at the turf condition and felt that it was time that the MBPJ looked into upgrading the stadium.

Citing the high cost of maintaining the stadium, the council had in early last year announced that the stadium could be turned into a multi-purpose sports complex catering for futsal and indoor hockey.

During the recent MBPJ full board meeting last week, councillor Derek Fernandez had again suggested for the stadium to be turned into a sports complex.

He said RM2mil was too high to spend on upgrading the turf in a stadium that was hardly used and that the council should instead consider privatisation, like how the Kelab Syabas swimming pool was operated.

By turning the stadium into a sports complex, Fernandez said Petaling Jaya would then have a complete facility that would also cater to other sports like futsal.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, who was also present at the meeting, objected to the proposal and said there were many junior players and schools who used the stadium.

“My service centre is located there and I see people there every evening. I have even spoken to some of the parents and suggested that they give MBPJ a proposal on how they can work together with the council to manage the field,” said Lee.

He added that it was the council’s responsibility to provide facilities for the people and not focus on money-making ventures.

For the time being, the hockey players and their parents would just have to wait and see how long it would take before a proposal is tabled, a tender awarded and the RM2mil budget translated into a new pitch.

MBPJ Malam Mesra Gong Xi Fa Cai 2010 Bersama LA21 (Chinese New Year) procession and multiracial celebration

2010-03-23T14:14:00.001+08:00

http://1mytomyam.blogspot.com/2010/03/mbpj-mesra-gong-xi-fa-cai-2010-bersama.html

The boisterous Malam Mesra Gong Xi Fa Cai 2010 Bersama LA21 (Chinese New Year 2010 celebration with Local Agenda 21) at the Civic Centre car park on Saturday, 13th March 2010 is one of Petaling Jaya’s liveliest celebrations of the year.

Organized by Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) in cooperation with several residents associations (RA) and rukun tetangga (RT) in the neighbourhood, the event which started at 8.00 pm attracted over 2,000 people of all races.

Guest of honour Selangor state exco for Local Government, Study and Research YB Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew could not make it to the event at the last minute and was represented by Bukit Gasing state assemblyman YB Edward Lee who flagged off the procession.

YB Edward Lee is also the state's Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Assistant Exco member to Elizabeth Wong.

Also present were Petaling Jaya Datuk Bandar (city mayor) Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman, Petaling Jaya Selatan MP YB Hee Loy Sian and several MBPJ councillors.

The multi-racial crowd were in high spirits with the people of all races joining in the festive merry-making and happily intermingling. This augurs well for the nation as such cultural interaction among the different races can help bring them closer together and strengthen racial unity.

A large stage was set up where the guests were entertained with a variety of performances such as the dragon and lion dance, school band playing, mask-changing (bian lian) show and traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian dances.

A colourful street procession watched by a large crowd of people lining on both side of the streets in the Section 52 town centre was the highlights of the grand celebration.

MBPJ Malam Mesra Gong Xi Fa Cai organizing chairperson and MBPJ councillor Tiew Way Keng (centre) with Aman Suria Residents Association (RA) chairperson Wendy Chan (first from left) and Rukun Tetangga SS20 (a.k.a. Damansara Kim) chairperson Eileen Thong (second from right) among others getting ready for the street procession.

The tiger mascot representing the Year of the Tiger entertaining visitors to the Chinese New year celebration.

The Maybank's mascot Tiger is sponsored by the bank.

Maybank's tiger mascot made appearance to the delight of the children.

(From left) Organizing chairperson and MBPJ councillor Tiew Way Keng, Aman Suria Residents Association (RA) chairperson Wendy Chan and Rukun Tetangga SS20 chairperson Eileen Thong posing with the two tiger mascots of different appearance.

Organizing chairperson and MBPJ councillor Tiew Way Keng (third from right) posing with committee members of Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA). Standing from left are Cliff Yin, Irene Tan, Susan Chan, Alex Ng and Lim See Pong. The SEA Park RA is one of the residents associations involved in c0-organizing the event.

The beautiful arch at the entrance to the Civic Centre car park where the Chinese New Year celebration is held.

Attractive and cheerful ladies. Astro 304 Jiayu channel Marry-Go-Round host Happy Mary (right) is the female host for the Malam Mesra Gong Xi Fa Cai event.

The large crowd at the Civic Centre car park where the Malam Mesra Gong Xi Fa Cai

Four lion dance troupes from Lion Dance Troupe of University Malaya welcome guests at the entrance to the Chinese New Year event.

The lions enthralled guests with their playful performance.

Children having fun with the playful lion. celebration was held.

The lion dance troupe entertains the diabled from Beautiful Gates Foundation For The Disabled

Fun with the Lion: A disabled child from Beautiful Gates Foundation For The Disabled gets a helping hand from Wendy Khoo Lean Sing of Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA).

Even adults could not resist touching the lion's head for good luck.

Some even put their heads into the lion's mouth as this MBPJ enforcement drill officer did.

The MBPJ enforcement drill team (pasukan kawad penguatkuasaan MBPJ) having fun posing for photograph with the lions.

Hot tea beverage "teh tarik" for guests sponsored by Dairy Champ

Fascinating: Teh tarik demonstrator Mior Sazali Bin Mat Ali who is 2002 F&N TariKing Challenge Champion and now employed by Dairy Champ showing his acrobatic teh taik-making skills.

A favourite with Malaysians! Ready-packed chicken rice dish for guests. The chicken rice was pretty good like tender and packed with a great flavour punch.

Mandarin oranges for everyone. Mandarin oranges are symbol of wealth and good fortune.

The Indian dancers from Sharmala Barathanadya Dance Academy in Kelana Jaya in striking pose.

The Chinese fan dancers.

The break dance team from Rukun Tetangga (RT) Kawasan SS3, Petaling Jaya.

Some cool moves from the break dancer.

A break dancer showing off his skills.

The God of Prosperity "choy san yeah" handing out ang pows to guests.

A Malay family posing for photograph with the two tiger mascots and the God of Prosperity.

(From left) Loke Woh Kam, Alex Ng and Leong Yin Chee all from Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) posing with the God of Prosperity.

The Maybank tiger mascot gets attention from the school band members of SMK BU3.

The 'old lady' donning a mask in traditional costume is actually a man who is the 'sifu' (master) of the Yuen Leong Sing Fatt Lion Dance Troupe from Kampung Cempaka in Petaling Jaya.

The lion playing with the "old lady".

The pair of lions entertained guests with their antics.

Bukit Gasing state assemblyman and Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Assistant Exco YB Edward Lee in his speech said he was happy with the turnout and hoped that the residents of Petaling Jaya will continue to give their support to the government to make this event a success.

YB Edward Lee (2nd from left), Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman (3rd from left), Petaling Jaya Selatan MP YB Hee Loy Sian (4th from left), organizing chairperson Tiew Way Keng (4th from right) and MBPJ councillors on the stage.

YB Edward Lee received a mandarin orange from the lion. Looking on is Petaling Jaya city mayor Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman. Mandarin oranges are symbolic of wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture and tradition.

Petaling Jaya city mayor Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman receiving a mandarin orange from the lion.

Petaling Jaya Selatan MP YB Hee Loy Sian receiving a mandarin orange from the lion.

Organizing chairperson and councillor Tiew Way Keng receiving a mandarin orange from the lion.

A stilt walker dressed as one of the "Eight Immortals" handing out ang pows to the VIP guests. Seen here is Petaling Jaya city mayor Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman receiving an ang pow.

In Chinese culture and tradition, it is considered auspicious to receive ang pows and even more auspicious if they contain money.

Guests receiving ang pows from the stilt walker dressed as one of the "Eight Immortals".

Some of the "Eight Immortals" standing on stilts handing out ang pows to guests.

A traditional Malay dance.
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A traditional Chinese fan dance.

A traditional Indian dance.

The hip hop dance impressed with their breakdance moves.

It was worth every second to watch the mask-changing show where the artiste changed the many layer of masks covering her face in split second each time she swiftly wave the foldable paper fan with her hand across her face.
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The large crowd checking on the lucky draw numbers on the whiteboard. There were more than 90 prizes to be given away for lucky guests.

Lucky man Abdul Manap (first from right) won the first prize of a 40" Samsung LCD TV in the lucky draw.
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Persatuan Perayaan Poh Toh chairman Gan Keng (right) called on stage to receive the Token of Appreciation from YB Edward Lee for the association's sponsorship of hampers for the Lucky Draw.
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Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) committee member Jimmy Tee Choon Er of (right) receiving the Token of Appreciation from YB Edward Lee for the association's role in successfully co-organizing the event.

Aman Suria Residents Association (RA) chairperson Wendy Chan (right) receiving the Token of Appreciation from YB Edward Lee for the association's role in succesfully c0-organizing the event.
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Rukun Tetangga (RT) SS20 chairperson Eileen Thong (right) receiving a Token of Appreciation from YB Edward Lee for the RT's role in succesfully co-organizing the event.

A representative from Dijaya Corporation Bhd receiving a Token of Appreciation from YB Edward Lee for the corporation's sponsorship of the Samsung 40" LCV TV.
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A representative from Maybank receiving a Token of Appreciation from YB Edward Lee for the bank's sponsorship of the Tiger mascot.

Street procession:
The street procession in the Section 52 town centre - a colourful array of dragon dance and lion dance, tiger mascots, God of Prosperity, carnival float, school marching band, MBPJ enforcement officers, cultural dancers, stilt walkers, classic Mini Cooper cars - proceeded from the Civic Centre car park through Jalan Yong Shook Lin to Jalan Sultan and back.

Bukit Gasing state assemblyman YB Edward Lee flagged of the procession. With him are Petaling Jaya city mayor Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman (on Edward Lee's right) and Petaling Jaya Selatan MP YB Hee Loy Sian (on Edward Lee's left).

A pair of dragons with the pearl bearers lead the procession.

The VIPs joined in the street procession. Seen here are Bukit Gasing state assemblyman YB Edward Lee, organizing chairperson and councillor Tiew Way Keng and an official holding a flag bearing the logo of Local Agenda (LA) 21 which is a programme run by MBPJ related to sustainable development.

Petaling Jaya city mayor Dato' Haji Mohamad Roslan Bin Sakiman walked the streets accompanied by several MBPJ councillors.

The children dressed in Chinese New Year traditional clothes and carrying the lion's and dragon's heads joined in the procession.

The school marching band of SMK Bandar Utama 3.

The crowd get excited by the thundering entry of the school band.

The MBPJ enforcement drill team taking the march.

Stilt walkers dressed in costumes of "The Eight Immortals" of Chinese mythology. The "Eight Immortals" are a group of legendary fairies revered by the Chinese and considered to be signs of prosperity and longevity.

A brightly-lit colourful float in the procession.

Models in traditional clothes standing on the float waved to the crowd during the procession.

The decorated vintage car making its appearance.

A parade of spotless and polished vintage cars joined in the procession.

The pair of dragons making its way along Jalan Sultan.

Dragon dance symbolizes the bringing of good luck and prosperity in the new year.

The pair of dragons at the water fountain in the roundabout where Jalan Sultan and Jalan Yong Shook Lin joined.

The dragon chasing the pearl bearer who leads the dragon.

The dragon and lion dance performances on the street during the procession.

The lion and dragon dance troupes making its way along Jalan Yong Shook Lin.

The Little Buddha in a monk's robe and painted mask climbed on to a tree branch during the procession.

The dragon dance performance in front of the former State cinema in Jalan Yong Shook Lin.

The pair of dragons making its way back to the main entranc at Civic Centre.

Committee members of Section 21 SEA Park Residents Association (RA) wearing their RA jackets perform duty during the procession.

Sharing the festive joy

2010-03-06T10:45:00.003+08:00

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/3/6/central/5787248&sec=central

FESTIVE seasons are always a good time for residents in the Klang Valley to get together and foster neighbourly ties.

“This is a good time for people of all races to get together in celebration of the Chinese New Year,” said Petaling Jaya Selatan MCA chairman Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai, who hosted an open house recently.

During the event, Lim and Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno division head Raja Datuk Hanipuddin Raja Nong Chik handed out school supplies to more than 30 children from the Agathians Shelter in Section 8, Petaling Jaya.

The uniforms, bags and shoes were given by the Taman Kanagapuram MIC and the Petaling Indian Welfare Association.

Taman Kanagapuram MIC chairman P. Balakrishnan said the items were given to the children to help them through the school year.

More than a hundred guests from various NGOs and residents associations attended the open house.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian organised a Chinese New Year do at the Section 17 open-air carpark together with Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee and Taman Medan assemblyman Haniza Talha.

Besides a lion dance performance, there were also cultural dances to entertain the hundreds of guests at the event.

In Taman Megah Mas, Petaling Jaya, residents joined forces with Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin to help organise the Chinese New Year gathering at the Jalan Emas 1 playground.

Singing out: The SS15 Neighbourhood Watch Group
performing at the Chinese New Year Concert and Carnival

Despite the pouring rain, residents turned up in droves to enjoy the food and performances.

“The Taman Megah Mas people have always been supportive of events organised by the residents association and I’m glad to see the good turnout,” chairman G.C. Goay said.

In Subang Jaya, residents were treated to an evening of fun at the Chinese New Year Concert and Carnival.

Jointly organised by Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh, JKP (Residents Committee) Zone 3 and community paper SJ Echo, the event was held at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) sports complex.

Together with the residents to enjoy the singing and dancing performances by residents groups, local singer-songwriter Juwita Suwito and Elvis Presley of Malaysia HT Long were Selangor speaker Teng Chang Kim, Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne and Yeoh.

A five-minute fireworks performance, sponsored by Sime Darby, ended the event on a high note.

Over in Wangsa Maju, Wangsa Maju MCA division chairman Datuk Yew Teong Look hosted an open house at the PV12 Condo in Jalan Langkawi, Danau Kota, Setapak.

Food stalls serving local favourites such as fried noodles, curry noodles, chee cheong fun, satay, nyonya delicacies were a big attraction among the guests.

A lion dance performance welcomed the guests who were also given oranges.

Prima Setapak condominium resident Angel Lai, 37, said the event was great as it attracted all people to join in the celebration.

Another guest PPR Gombak Setia resident N. Jayaletchumi, 39, was also present with her children.

“I was invited over by a MIC representative and this is my first celebration here.

“It’s always nice to be a part of such events,” she said.

Yew said celebrating Chinese New Year on a bigger scale promoted racial interaction, which was the focus of the 1Malaysia concept.

Also present at the celebration were Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

Big turnout at Chinese New Year 2010 open house by PJ Selatan Member of Parliament YB Hee Loy Sian

2010-02-20T14:11:00.002+08:00

http://1mytomyam.blogspot.com/2010/02/big-turnout-at-chinese-new-year-2010.html

Member of Parliament PJ Selatan Hee Loy Sian played host to more than 1,000 well-wishers who turned up at a Chinese New Year (CNY) 2010 open house organized by him on Saturday 20th February 2010 at the open car park (formerly Sentosa cinema) in Jalan 17/27, Petaling Jaya.

The open house was attended by people from all walks of life, race and religion. They came together to wish everyone gong xi fa chai Happy New Year and to enjoy the free flow of food and drinks and the multi-cultural performances including the entertaining lion dance.

VIP Guests :
The guests included the Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly Teng Chang Khim, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) heavyweights and other leaders from Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and Democratic Action Party (DAP).

Arrival of Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut (left), wife of Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim at the PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian's Chinese New Year open house.

Arrival of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (left) being greeted by Segambut Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng.

The Speaker of Selangor State Legislative Assembly Teng Chang Khim (right) and Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee at the open house.

PJ Selatan MP CNY open house host Hee Loy Sian (left) welcomes Batu Member of Parliament and information chief of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Tian Chua (centre).
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(From left): Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut, Teng Chang Khim, Tian Chua and Edward Lee.

(From left): Hee Loy Tian, Teng Chang Khim, Tian Chua and Edward Lee.

(From left) Taman Medan state assemblyman Haniza Talha, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee and PKR information chief Tian Chua who is also Batu MP.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president and Gombak Member of Parliament Azmin Ali (left) greets Damansara Utama state assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin. Azmin Ali is also the state assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa.
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Shah Alam MP & Shah Alam PAS chief Khalid Samad (centre) in joyful mood with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Puan Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (right) while Damansara Utama state assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin looks on.

Kelana Jaya Member of Parliament Loh Gwo-Burne (right) chatting with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Mohd Azwar Bin Sapian Suri (Skot) from Parti SeMalaysia (PAS) PJ Selatan posed with PJ Selatan MP CNY open house host Hee Loy Sian.

Lion Dance :
The lion dance performances entertain guests as well as spread good luck, good fortune, good health and prosperity.

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Lion dances are performed during Chinese New Year to bring good luck and to drive away bad spirits.

The energetic lions dance to the beat of drum, gong and cymbals. x

From left : PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian, Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly Teng Chang Khim and Batu MP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief Tian Chua watching a lion dance performance.
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Batu Member of Parliament and Party Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief Tian Chua was amused by the playful lion ....

... and in turn the Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assemby Teng Chang Khim gave the lion a pat.

PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian received an offering of mandarin oranges, pomelo and lettuce leaves from the lion. It also unfurled a red scroll with Chinese New Year greetings from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Azmin Ali who is also Gombak MP and Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyman looking at the messages of good luck unfurled by the lion during the performance.
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Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Azmin Ali (left) and PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian both holding a message of good luck.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (left) and PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian both holding a red banner which carried greetings of Gong Xi Fa Cai

The lion handing out mandarin oranges from its mouth to children ...

... and adults as well.

Emcee :
Lin Chun Xiu was the emcee for the day.

Her voice is as sweet as honey.

Chun Xiu's sweet nature comes through loud and clear from the stage.

Tossing the "Yee Sang" :
The "yee sang" is a raw fish salad and is served during Chinese New Year as a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor for the new year. Yee sang is believed to bring good luck, good wealth and fortune for the year to those whom tosses the yee sang.

A pose before the toss: (from left) Damansara Utama state assemblyman Dr. Cheah Wing Yin, Taman Medan state assemblyman Haniza Talha, Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut, host Hee Loy Sian, Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee and Batu Member of Parliament Tian Chua.

Tossing for prosperity: (from left) Damansara Utama state assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin, Taman Medan state assemblyman Haniza Talha, Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut, host Hee Loy Sian Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee and Batu Member of Parliament Tian Chua tossing yee sang during the Chinese New Year open house organized by PJ Selatan Member of Parliament.

Yummy...this yee sang taste really good!

I must say that it sure tastes good. Enjoy, it’s yummy!

It taste good! Delicious.
at the PJ Selatan MP Chinese New Year open house.

Ang pow-giving :
Ang pow-giving is a customary practice during Chinese New Year. Ang pow means red packet. Red because it is a sign of good luck and prosperity. This red packet contains “good luck” money and given out by married individuals to those who are not married, especially the children. Giving the ang pow is a symbol of goodwill to bless the receiver with health and good fortune.

The God of Prosperity "Choy San Yeh" handing out ang pow during the event.

The big crowd rushing to receive the ang pows from the God of Prosperity had to be restrained by Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya enforcement officers.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail handing out ang pow to the underprivileged children from Children's Homes.

Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian handing out ang pow to senior citizens.

Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee giving out ang pow.

Cultural performances :
The guests were treated to a multi-racial cultural dance and song show performed with full of spirit, excitement and joy.

The lady in cheongsam captivates the audience with her singing prowess and vocals.

The stage resounded with the beat of drums during the 24 Season Drum performance presented by Multimedia University (MMU), Cyberjaya. The four drummers are undergraduates from MMU's Chinese Language Society.

Graceful performers: A Malay traditional cultural dance presented by Rukun Tetangga (RT) Taman Dato' Harun, Petaling Jaya.

The pretty dancers from Rukun Tetangga (RT) Taman Dato' Harun, Petaling Jaya.

An Indian cultural dance executed with extreme grace and poise.

Food :
Food was aplenty with varieties of local delicacies including mee rojak, ice-kacang and cendol.

The crowd's favourite mee rojak.

A volunteer giving out mandarin oranges to guests.

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The big crowd at the Chinese New Year open house organized by Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian.

USJ 6 folk stage protest against proposed development

2010-01-04T10:28:00.003+08:00

http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=41875

PETALING JAYA (Jan 3, 2010) : Residents of USJ 6 have called on the state planning committee to reject proposed plans for nine-storey commercial block in their housing area.

They staged a protest today near the site to appeal to Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who is also chairman of the committee, to decide on the matter quickly.

The residents' pro-tem committee spokesman Philip Soong said: "Our fate is in the hands of Tan Sri Khalid. He must make a decision on this matter. However, he has yet to make a decision after six months," he said.

"This land has been here since we bought the house 15 years ago and it is meant to be a telephone exchange. The developers didn't tell us it is private land," he said.

Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh, who was present at the protest, called on the committee to back the Subang Jaya Municipal Council's (MPSJ) rejection of the plans submitted by TM Facilities and Pujangga Budiman Sdn Bhd.

"We don't want any commercial development in USJ 6, as this land is supposed to be a Telekom reserve. We would like the SPC to endorse the MPSJ," said Yeoh.

The Selangor Appeals Board held that the fate of the plot lies with the state planning committee as to whether to approve the revocation development order for a nine-storey commercial building on the land.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, who was also present, called for the state executive council to be more transparent in how they reach their decisions.

"The exco members have to be more transparent and make their reasons and rationale for decisions known to the public. No reason was given by them for the revision of the decision of the MPSJ. The people have a right to know how the decisions are being made," he said.

Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said the MPSJ rejection of the plan should be accepted by the committee.

"What is surprising is that the decision was made without a public hearing of the residents. We can understand if Telekom has no use for this land and wants to capitalise on this asset, but they have to take into account the views and opinions of the residents," he said.

Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said the state would have to examine the issue carefully as it was not just a local issue.

"A decision will affect all reserve land that are actually commercial in nature throughout the country," he said.

Okt 2009 PERTANYAAN-PERTANYAAN BERTULIS DARIPADA Y.B. TUAN EDWARD LEE POH LIN (BUKIT GASING)

2009-10-22T15:02:00.000+08:00

Tajuk: Pajakan dan pembangunan tanah
http://dun.selangor.gov.my/v2/sites/default/files/03.2009/BERTULIS/06.101-110.pdf

101. Bertanya kepada Y.A.B. Dato’ Menteri Besar :

a) Apakah Kerajaan Negeri sedang lakukan untuk memastikan bahawa kepentingan rakyat adalah dilindungi dan diberikan kedudukan atau status hak milik kekal atau selamanya untuk tanah mereka tanpa apa-apa bayaran premium di mana ia adalah hak mereka?

b) Adakah Kerajaan Negeri akan menggunakan isu pajakan tanah sebagai satu alat untuk pembangunan atau pembangunan semula Bandaraya Petaling Jaya?

c) Jika akan berlakunya pembangunan atau pembangunan semula di Bandaraya Petaling Jaya, bagaimanakah ini akan dilakukan?

JAWAPAN :

a) Berhubung pemberimilikan tanah kerajaan, Pihak Berkuasa Negeri mengamalkan dasar Kerajaan Berkebajikan di mana pemberimilikan tanah-tanah baru dan perlanjutan tempoh pajakan diberikan kepada pemohon yang layak khususnya bagi tujuan bangunan kediaman.

Dalam pelaksanaan dasar ini, Pihak Berkuasa Negeri terikat dengan peruntukan undang-undang di bawah Kanun Tanah Negara (KTN) di mana bawah peruntukan Seksyen 42 Kanun Tanah Negara, pemberimilikan tanah kerajaan boleh diluluskan secara pajakan tidak melebihi tempoh 99 tahun. Sebagai balasan kepada Pihak Berkuasa Negeri secara “win-win situation”, individu yang diluluskan pemberimilikan tanah kerajaan dikehendaki menjelaskan pembayaran premium tanah yang mana merupakan hasil kepada Kerajaan Negeri yang kemudiannya disalurkan untuk tujuan pembangunan negeri dan kebajikan rakyat.

b) Cadangan pembangunan semula di kawasan Rancangan Tempatan Petaling Jaya 1 (Seksyen) adalah bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kualiti persekitaran dimana ianya melibatkan kawasan yang usang, agak sesak dan tidak teratur serta kawasan yang berusia melebihi 30 tahun dan mempunyai tahap keupayaan infrastruktur yang rendah.

c) Jawatankuasa Mengkaji Soalan Dewan yang bermesyuarat pada 22 Oktober 2009 telah menolak soalan ini

Traffic diversion in PJ

2009-10-12T09:10:00.007+08:00

By Tan Karr Wei
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/10/12/central/4880143&sec=central

THERE will be a major traffic diversion in the Jalan Universiti area in Petaling Jaya starting next month.

Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) engineering department director Ismail Shafie said besides Jalan Universiti, the other roads affected were Jalan Dato Abu Bakar, Jalan 17/1, Jalan 16/6, Jalan 16/4 and Jalan 16/10.

The project to relocate 1.6km of 1.8m diameter water pipes under the Jalan Universiti flyover was undertaken by the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry.

According to the announcement published on the ministry website, the purpose of the project was to prevent damages on the flyover and ramp structures in the event of a pipe burst.

Affected areas: Major work to relocate water pipes along Jalan Universiti
is expected to commence in early November.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee expressed gratitude that sufficient funds had been provided by the Federal Government to carry out the project to ensure the safety of motorists using the flyover.

Ismail said the project was expected to start next month and completed in May next year.

He said the final details of the road diversion would be announced after the MBPJ traffic committee meeting on Oct 22.

The ministry’s website stated that Jalan 16/6 and Jalan Dato Abu Bakar would be partly closed while Jalan 16/4 and Jalan 16/10 would be fully closed.

Details on the road diversion is available on http://www.jba.gov.my/files/pamphlet%20b12_300909.pdf/pamphlet%20b12_300909.pdf. (Have inserted road diversion details below.)

Lee said the authorities would provide information to affected residents and regular road users through leaflets and billboards to indicate alternative routes.

Road diversion details

Click on image for larger version

No locus standi for Selangor BN assemblymen to sue Selcat: Chairman

2009-10-11T13:17:00.000+08:00

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/31292

SHAH ALAM, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- A Selangor special select committee chairman said today the three Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) state assemblymen who are suing it did not have the locus standi to do so.

Teng Chang Kim, chairman of the Special Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat), said the assemblymen were not the aggrieved parties and had not been called or questioned by the seven-member Selcat panel.

"There is no case at all in this matter. The three assemblymen are not the aggrieved parties in this context. How can they sue Selcat? Even if they want to sue Selcat, they should sue all the assemblymen of the legislative assembly, including themselves, because they did not raise any objection (during the sitting) when Selcat was formed," he told Bernama after attending the Selangor State Assembly sitting, here.

Sungai Air Tawar assemblyman Raja Datuk Ideris Raja Ahmad, Morib assemblyman Hasiman Sidom and Kuala Kubu Baharu assemblyman Wong Koon Mun filed originating summonses against Teng and six other Selcat members yesterday to determine the legality of the committee.

The trio also named the Selangor state assembly speaker, the Selangor state assembly secretary and the Selangor state government in their suit.

Teng, who is the Selangor state assembly speaker, said Article 72 (1) of the Federal Constitution clearly stated that the validity of any proceedings of the legislative assembly should not be raised in court.

Selcat was established, among others, to regulate and inspect the competence, accountability and transparency in all administrative matters of the state government and all agencies, statutory bodies, local authorities and organisations linked to or which were under the administration of the state government.

The committee is chaired by Teng, and has as members Deputy Speaker Haniza Mohamed Talha, Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa), Saari Sungib (PAS-Hulu Klang), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang) and Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua).

Unshaken complacency

2009-10-11T08:56:00.004+08:00

By Joseph Loh and Rashvinjeet S. Bedi
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/11/focus/4882460&sec=focus

Malaysia may not be as immune to earthquakes as is commonly believed. Earthquakes in neighbouring countries may trigger the inactive fault lines running in peninsular Malaysia, say experts.

MALAYSIANS think earthquakes will never occur in the country. But in reality, they do, with the most recent one with its epicentre in Manjung, Perak, occurring on April 29 this year.

In fact, Malaysia has a small history of earthquakes. The region around Sabah, especially around Ranau, Kudat and Lahad Datu, is no stranger to earthquakes, and according to a seismological expert, it is not uncommon for two or three to strike the area yearly.

According to the Engineering Seismology and Engineering Earthquake Research Group (E-Seer) of the faculty of civil engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, there is a possibility of a much larger earthquake occurring in Malaysia, especially if the earthquakes in Indonesia trigger the inactive fault lines running in peninsular Malaysia.

Mohd Zamri Ramli, a researcher from E-Seer, shares that an earthquake in the Indonesian region could trigger and re-activate the fault lines in the peninsula.

And even if a major earthquake does not happen in Malaysia, the effects of an earthquake in Indonesia could still have dire consequences for us. He points out the 1985 earthquake that devastated Mexico City which had its epicentre more than 350km away.

"Buildings or structures in Malaysia are not designed to
resist the force of an earthquake" DR NORHISHAM BAKHARY

“What we are stressing is that we are within a similar critical distance from one of the world’s most active earthquake zones,” says Zamri.

The recent earthquake in Padang occurred 400km from Kuala Lumpur. The earthquake in Bengkulu (southern Sumatra) in 2000 happened 650km from Johor Baru and caused occupants of the now demolished Bukit Cagar flats to wake up in the middle of the night.

“The recent earthquake in Padang caused tremors for 10 minutes in the area around Johor Baru. That is something to be worried about. We do not know how our buildings will react to an earthquake of more than magnitude 8,” adds Zamri.

Che Noorliza Lat, a seismology and geophysics expert from the geology department, Universiti Malaya, says the devastation of an earthquake also depends on the underlying structure of the ground beneath the area.

She explains that Mexico City was built on a filled-up lake (Lake Texcoco). With its high water content, it was easily moved. She likens it to shaking a bowl of jelly as opposed to something solid.

“The jelly will wobble and shake but the solid piece will not wobble as much or at all,” she says, adding that it is possibly why some people in Malaysia felt the recent tremors and some did not.

Moving plates of rock

Going by the past, the peninsula is not as prone to tremors, but over a period of three years beginning in 1984, the area around the Kenyir Dam in Terengganu recorded about 20 tremors, the strongest of which registered at magnitude 5 on the Richter scale.

Bukit Tinggi in Pahang was hit by three earthquakes on Nov 30, 2007, followed by more than 10 separate events until the last in May 2008, but the strongest was a meagre 3.5 on the Richter scale.

Zamri: "We must have a drill for earthquakes just as we do for fires"

There have been two more isolated earthquakes since, the one in Manjung, and another in Jerantut, Pahang, on March 27 this year, measuring 3.2 and 2.6 respectively.

It should be noted that the Kenyir earthquakes were reservoir-induced seismicity (RIS), possibly caused by the weight of the water destabilising the region, or water seepage through cracks, which reactivated existing dormant fault lines.

The other three locations on the peninsula are the only instances of naturally-occurring earthquakes in modern recorded history. While earthquakes do happen, it is not in a large and destructive scale as witnessed in neighbouring Indonesia, therefore the assumption that we are relatively safe is not far off the mark.

Noorliza explains that earthquakes happen because the earth’s crust is moving all the time.

“It is very dynamic. The earth is never settled and is always moving, constantly creating and destroying land.”

She says that the earth is covered with tectonic plates, which can be likened to ice sheets over a pool of water, and a fault line is where two or more plates meet.

“Tectonic plates are literally plates of rock which are moving. These plates move relative to one another, and sometimes they get lodged or stuck. They still exert force on each other, but do not move.

“Sometimes, the accumulated energy overcomes the friction and it breaks, and then we have an earthquake.

“In Malaysia, we do not get major earthquakes because we are not on the edge of a tectonic plate. We are on the Sunda Shelf, which is an extension of the Eurasia plate, so we should be pretty stable,” she says, but adds that nobody knows that for sure.

These plates have cracks on its surface, and these form minor fault lines and fractures.

“We are criss-crossed with fault lines, they are everywhere. We have the Mersing fault and the Bok Bak fault, for example, but these are all considered inactive as they do not move,” Noorliza says.

Not built for quakes

Noorliza: "The likelihood is very small and so far, a magnitude of 5 is the strongest

Dr Norhisham Bakhary, another researcher from E-Seer, says that with the exception of the Penang Bridge and KLCC, buildings or structures in Malaysia are not designed to resist the force of an earthquake.

This means that if an earthquake with a high magnitude occurred in Malaysia, there is a high possibility that most buildings would collapse.

Earthquakes at magnitude 2 will not be felt by humans, but at magnitude 3, some will feel it.

“It feels like a heavy lorry driving past. At magnitude 4, some light structures like huts may shake and fall, and at magnitude 5, some structures with no pilings may fail.

“However, if a magnitude 6 earthquake hits Kuala Lumpur, we are in trouble,” she says.

Dr Norhisham says that our buildings are only designed for a top or “normal” load and not for a lateral or side-to-side load which earthquakes cause.

He adds that for buildings to be able to withstand earthquakes, structural members have to be bigger in size, besides many other design considerations. This means more material is needed for construction, which translates into higher costs.

“Nobody wants to spend that much because they think it will never happen. I have spoken to building owners but no one really seems to care,” says Dr Norhisham.

Since buildings are not designed to sustain earthquake load, pre-earthquake assessment is the only way to evaluate their behaviour under earthquake loads. This assessment is done via computer simulation using a “finite element” method.

With this analysis, the behaviour of the building in an earthquake can be determined, and the critical part of the building identified for further action.

“If the building cannot withstand the load, then its structure will need to be strengthened,” says Dr Norhisham.

After an earthquake, the structural integrity of a building is compromised.

“The firemen can’t check the connections which are covered. Do we have to wait until something happens before we take any preventive action?”

He says that to ensure buildings are still safe after an earthquake, post-earthquake assessment is essential, which would first entail visual inspection. If needed, non-destructive tests can be conducted to identify unseen damage in structural members. Based on the results of the assessment, the rehabilitation process can proceed, if required.

Dr Norhisham emphasises that assessment should be done on buildings with large people capacity, such as schools, hospitals and government buildings.

Zamri says that Malaysia does not take into account the threat of earthquakes, unlike other countries.

“We do not have a design and construction code in relation to earthquakes. We need to conduct a lot of research in this area and create a hazard map by recording and analysing data in the long run,” he says.

Dr Norhisham says the Custom & Immigration Quarantine Complex (CIQ) has taken pro-active steps and have requested inspections on the complex.

“It will be costly but it has to be done,” he says, adding that E-Seer also received distress calls from Selayang Hospital as its authorities were unsure of what to do after the tremors.

Dr Norhisham points out that all it takes is for one beam to fail for a collapse to occur, citing the example of the Kuala Terengganu stadium roof collapse.

Noorliza opines that Malaysians do not need to be overly worried about earthquakes as there is no history of damaging earthquakes in the country.

“The likelihood is very small and so far, a magnitude 5 is the strongest,” she says.

However, she notes that recently, there has been increased seismic activity in the region and even in the country itself.

“There is a chance of an earthquake. We just do not know how big and where it will hit.

“I am not trying to cause panic, but it is a fact. I am not saying Malaysia is active seismically; it is only increasing in activity,” she says, adding that the public should be aware of what to do if an earthquake strikes.

“Those in high-rise buildings should be careful. Nothing bad will probably happen, but they should take precautions,” she says.

Noorliza advises them to exit the building orderly just in case it is only a foreshock – before the real one hits.

Zamri stresses that now would be a good time to educate the public about what to do in the event of an earthquake.

“We must have a drill for earthquakes, just as we do for fires,” he says, adding that in Japan, people are taught not to run but to seek shelter under a table or bed and with a bottle of water and their handphone.

Lee comes to Selcat’s defence

2009-09-23T11:17:00.001+08:00

By Pauline Almeida
www.mmail.com.my/content/13839-lee-comes-selcat%E2%80%99s-defence

ANOTHER member of Selangor’s special select committee for competency, accountability and transparency (Selcat) has spoken up in defence of the body that was set up to ensure good governance by the State government.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee Poh Lin, who sits on Selcat’s seven-member panel, is of the view that the body should continue to function the way it has all this while.

He also expressed support for Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s recent statement that the State’s legislature could not undermine Selcat with an independent group, as it was not within the framework of the legislative assembly.

“We should follow what he has instructed us to do and support what Selcat is doing,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Lee was expressing his views on State Exco member and Pas commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Ali’s suggestion that Selcat be replaced with an independent committee comprising prominent people without political leanings.

Hasan made the call as he felt Selcat members were employing overly tough questioning tactics that were victimising State and district civil servants.

He had called for Selcat sessions to be held behind closed doors instead of making it public.

Lee confirmed that the district officers were being questioned and the Selcat panel had been conducting this process with civility and politeness.

“We don’t think we were unusually harsh, but the facts can be harsh. How else can we do it without sacrificing the truth?”

He acknowledged that Selcat had held only two public hearings in the last six months; one on the long list of expenses by the Wives of Selangor Elected Representatives Charity Organisation (Balkis) and former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s RM24 million mansion.

The other is the on-going inquiry into the allocations of the previous State assemblymen.

“We are doing this in support of good governance and this is nothing personal. I don’t agree that we’re victimising State officers. We are well-meaning people,” added Lee.

Selcat inquiry sparks DOs’ revolt

2009-09-19T00:20:00.001+08:00

By Neville Spykerman

www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/38135-selcat-inquiry-sparks-dos-revolt-

SHAH ALAM, Sept 19 - A Selangor district officer has accused state watchdog Selcat of political opportunism and shaming him in an inquiry into misused state allocations, getting PAS’s Datuk Hasan Ali today on his side and touching off more turbulence within the Pakatan Rakyat government.

Apart from the claim, Klang District Officer (DO) Bakhtiar Husin and a few other counterparts also boycotted the state government’s Malaysia Day celebrations last Wednesday.

But instead of nipping the open revolt in the bud, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and other executive councillors met the DOs on Thursday to listen to their “grouses”, effectively undermining the select committee on competency, accountability and transparency (Selcat), which was created and empowered by the legislative assembly.

Hasan poured oil into the fire today by describing Selcat “bullying officers” in comments made to the Sinar Harian tabloid, which had carried Bakhtiar’s complaints.

During his testimony on Sept 9, the DO and his officers were questioned about how more than RM4 million worth of annual allocation for use by Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen in constituencies within the district was used, within the first two months of 2008.

Bakthiar admitted applications for allocations were fast-tracked for approval due to the general elections “to create an impact” as the money was needed to pay for small development projects and community programmes,

In Sinar Harian today, Bakhtiar lashed out at Selcat chairman Teng Chang Khim as having a political agenda in carrying out the probe.

Bakhtiar is one of five DOs who testified in the inquiry in the state which is divided into nine districts.

In backing Bakhtiar, Hasan, who is a state executive councillor, called for the end of the public inquiries, suggesting it should be held behind closed doors.

However, the Selangor Pas Commissioner is on a collision course with Selcat which includes a lawmaker from his own party.

Saari Sungib told The Malaysian Insider that, Hasan should be referred to House Privileges Committee for his outburst and the matter should be deliberated internally.

“It’s in our interest to get his explanation because he may have been misquoted in the press.” said the PAS Hulu Kelang assemblyman.

The Selcat member pointed out that public inquiries are held in all modern democracies to provide check and balance to government administration.

“We are tasked with getting the truth, problem starts when witnesses try to be evasive.”

“In this case, the DOs who are financial controllers have the power to say ‘no’ and stop lawmakers from abusing their allocations,” he said.

Contrary to complaints, Saari said, Selcat was empowering to DOs to use their powers, which they always had but was denied to them by the previous BN administration, instead of just being “Yes Men”.

Taman Medan lawmaker Haniza Mohamad Talha saw the criticism against Selcat’s public inquiry as hampering the public’s “right to know”.

The deputy speaker said public perception has been positive because many things are being learnt and exposed unlike before.

During the public inquiry, a DO disclosed RM10 million was distributed to each district for small projects, in 2007, which is believed to part of BN’s pre-election development campaign.

“We would never have known this, had it not been for the public inquiry.”

She added the use of annual allocations for the general elections was obviously pre-planned because all DOs expedited the process at the same time, yet they have refused to disclose who gave them the order.

Haniza also expressed surprised at DOs’ allegations of being humiliated.

She pointed out officials from Selangor state-linked companies hauled up for a public inquiry earlier into the misuse of state funds channeled to the Wives of Selangor Elected Representatives Welfare Oganization (Balkis) were grilled even more intensely.

Selcat member Edward Lee said the public will be the judge of the select committee and its public inquiry.

“We call a spade a spade.” said the lawmaker for Bukit Gasing, who also pointed out that he had commended Sabak Bernam DO Marzuki Hussin and his team for their detailed upkeep of records and his frank opinions during his testimony.

“Hasan Ali, is the one who has to explain himself to the public. He has to vindicate himself.”

Lee added almost all DOs admitted that spending the annual allocations was not prudent.

Both Teng and Hasan could not be reached for comments.

Hasan had previously crossed swords with other executive councillors in the Selangor government by calling for a ban in the sale of beers in convenience outlets and asking mosque officials to detain Muslims drinking alcohol during the fasting month.