etP AnALYSiS: ActUAL VS cOMMitteD

12 13

No answers in riSing criMe rAte Dewan over Scorpene buy iS reAL

p

community

JUNE 22 24, 2012/ issue 79

This clause set by the health ministry is ridiculous as not many doctors have the time to spend 200 hours in training for six months
Yeo

Confused Liow rapped

By Brenda Chng

SHAH ALAM: Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lais assertion that St John Ambulance Malaysia (SJAM) did not have enough doctors and visiting nephrologists at their dialysis centres has outraged the 104-yearold organisation. Liow had reportedly said this while denying his ministry had imposed unreasonable requirements on SJAM dialysis centres under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 2008. Last week, Selangor Times reported that some 500 kidney patients, who rely on the non-profit organisations 14 dialysis centres nationwide, would be left in a lurch ifSJAM carried out its threat to surrender the centres back to Putrajaya due to the rules. Under the new regulations, each centre is required to have a Person In Charge (PIC) who is a nephrologist,who is a doctor specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases. In addition, there must be a visitingnephrologist whose duties include consulting patients once every three months. Weve had no problems in the past as GPs (general practitioners) could be appointed as person in charge too. But since the amendment to the Act, every person in charge has to be either a specialist or a nephrologist, saidSJAM Selangor state commander Datuk Bernard Yeo to the Selangor Times yesterday. SJAM currently onlyhas three nephrologists and two GPs to oversee their 14 dialysis centres. Nephrologists who do not have their own practice are allowed to be a PIC (person in charge) for three dialysis centres while those who do can oversee only two. Yeo explained that under the new rules GPs would have to complete 200 hours of training with a nephrologist, within six months, to be

qualified to become a PIC at a dialysis centre. This clause set by the health ministry is ridiculous as not many doctors have the time to spend 200 hours in training for six months. They have their own practices and patients to look after too. SJAM only managed to get two GPs to undergo the training to become qualified. Yeo also accused Liow of being confused when he claimed that his ministry had been asking SJAM to make up the ratio but they had not complied. What ratio, hes confused, said Yeo. He pointed out that SJAMhas enough visiting nephrologists to cater to those under their care at all their centres. According to the health ministry, one nephrologist can consult up to 500 patients as each consultation is scheduled once every three months, he said. SJAM commander-in-chief Datuk Dr Low Bin Tick also told the Selangor Times that the new regulations being imposed, including the 200 hours training for GPs, is ridiculous. Doctors have many responsibilities and the health ministry does not understand the difficulty in persuading nephrologists and other specialists to join SJAM, he said. Dr Low further added that the ministry failed to consult relevant non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including SJAM before making amendments to the law. Its such a frustrating thing as the ridiculous requirements and obstacles are discouraging us from continuing our efforts in providing for the less fortunate, he said. St John Ambulance in Malaysia is currently the only body, among 42 other St John Ambulance organisations around the world, to have dialysis centres. Dr Low is currently helping other countries like Papua New Guinea set up dialysis centres to help the less fortunate community there.

It was a joyous occasion as some 150 residents of Pandan Perdana turned up to celebrate Parents Day as well as the Dumpling Festival recently. The event was held at the Futsal Pandan Perdana complex.

Crime and perception

JUNE 22 24, 2012

news

By Lee Choon Fai

byMinister without Portfolio in the Prime Ministers Department and PUCHONG: Contrary to claims chief executive officer of the Perforby Putrajaya, crimes are not only on mance Management and Delivery the increase but so are brazen acts of Unit (Pemandu) Datuk Seri Idris violence against victims, said local Jala and Home Affairs Minister lawmakers and community leaders. Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein The reality is there is more that the rising crime rate is just a crime, the criminals of today are matter of perception. even more daring, they act in broad I think we all can see it is not just daylight even where you have full a question of perception, the fact security, said Puchong member of that crime has become more ramParliament Gobind Singh Deo. pant not only in Puchong but the Gobind, who is also a lawyer, was whole of Malaysia is very obvious, speaking to the press after visit- he said. ing SJK (C)Han Ming last Saturday Malaysians generally do not feel where security guards were over- safe due to the escalating cases of powered and tied-up by three men crime. who broke into the schools safe in He also supported the statement the early morning of June 14. by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib The perpetrators used a blow Tun Razak that more needs to be torch to break the 6-inch thick safe done to ensure public safety and to steal RM30,000 before robbing security. staff arriving for the morning shift We understand that the police at the vernacular school here. are trying their best, but at the end School authorities believe the of the day we cannot run away from men made off with an estimated the fact that this is a major problem, RM250,000 in cash and valuables. and we need to do all we can to make Gobind refuted recent claims sure the crime levels in Malaysia are

reduced, said Gobind. Putrajaya must take the matter seriously and police must start showing the public that they are capable of bringing criminals to justice. He also urged the government to be more aggressive when addressing crime instead of dismissing it as a matter of perception. Kinrara state lawmaker Teresa Kok also expressed shock that even schools were not spared. This is a despicable crime, the money in Han Ming are donations from parents and the community, she said. Kok has donated RM3,000 to the school, while local churches have given RM2,000. Meanwhile, the school board deputy chairman, Wong Kok Pin, called on the Education Ministry to do more to ensure the security of schools. Schools are places for education, but the robbers had left a very bad experience. The students, the children are scared, he said.

Gobind (right), Kok (second from left), Eagle Point Christian Fellowship Pastor Joseph Gan (left) and Wong inspecting the safe.

Selangor WeaTHer
Friday Morning Saturday Sunday

afternoon

How safe is Selangor?

By Basil Foo
phone (603) 5523 2288 fax (603) 5523 1188 email editor@selangortimes.com

night

Source: Malaysian meteorological department

EDITORIAL
CHIEF EDITOR

KL Chan C Gunasegaran

PRODUCTION EDITOR COMMUNITY EDITORS

Neville Spykerman, Liu Wu Chiu

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

Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man Yen, Alan Wong

ADVERTISING

Timothy Loh, Samantha Sim, Tony Kee, Kenneth Koh, Adila Majid

ADVISORS

Faekah Husin, Arfaeza Abdul Aziz

kUala lUmPUr: Conflicting home ministry statistics on crime in Selangor is casting a doubt on the actual level of security in the state. Petaling Jaya Utara member of Parliament Tony Pua is accusing the ministry of cherry-picking statistics after he received three different figures on crime rates. Are these figures adapted as and when the ministry wants to adapt them? he asked. Home ministry secretary-general Datuk Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi issued a statement on Wednesday which stated that the number of crime cases in Selangor was 54,994 in 2009, 46,469 in 2010, and 44,302 in 2011. The statement was made as a correction to an earlier release of crime statistics provided to Pua, which he revealed to the press on June 19. The earlier statistics stated there

were 56,689 cases in 2009, 44,302 in 2010, and 49,469 in 2011. Pua added that he had received a written reply in Parliament in 2010, which stated the total crime cases in Selangor was 54,443 for 2009. After receiving three conflicting figures for crime statistics in 2009, he insisted the ministry publish a breakdown of all cases as it was the publics right to know and not just cherrypick statistics that look good. He ridiculed the latest correction and said a breakdown of statistics by district should have also been published for better transparency. He also questioned the performance of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) which earmarked Selangor under its crime reduction National Key Result Area (NKRA). Crime statistics with a breakdown could be obtained previously, but Pua said he stopped receiving them since the NKRA was launched in 2010.

59 60

75

60

53

Elimination

BEST BRAND IN PEST MANAGEMENT

No 3-LG-01, Block A, Megan Salak Park, Jalan 2/125E, Taman Desa Petaling, 57100 Kuala Lumpur

03-9059 1777

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

SELANGOR TIMES June 22 24, 2012 3

UNLIMITED
4G MOBILITY
Unlimited SUPER POSTPAID PLANS* to Unlimited SUPER POSTPAID PL ANS to liberate your 4G Internet experience! libera te your 4G Internet exp erience!
CHOOSE FROM A RANGE OF PLANS
PLANS PRICED AS LOW AS PLANS OFFERING DATA AS MUCH AS

RM

Sign up now and get a FREE device! Sign up now and get FREE device! FR

48

10GB

WITH SPEEDS UP TO ON ALL PLANS

10x FASTER THAN 3G

Follow us on

Facebook.com/Yes4G or

Twitter.com/Yes4G

Powered by YTL

Fastest 4G Mobile Internet with Voice

www.yes.my

News
JUNE 22 24, 2012

EvEnts
Entrepreneurs Day
Sekolah Kebangsaan USJ20 Subang Jaya is inviting everyone to join in their Young Entrepreneurs Day on June 30 from 8am-3pm. There will be food, games, stalls selling various items and a healthcare campaign. For more information, call 03-8023 1860.

Dewan keeps mum on Scorpene

By Gan Pei Ling

Pets Calendar
Select a picture of your dog or cat and submit the best one to Independent Pet Rescuers to be used in their Malaysias 365 Day dog and cat calendar 2013. The calendar will feature a pet a day accompanied by daily inspirational messages instead of dates. This way, owners of the calendar will no longer feel obliged to tear off the pages but keep them intact throughout the year. All entries are free and you can submit as many entries as you like, but it must be of different pets. Send all entries to catdog.calendars@ gmail.com.

Animal Adoption
Take home a pet this Saturday and provide a home to one of the dogs or cats up for adoption at Independent Pet Rescuers open space adoption event. From noon until 4pm, meet the animals, chat with the people there and find out more on which pet will be most suitable for you. As adopting a pet is a life-changing decision, spend as much time as you like with your chosen pet before taking them home. The open adoption will be held at Ara Damansara, Animal Health Centre @ Ara, 25, Jalan PJU 1A/20A, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya. For more information, visit www. petrescuekl.blogspot.com, email ksherrina@gmail. com or call 012-202 6384 (Sherrina).

Meditation Workshop
Celestine Yoga Studio is organising a free eight-day English video workshop on Samarpan Meditation from June 26-July 3 from 7.30pm-10pm, Saturday and Sunday from 6.30pm to 9pm. The class will be conducted in the yoga studio at Unit 3-9, 3rd Floor, Jalan USJ Sentral 3, USJ Sentral, 47600 Subang UEP . For details, call 012-343 5893 (Sumathi) or email samarpanmalaysia@gmail.com.

Blood Donation
In conjunction with World Blood Donor day, New Hoong Fatt Holdings Bhd will be holding a blood donation drive on Sunday from 10am-3pm. This event is to assist Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital collecti enough blood supply for the upcoming fasting month. For those interested to help, head on down to Lot 5043, 51/2 Miles, Jalan Meru, 41050 Klang. For more information call 03-3377 8288 or 011-12369949 (Siti Naquiah or Hoo Pooi Yen).

Career Fair
Malaysias premier career and postgraduate fair, Graduan Aspire 2012, is back at the KL Convention Centre on June 29. The fair will be open from 2pm-8pm on June 29 and noon-6pm on June 30. Admission is free. Those interested are also encouraged to pre-register and upload their resume online at their website, http://aspire.graduan.com.my.

Art and Book Fair

Head on down to the Annexe Gallery, Central Market, On Saturday and Sunday from 12pm -8pm for the KL Alternative Bookfest and Art for Grabs. Admission is free. For details, visit www.annexegallery.com.

shAh AlAM: Dewan Rakyats rejection of questions on the Defence Ministrys controversialprocurement oftwo Scorpene submarines is raising concerns of adeliberate move to hide the truth. R Sivarasa (Subang-PKR) said his three questions were rejected by the Dewan Rakyat secretary on frivolous grounds. He had asked the Defence Minister to name all the directors and major shareholders of all the local and foreign companies involved in the Scorpene deal in 2002. However, the question was rejected under Standing Order 21(1)(a), which says that questions must be posted to the relevant ministers. Who else apart from the Defence Minister would know (the companies directors and shareholders involved)? said Sivarasa. He also sought clarification from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on whether he had asked for US$1 billion (RM3 billion) from French shipmaker DCNSs subsidiary DCNI as a condition for a meeting with him. On May 3, online newspaper Malaysiakini.com reported that French public prosecutors had found evidence that Najib, then the Defence Minister, had asked for the amount for local company Perimekar Sdn Bhd. Perimekar is owned by Najibs former associate Abdul Razak Baginda, who was acquitted of abetting in the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuuyaa Shariibuu without his defence being called. However, Sivarasas question was rejected under Standing Order 23(1)(h), which states that a question cannot be asked to seek opinions, solutions for legal matters that have yet to arise or just for the sake of it. Why block this question? Im just asking for facts, said the veteran lawyer. Parliament also rejected Sivarasa and Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh)s question on whether Najib would present himself in the French courts if subpoenaed under the same standing order. Sivarasa conceded that Parliament might reject questions that are not in accordance with the Standing Orders from time to time but said that these outright rejections were an abuse of the Standing Orders. Meanwhile, Kok said in her June 12 press statement that the rejection was unacceptable as these questions involved public interest.

Top left: Sivarasa ... three questions were rejected by the Dewan Rakyat secretary on frivolous grounds. Top: Kok ... the rejection was unacceptable as these questions involved public interest. Left: Nurul ... filed an emergency motion on June 7

Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Lembah Pantai) had also filed an emergency motion on June 7 asking the Defence Ministry to explain the commission paid for the purchase of the submarines and the leak of secret navy documents. On May 30, French lawyer Joseph Breham revealed that DCNS had allegedly paid Terasasi (Hong Kong) Ltd 36 million Euro (RM142 million) for the highlyclassifiedRoyal Malaysian Navys evaluation of the Scorpene submarine. According to Malaysiakini.com, two of the Terasasi directors were Abdul

Razak Baginda and his father Abdul Malim Baginda. Breham is representing human rights organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), which lodged a complaint with the French court in 2010 over the alleged payment of kickbacks in the Scorpene deal. Najib has remained mum on the issues, but Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Wednesday that he wouldrespond to some of the questions related to the Scorpene issue at Dewan Rakyat next Tuesday.

Fitness for Charity

Come get healthy with Celebrity Fitness on June 30 at Wangsa Walk Mall while doing charity for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). The club will also be introducing three new programmes including DNA Perrea, Element and Fast Fit for a good cardiovascular workout. Participants who register for the event will be able to join in their new workout routines with Amber Chia and Baki Zainal. To register, visit a Celebrity Fitness outlet near you. Registration fee is RM35, the first 500 participants will receive a goodie bag worth over RM300. For more details, call 1-300-222-FIT (348) or visit www.celebrityfitness.com.

Curves wants community to Reach Out

PETAlING JAYA: Curves Kota Damansara is calling on the public to donate to their charity event organised in aid of the underprivileged single mothers living in low-cost flats in Section 8. The event, entitled ReachOut Kota Damansara 2012, will be held on June 24 from 9.30am-1pm at the community centre in Section 7. Organised by the fitness club together with the various residents associations in the area, the club is currently collecting clothes, books, toys, personal computers as well as non-perishable food items. Weve already collected close to 900 kg of non-perishable food items in May. It would be great if the community could come together and contribute further, said Curves Kota Damansara club owner Amutha Subramaniam. During the event, various activities like colouring competitions, dough making, puppet show and face painting will also be organised for the whole family. Mothers can also take part in the beauty and health workshops and join makeover competitions. There will also be a lucky draw and other fund-raising activities, with the proceeds going to the underprivileged single mothers. This event is also supported by the business community in Kota Damansara, like Avon, Amazing Kids, ZazenHealth Solutions and GulamMee. For further information, call 012-384 5670 (Sharmini).

News
June 22-24, 2012

Young entrepreneurs in the making

SHAH ALAM: Cash prizes of up to RM1,000 were awarded recently to winners of the Selangor Young Entrepreneur Programme, which is focused on exposing youths to the business world. Some 1,500 students from 50 secondary schools in the state took part in the annual programme which has been organised for the last 14 years by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) and Selangor Education Department. This is a good alternative to indoor education as it can help expose students to the business world and allow them to see how competitive it is, said State Education Department human development head Abdul Khalid Jaafar. Participants were given the opportunity learn to be more disciplined, responsible, independent and confident. Abdul Khalid also hoped that the programme will continue to be organised for future generation of students. The programme, for Form Two and Form Four students, is a nine-month entrepreneur course which includes learning to start their own company. We spent about RM792,222 for the courses and activities, which were conducted by representatives from the Selangor Education Department and PKNS, said PKNS general manager Othman Omar who was present to officiate the closing ceremony and hand out prizes to winners. PKNS secretary Norita Mohd Sidek said participants learnt valuable lessons which will equip them for the corporate world. We started 14 years ago with only 10 schools taking part. Now, we have thousands of students fighting for a chanceSTimes 18 x 8cols_0080.pdf 12/6/12 11:16:58 AM to be part of this programme.

Othman striking the gong to mark the closing of this years Selangor Young Entrepreneur Programme, while Norita (left) looks on.

news
June 22 24, 2012

Man loses IC, gains 26 phone lines

By Basil Foo and Gan Pei Ling

PUCHONG: A man who lost his MyKad five years ago was shocked when Telekom Malaysia (TM) asked him to pay overdue bills for 26 phone lines registered in his name. Lau Mun Hon lost his wallet on Jan 13, 2006, and subsequently lodged a police report on the same day at a police station in Petaling Jaya. Last November, I received a phone call from Telekom asking me to pay bills amounting to over RM9,000, said the 23-year-old alarm technician. He then went to a TMpoint office in Shah Alam to investigate the issue and found out about the over two dozen phone lines registered under his name. After explaining that the phone numbers were not his, the officers there agreed to cut the phone numbers but have since only cut seven with 19 still left functioning. They told me the numbers were probably registered under agents who only require a photocopied IC. As such, they did not have records of who did the registering, he said. However, TM could identify the premises using the phone lines which were located in various areas like Shah

Alam, Taman Jinjang Baru and Bandar Manjalara. Lau then lodged a police report at the Bukit Jelutong police station last Nov 14 about the fraudulent phone lines. Meanwhile, last month he received letters from TMs credit management unit asking him to settle his debts or face a home visit by their officers. A letter on May 30 informed him of RM5,802.15 in debt still outstanding while a letter on May 31 stated another RM3,861,70 in debt. Fearing the worse, he sought the help of Kinrara assemblyperson Teresa Kok at her office on Wednesday. Kok then set up a meeting with TM representatives from its Customer Service, Sales and Public Relations Departments and Lau yesterday. The representatives assured Lau that their Credit Management Unit would not be pursuing him anymore and his case would be passed to the Fraud Investigation Unit. In addition, only his home line will be kept while the other 18 lines will be cut. Kok also urged TM to pressure the police to get to the bottom of the case as she suspects this to be the work of a syndicate and Laus case may just be the tip Lau (left) and Kok after the meeting with Telekom represententatives. of the iceberg.

City launches foodbank

PETALING JAYA: An orphanage in Section 18 will be the first welfare home here to benefit from the Petaling Jaya City Councils (MBPJ) Foodbank project. The programme, which starts on June 26, aims to help welfare homes by providing them with food donated by restaurants, hotels, food manufacturers and hypermarkets. We will be responsible for receiving the food from various companies and delivering them to the homes in a van every week, said MBPJs planning department director Sharipah Marhaini Syed Ali. MBPJ has already identified 30 welfare homes, which include orphanages, old folks homes and underprivileged families around the city. Every week, the city council will select one home from the list and drop in with all the perishable and non-perishable food stuff received. We already have 60 volunteers signed up to help us pack, organise and deliver the food to homes, she said. Sharipah Marhaini added that eight companies have agreed to donate food so far, including Tesco Hypermarket, Nestle Malaysia Bhd, Restaurant Kayu Kandar Original and Eastin Hotel Seksyen 16. We hope this project, which is part of MBPJs corporate social responsibility (CSR), will greatly benefit the less fortunate. MBPJ hopes more eateries and companies will take part in this project so that they will have more food to distribute to the homes. Those who would like to volunteer or donate food can contact MBPJ at 03-79563544 or donate the food stuff directly to the food banks headquarters in 8 Avenue in Section 8.

Its RM500 for catching a litterbug

KAJANG: The local council is increasing its reward for members of the public who report litterbugs with photographic evidence from RM200 to RM500 starting this month. Its president, Datuk Hasan Nawawi (pic), said the council will give the reward once they have confirmed the report is genuine. In addition, the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) has set up a hotline, 1-800-88-1144, for the public to lodge complaints related to rubbish. Hasan said out of the 778 complaints it received so far in June, 98 were related to trash, particularly illegal dump sites involving garden refuse, furniture, construction and industrial waste. Thats why we set up the free hotline specifically for rubbish-related complaints, Hasan told the press. The public can call the free hotline from 8am to 6pm on weekdays. Meanwhile, Hasan said the council had also issued an ultimatum to all scrap metal suppliers and collectors to relocate to industrial areas by year-end. He said the state had extended the deadline from last Dec 31 for a year but some operators had yet to move. MPKj found in a 2010 survey that half of the 50 scrap metal businesses in the municipality were unlicensed and located in residential or agricultural land. As a result, the council had received numerous complaints from residents that the sites had become mosquito and pest breeding grounds. Hasan said the council will raid and shut down the premises if the operators do not relocate by Dec 31.

Syabas cannot reject applications for water supply

PETALING JAYA: Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) does not have the authority to reject applications from developers seeking water supply for their projects as that comes umder the purview of the state. This is impossible, companies do not have the right to approve or reject applications, it is the state governments authority, said state secretary Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi. Syabas had previously rejected several applications for new developments on the grounds that they will not be able to supply water to the developments. However Mohd Khusrin refuted Syabas reason for rejection and said the state has enough water supplies to meet consumer demands up to 2016. Local councils have been instructed by the state to review the applications of new developments that were rejected by Syabas. The state had also written a letter to Syabas on their stand and Syabas responded that the applications will be approved on the condition that the state will bear the consequences.

news

Syabas slammed over frequent cuts

SUBANG JAYA: Residents in SS14 who have to put up with multiple water supply disruptions are urging Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to get its act together. Subang Jaya state lawmaker Hannah Yeoh said residents were not given prior notice and have had to endure at least five disruptions over the past few weeks. It is becoming very serious, so I hope that Syabas will be able to give a formal explanation on why it disrupts peoples daily routines, she said in a press conference at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ ) headquarters. Yeoh said only Twitter users who follow PUSPELs account will learn of the disruptions. Residents have also lodged multiple complaints to Syabas and the response given was that it was due to broken old pipes. Yeoh had also contacted Syabas regarding the matter and had invited the concessionaire to give a statement at the press conference but she has yet to receive a response from them. It is not good enough that they are telling us it is broken pipes, they need to tell us what they are planning to do to fix this, she said. Yeoh added that Syabas should not use the water restructuring exercise as an excuse as it is their job to provide the public with clean water. Syabas had previously said it could not replace old pipes due to the water restructuring exercise initiated by the state government which is currently in a deadlock with the federal government. I dont care what the tussle is, whatever your restructuring plans is, if you are charging people (for water) every month you should not have this kind of problems, said Yeoh. She hopes the state and federal governments will be able to resolve the issue quickly. On another issue, Yeoh said residents were not against the rapid development of USJ1 but more consultation is needed to address potential traffic concerns. The residents are not against development, they are asking for sustainable development. She called on the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) to temporarily stop approving further developments and have a dialogue session to keep residents informed. She also asked MPSJ to not allow the proposed developments to start operations before the required alternative access routes are completed. She added the construction of a new LRT station on Persiaran Kewajipan is most welcome and will certainly help residents of Subang Jaya when it is completed in 2014.

June 22-24, 2012

Shah Alam mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan (centre) launching the Foo Kok Keong Cup Championship with Foo (right) and organising chairman Soon Ee Hooi.

SHAH ALAM: Former national badminton ace Foo Kok Keong will show off his skills this weekend as he kick-starts the inaugural Foo Kok Keong Cup Championship at the Shah Alam Club. The event is being organised to commemorate Foos contribution to the sport as well as promotebadmintonas a means of healthy living for senior citizens. Foo was one of the best players in the world in the 80s and 90s and was part of the Malaysian badminton squad that won the Thomas Cup in 1992. He will also be in action as a member of Shah Alam Club Team Alppha in the tournament. The competition, held in conjunction with the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) and Taipei TCM Medical Centre, will include seniors from badminton clubs around the country. Other ex-national badminton greats such as Law Pei Pei, Lim Peck Siah, Ryan Tan and Yap Yee Hup will also make their appearance to spar in the tournament. The two-day competition, starting today, will end with a prize-giving ceremony by Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim at 6pm on June 24. Spectators and badminton enthusiasts are welcome to head to the Shah Alam Club at No. 1A, Jalan Aerobik 13/43, Persiaran Kayangan, Seksyen 13, 40704 Shah Alam to watch the event for free. They can also contact MBSAs youth & sports department at 03-55105133 ext. 432 for more information.

Smash off with Foo Kok Keong

erbuka uasa
Ramadan is a time of fasting where Muslims learn the virtues of patience and humility by refraining from eating or drinking during daylight hours. The fast is broken at sunset and the berbuka puasa is a special time for families, loved ones and friends, who come together to share specially prepared meals. Due to the increasingly busy routine of those working in the Klang Valley, the responsibility for preparing those meals has been left to restaurants and hotels where hungry diners would throng to at the end of the day.

Publication Date 13 July & 3 August 2012 Story/Booking Deadlines 3 July & 24 July 2012 Material Deadline 11 July & 1 August 2012

To advertise, call us

Selangor Times invites your esteemed hotel or restaurant to participate in our Buka Puasa supplement to share the delicious joy of your good food with our readers. Timothy Samantha Tony 019 267 4488 019 382 7121 016 978 2798

or

Kenneth

012

906 2523 288 9555

Adila Majid 016

MBPJ resubmits proposal for auxiliary police

Jawi condemned for rough tactics
KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Books Sdn Bhd, which owns Borders, has lashed out at the Federal Territories Religious Department ( Jawi) over harsh treatment of their employees during their investigations into the distribution of Canadian author Irshad Manjis book Allah, Liberty and Love. In a strongly worded press statement, the company also expressed disappointment thatstore managerNik Raina Nik Abdul Aziz was charged on Tuesday in the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court for distributing the bookwhich has been banned for contravening Islamic law. If convicted Nik Raina faces a RM3,000 fine or a maximum of two years jail or both. The charge follows a raid on the bookstore by the religious department which seized the books on May 23. Berjaya Books chief operating officer Yau Su Peng said Nik Raina cooperated with all Jawi directives by attending an investigation accompanied by colleagues and a lawyer. Instead, they were treated roughly by Jawi personnel and were issued an arrest warrant. Jawi also refused to allow legal representation to Nik Raina, Yau said. Yau said the home ministry only gazetted the banning of the book on May 29 and expressed disappointment with the charge. There was no way for Borders to know that Jawi considered the books to be objectionable, he said. The management of Berjaya Books fully supports our employee Nik Raina who has done no more than to perform her duties as a store manager. Yau explained that as store manager, she did not have any influence or control over the selection of books in Borders. The seized books were not at the time of seizure declared to be banned by the home ministry. Neither did Jawi notify Berjaya Books concerning the seized books, he added. He said the management of Berjaya Books will continue to support employees who may be subject to persecution while performing their assigned duties. He also said Jawis actions on their employees may influence the consideration of other corporations when hiring Muslim employees. PETALING JAYA: A new application for an auxiliary police unit under the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will be made to Putrajaya in light of escalating crime in the city. Mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman (pic) said the council had already submitted the proposal last week and hopes the home ministry will reconsider the application. The idea was first mooted in 2009 andMBPJ had allocated RM4.29mil from its 2010 budget to train and equip 100 personnel from its enforcement unit to complement the police force here. However, the proposal and subsequent appeal were shot down by the ministry which cited overlapping duties with the police. MBPJ had allocated the funds to residents associations (RAs) and Rukun Tetangga (RT) in the city to help improve security in their respective areas. MBPJ has also applied for traffic warden status from the transport ministry and the Road Transport Department ( JPJ), which would allow the council to black list vehicles with outstanding compounds or summonses.

news
June 22-24, 2012

If approved, those with outstanding compounds can no longer not settle them. Otherwise, they will not be able to renew their road tax, saidRoslanduring the threeday Malaysian Local Authority Enforcement Transformation Seminar at the MBPJ Civic Hall. Ac c ord ing to R oslan, Kuala Lumpur City Hall is currently the only local government that has the authority to issue traffic summonses. MBPJ had also launched the e-EMS (electronic enforcement management system) that does away manual reporting by enforcement officers. MBPJ enforcement director Mohd Fauzi Maarop said the new system includes search, tracking and notification functions which will help keep track of outstanding compounds and payments. He added the launch of an 80 per cent discount for summonses for June to commemorate the sixth anniversary of Petaling Jayas city status received overwhelming response from the public. Within half a month, as much as 2,332 summonses have been settled, and MBPJ had collected as much as RM25,000.

MACC to accompany enforcement officers

PETALING JAYA: Enforcement teams from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will be accompanied by Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) officers during raids in a bid to counter claims of corruption. A memorandum of understanding was inked between MBPJ and Selangor MACC at thelaunch of the Malaysian Local Authority Enforcement Transformation Seminar at the MBPJ Civic Hall recently. This is to increase transparency of MBPJs enforcement, and to also improve public perception of MACCs integrity, said mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman, who witnessed the MoU signing along with State Secretary Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi (pic). MBPJs joint raids with the police and immigration department will now include the graft busters. Selangor MACC director Datuk Jaafar Mahadpointed out that bribes were sometimes offered and the move was to reduce such instances. MACC is now in discussions with MBPJ to formulate new enforcement guidelines and regulations. On a separate issue, commercial lot owners in the state will be held fully responsible for any illegal activities occurring on their premises under a new law. Owners will now have to sign an agreement to make sure their premises are free of criminal activities and failure to adhere to the agreement will lead to their premises being shut down. Existing local government regulations give the authorities too little power, the clamping down isnt tough enough, said Khusrin. He said there was a need for harsher enforcement to ensure illegal businesses do not return just a few weeks after a raid by local authorities. Under existing laws and regulations, local council enforcement officers are only allowed to seize illegal items and equipment used in businesses that can be easily replaced by operators. The move is specifically targeted at curbing the mushrooming of illegal cybercafes and massage parlours in the state. The state is now discussing implementation details with local councils and the law is expected to be effective at the end of the year. If owners violate this new law, or their business deviates from what is stated in their licence, they will also have to deal with the National Land Code and their businesses will be terminated, said Khusrin. On another development, the state secretary said the state government was currently in the process of standardising the salary grades of civil servants in local authorities. The state government had already instructed all local councils to reveal their pay grades and to standardise the salaries of employees with other similar positions and posts. Although it will take some time, the state executive council had already approved the initiative and Khusrin hopes it will be implemented by years end.

news
June 22-24, 2012

Needy receive financial aid

By Basil Foo
The Philippine Madrigal Singers performing in Indonesia.

A Madz show not to be missed

PETALING JAYA: Come witness the world renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz) in action as they belt out popular tunes, acapella style, for only two weeks next month. Flying in all the way from the Philippines on their first ever Asian Goodwill Tour, they will be performing at the Trinity Methodist Church on July 5 and 6 at 8.30pm. The Philippine singing group, which is based in the University of the Philippines Diliman, are the first choir in the world to win the European Grand Prix for choral singing twice in 1997 and 2007. They are a versatile choral group who will amaze the crowd with their voices, said the performance producer HK Chong. Chong is also the founder and music director of The Canticle Singers (TCS), who will be hosting the Madrigal Singers here next month. The group is made up of students, faculty members and alumni from the university, whose trademark performance is singing in a semicircle without a conductor. Headed by conductor and musical director Mark Anthony Carpio, the Madrigal Singers will be rocking the crowd with an exciting mix of Broadway, contemporary, pop and classics. On their repertoire are a special Michael Jackson number and a Walt Disney piece to take audiences on a journey down memory lane. The highlight of the show will be a huge Chau Gong (Chinese Gong) set up in the ensemble to accompany the acapella voices. Its really huge and hard to set up in a small venue but we found a way around it and Im sure the crowd will be amazed by this particulate performance, said Chong. Besides this, the Madrigal Singers mainly specialises in musical styles which were popularised during the Renaissance period. This kind of singing requires singers to gather around the table with guests and sing together during a banquet. To keep the tradition alive, the Madrigal Singers has staged their unique sit-down choral performances around the world. This includes choral competitions in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Spain and America and emerged winners in most of them. For those interested, tickets can be purchased online at www.ilassotickets.com, call 03-7957 6088, or visit Rock Corner outlets in 1Utama, MidValley, Subang Parade, KLCC and The Curve. Also available at ILasso head office at A606, Block A, Phileo Damansara II, 15, Jalan 16/11, Off Jala Damansara, 46350, Petaling Jaya or T-Break Cafe outlets at Kompleks Antarabangsa, Menara Manulife, Quattro West and Dataran Kewangan Darul Takaful. As this is a non-profit venture, all proceeds will be channeled towards the Philippine Community Fund in Manila, for relief and education extension work amongst the poor there.

PUCHONG: Cancer patients and community leaders were among recipients of RM25,700 in financial aid from the office of Kinrara assemblyperson Teresa Kok on Wednesday. Taxi driver R Gunasikaran lost his means of earning a living when his car was stolen near his home in Desa Mentari, Petaling Jaya, earlier this year. I have been driving that taxi for the past 10 years until it was stolen this February. I went to many other places for help but did not get any, said the 54-year-old. The father of four school-going children said he was happy to have received a cheque for RM2,500 from Kok and commended her swift response. He added that he would be using the Kok (fourth from right) with Gunasikaran (second from right), Catherine (sixth money to help buy a new car. Another RM2,500 was received by from right), Especkerman (back row, fourth from left), Yong (front row, fourth from left) and Sarintan (front row, second from left). Gerard Baptist Especkerman whose wife, Catherine Castisimo, has third-stage breast cancer. advised by a doctor there to seek the help of a specialist. We will use the money to pay for her chemotherapy and CT The operation for their child is estimated to cost up to scan to check if it has spread elsewhere, Especkerman said. RM40,000 and they are still looking for funds. The 60-year-old taxi driver, who has two school-going daughAlthough the amount donated cannot solve their problem, I ters, said his wife went for surgery last March at University Malaya will also be looking for other parties who may be able to help, Kok Medical Centre but still requires post-operation treatment. said. Parents Yong Kum Yuen, 44, and Sarintan Siagian, 30, received She added that members of the public who were interested to RM2,000 from Kok for their newborn baby who was diagnosed offer financial aid can call her Kinrara service centre at 03-8070 with a heart condition. 3807. She cannot ingest milk properly because of a hole in her heart. Kampung Batu 13 Puchong village head Ruslan Mat also reShe coughs violently, said Yong, a welder. ceived donations for community programmes after the fasting They brought their child to Hospital Kuala Lumpur and were month.

News 10
JUNE 22 24, 2012

Authorities under fire

Segaran showing the clubhouse swimming pool which is now a mosquito-breeding ground.

Clothing left around t h e p ro p e r t y, p r e s u m a b l y belonging to drug addicts who loiter around the place.

The place is now a dump with burnt debris, and overgrown vegetation. The water in the shah alam: The Shah Alam City Coun- pool is a dark, murky green while the water in cil (MBSA) and other Federal departments the kids pool is black in colour. are being taken to task for ignoring the woes Several clothing items were also strewn of residents of Taman Sri Muda in Section 25. around the property, with sleeping mats Resident M. Segaran said several outstand- spread out in one of the rooms. ing problems have been left to fester and In fact, during a site visit with Segaran, a worsen despite his complaints. man was loitering around. The local councillors and political leaders According to Segaran, 15-20 other resiare not doing their jobs, they show up at po- dents in the area, including his wife, had been litical events and functions but no real work hospitalised for dengue in the past four is being done on the ground, he said. months, but was thankful that there were no He pointed out that the Mediterranean fatalities. Club House, which was meant for public use, Segaran alleges that MBSA had denied along Jalan Damai 25/60 in Section 25, has responsibility for the facility. been left neglected. Instead the city council had passed the buck Segaran alleges that the developer of the back to theJoint Management Body ( JMB) facilityhad handed control of the club over to of the Mediterranean Apartments and resithe MBSA three years ago as they could not dents. bear the maintenance cost. But Segaran said the JMB had previously About a year after the handover, a fire broke shown him the letter from MBSA clearly statout and severely damaged the clubhouse ing that the developer had handed the propwhich then fell into disrepair. erty over to them. When the developer was still in charge, How can they just push everything to they would assign a caretaker for the club- JMB? They dont have the equipment or auhouse. Now drug addicts use the place and the thority to do it, they can only manage their swimming pools are mosquito-breeding own facilities, said Segaran. grounds, said Segaran. He also ridiculed MBSAs suggestion that
By Lee Choon Fai

the residents organise a gotong-royong to clean up the property, saying residents do not have the right equipment and the waste may be dangerous. Another concern raised by Segaran is the lack of Chinese and Tamil schools in Section 25 despite the area having a considerable population of the two races. He said there were about 13,000 Indians and 15,000 Chinese living in Section 25, with about 9,000 Malays, as of 2008. The two nearest schools are the SRK Taman Sri Muda and SRK Taman Sri Muda (2). I am not saying no to integration, but students must be given the option to learn in their mother tongues so their languages would not be neglected, said Segaran. He said the schools do not need to be big, as there are less than two thousand students in the two Taman Sri Muda schools as of last year. He added one of the reasons given was the lack of land to build the schools. But he pointed out a few plots of land with overgrown vegetation that could be used for a school. It need not be big, just 10 classrooms will do, so stop giving excuses. Another concern raised by Segaran is the

Taman Sri Muda police station, which was completed two years ago but has yet to start operating. The authorities previously said the Public Works Department ( JKR) had yet to issue a certificate of fitness for the building. After two years, the building still stands idle and empty, with no sign of operations starting anytime soon. The crime rate in this area is high and we need the police station, we always hear gang fights taking place in schools. Why cant we have it now? said Segaran. He also urged the community to speak up more and make their grouses heard, as the authorities will not take action if only a minority are speaking up. If we dont do anything to help ourselves, then we cannot expect the authorities to help us. When contacted, an MBSA official from the public complaints department toldSelangor Timesthat even the MBSA wasnt sure who owns the clubhouse. We dont know who owns the clubhouse now. If the JMB can show us this letter they received to prove MBSAs ownership, then we will send a clean-up team as soon as possible, he said.

Clear policy for budget hotels needed

kajang: Kajang assemblyperson Lee Kim Sin will at the next state assembly sitting be calling for clear guidelines on budget hotels to check an explosion in their numbers. Lee estimates there could be as many as a hundred budget hotels operating illegally in his constituency. We will be raising it (the need for guidelines) during the next state assembly session and ask for new, uniform guidelines, he said, adding that those intending to set up budget hotels only have to pay the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) RM8,000 for an operating licence.

Dont politicise water issues

READING the reports, Water crisis looms in Selangor and Solve water woes fast, say Selangor residents, among the many that have been published recently, gives us the distinct perception that water issues in the nation have been heavily politicised, much to the detriment of the long-suffering public. We feel the authorities are not serious in solving our water woes, but are just using them for their political ends. Let me give you an example. In a recent TV news {ntv7 to be exact}, highlighting the imminent water disruptions in the {Selangor} state, the TV reporters decided to interview, of all people, a carwash worker. We all know that the carwash business wastes a lot of water, and in the most unproductive way. Furthermore, most of these car washes are apparently illegal, employing many similarly status sourced foreign workers. Can the local authorities tell us that they approve of most of the car washes in the state? So, instead of addressing the issues properly, and taking drastic action to prevent water wastage, we have the authorities from both sides of the political divide using the issue for grandstanding purposes. All parties should put aside political differences and work for the better good, as water is a depleting resource. Sometimes its a wonder why people decide to vote at all Tam Yeng Siang Petaling Jaya

How to punish a recalcitrant state?

I
can understand why Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin wanted to freeze loans for students of Universiti Selangor (Unisel) and why Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin could not wait to back this decision. They must be annoyed that PKR has echoed the student activists call to abolish the PTPTN loan and provide free university education instead. Set up in 1997, PTPTN was in many ways a smart design for the BN government in coping with a changing society and economy. It serves at least three purposes. As a start, theoretically, the loans have allowed the expansion of higher education without the government bearing the financial burden. Liberalisation of the higher education sector became a must after the 1990 elections in which the BN survived a near-miss, partly due to frustration of non-Bumiputera middle class parents over their childrens restricted educational opportunities and social upward mobility. From 2006 onwards, the qualified applicants of the PTPTN loans were expanded beyond students of public institutions to cover those enrolled in private institutions. In practice, the new beneficiaries are many private institutions with dubious quality, whose licenses are unsurprisingly held by some wellconnected persons. Finally, the commodification of education pushes students and parents to be more atomic, counting their own benefit and cost. This removes the fuel for student activism. For the less critical mind, the Government can even emerge gracefully like a generous philanthropist who charges low interest and waive your loan if you perform well. The problem is of course bad debts. Many debtors dont pay back and their education is essentially funded by the Employees Providence Fund (EPF). Even though the amount to be paid back ranges from RM150 to RM400, it can be burdensome considering the stagnation in graduates initial pay and high cost in transportation, housing and telecommunication. From a sympathetic perspective, the PTPTN loan lands young graduates in tens of thousands ringgits of debt before they even start to work. Who stands to gain? Undoubtedly one of them are those private institutions which provide sub-standard education. Abolish PTPTN and many crony-run colleges will have to close shop. The free education solution basically changes the equation by the government funding more cost-effective education via public institutions, freeing the students from debts and exploiting economic gains by killing the rent-seeking diploma mills.

views 11
June 22 24, 2012

MAN IN BLACK
wong chin huat

Is this viable? Many European countries have free education. Other countries find that free university education may be unnecessary and wasteful. I believe there is plenty of room for a healthy policy debate. But policy debate is exactly what we lack in Malaysia. You need not agree with the students and their supporters who occupied Dataran Merdeka, but thanks to them, we have now a policy debate. What Khaled and Muhyiddin did was trying to prove their point in practice. If Anwar told students not to pay back their loans, then Selangor should provide for free education. After all, proof of the pudding is in the eating. Put your money where your mouth is whats wrong with this way to punish a recalcitrant state? Nothing wrong if the state already has the money. The fact is education falls under the federal jurisdiction and majority of the taxes we pay from income tax to service tax to import/ export duty are collected by the Federal government. Freezing the loan for Unisel students is therefore robbing money from Selangor, which pays its due share of federal taxes. Selangor responded very smartly by preparing to liquidify Unisels assets to absorb the students burden. With greatly reduced corruption, Selangor has enough money to fight Putrajaya on this money.

Khaled and Muhyiddin lost flatly. They do not only look like school children who bully others when they cant win an argument. They cant even win the fight after losing the arguments. A gentleman would have done the honourable thing to save his boss the embarrassment. Khaled must have possessed superhuman courage to claim victory in this battle. But I would like to thank him for sacrificing his dignity and credibility to put forward a point for us to ponder: why shouldnt higher education be controlled by the state? If the states are allowed to control more taxes so that they can fund their universities, then different states can choose different systems. In that case, Johor where Khaled and Muhyiddin hail from, can use PTPTN to fund their universities while Selangor can provide free education. And students who prefer PTPTN say, because they fancy private colleges can move to Johor and students who dont mind boring public institutions can move to Selangor. Then, everyone can have their own way. Why not? Over time, we can judge which system is superior. Why must we put all eggs in the same basket? Its time for us to end this hang over of centralisation and uniformity.

& Lifestyle

PROPERTY

Supplement

Selangor Times Property & Lifestyle Supplement focuses not only on property developments and launches but also on the latest trends affecting the home and dcor. Join us to bring up-to-date news and insightful lifestyle features affecting the property industry, real estate sector and interior design.

Publication Date Material Deadline

be and above will Ads of half page rial write-up.e deadline. ito entitled for ed submitted before th
be rs. cretion of write Press release to granted at the dis d Interviews to be rs discretion an to be at edito Size of write-up gor Times style. as per the Selan will be laid out

20 July 2012 18 July 2012

Booking & Story Deadline 10 July 2012

100,000

For bookings and further information, contact your advertising agency or the following: Call us 03 5510 4566 Email: marketing@selangortimes.com Timothy - 019 267 4488 Samantha - 019 382 7121 Adila - 016 288 9555 Tony Kenneth - 016 978 2798 - 012 906 2523

copies distributed weekly throughout Selangor & Klang Valley

Views 12
or those who came in late the story so far in our dissection of the 2011 Annual Report of the Economic Transformation Program (ETP): In Part 1 (The Data in our DEEDS framework) we gave Pemandu an A+ for obfuscation. Its talents include the very adroit masking of the fact that real national income growth last year was below par; Part 2 (The Execution in DEEDS) unearthed the shocking case of Pemandu taking 100% credit in its Annual Report for a RM1.9 billion wafer fab plant that was never actually built.

Dissecting the ETP Annual Report: - Part 3

embellish the achievements of the ETP. But what did capture our attention was the creative use of real versus nominal figures to boost the appearance of overachievement. On page 7 of the ETP Annual Report, Pemandu states that: the 19.4% private sector investment growth was well above the 6.7% average growth between 2000 and 2010 and ahead of the 12.8% average growth targeted under the 10th Malaysia Plan. This development validated our push to make the private sector the engine of economic growth. What Pemandu conveniently left out is the fact that the 19.4% private investment growth last year is a NOMINAL figure while the 12.8 per cent target under the 10th Malaysia Plan is a REAL target. Nominal figures include inflation, while real figures strip out inflation to see how much growth there really is. For example, if your salary goes up by 5 per cent, but inflation has increased by 10%, you are really worse off even though your nominal salary has gone up. Your real salary has in fact gone down by 5 per cent (5 per cent salary increase minus 10 per cent inflation).

June 22 24, 2012

Actual vs

Enterprise the ETP has failed to attract private investments

Part 3 (The Enterprise in DEEDS) highlights: That actual investments under the ETP totalled just RM12.9 billion last year, a mere 7 per cent of the RM179 billion committed investments that Pemandu prefers to emphasise; Yet another example of Pemandu stealing credit and obfuscating data. This time, the result is to overstate Pemandus contribution in increasing private investments in Malaysia; and Doubts about the committed investments figure. At least two big ticket private sector EPPs Karambunai Integrated Resort and Tanjong Agas Oil & Gas Hub may not deliver as much economic transformation or investments as Pemandu would like us to believe.

Its a long way from committed to actual

Pemandu makes much of the investments brought in by the ETP. The figure stands at RM179 billion as at end 2011, according to Pemandu. What is downplayed is that the RM179 billion figure represents committed, not actual investments. The gap between actual and committed investments is huge. A Maybank report in April 2012 states that only RM12.9 billion of investments had been realised in 2011. RM12.9 billion is just 7% of the headline RM179 billion committed investments.

Is Pemandu stealing credit again?

Pemandu in the ETP Annual Report says private investment in 2011 amounted to RM94 billion, some 113 per cent above our target. There are two major issues here: Firstly, actual investments under the ETP were only RM12.9 billion in 2011, and that amount encompasses private and government-linked investments. So Pemandu deserves very little credit for the RM94 billion private investments actually achieved across the whole country; Secondly, Pemandus claimed RM83 billion target in private investments is very low and easily achieved, very much like its claimed GNI target that we demolished in Part 1 of this series. The Ministry of Finance as far back as Oct 2010, had already projected private investment of RM86 billion in 2011. Why is Pemandu, which is supposed to be adding value and transforming the economy, targeting a level lower than that anticipated by the Ministry of Finance? In fact, Pemandus professed RM83 billion target is equivalent to a paltry 2.7 per cent growth in real private investment.

As seen in Figure 1, the 10th Malaysia Plan clearly shows that 12.8 per cent is the real investment target. By choosing to contrast the REAL target of 12.8 per cent against the NOMINAL achievement of 19.4 per cent, Pemandu is once again obfuscating the facts to create the illusion of massive outperformance. Defenders of Pemandu might point out that the 19.4 per cent nominal private investment growth achieved in 2011 is still higher than the nominal 10th Malaysia Plan target of 16.2 per cent. That might well be the case. But 19.4 per cent was actual investment growth across the whole economy, and amounted to RM94 billion in total private investments. As we mentioned earlier, Pemandu and the ETP actually delivered only RM12.9 billion of investments of the RM179 billion committed. This RM12.9 billion would come from both government and private sectors. So Pemandu can take very little credit for the actual private investments achieved in Malaysia last year.

Moving on, even Pemandus claim of RM179 billion of committed investments is questionable. In Part 2, we revealed that Pemandu took 100% credit for the construction of a wafer fab plant even though the RM1.9 billion plant was never actually built. This week, we highlight doubts over two mega-projects - Karambunai Integrated Resort City and Tanjong Agas Oil & Gas Hub.

Karambunai IR selling new villas while in default

The RM9.6 billion Karambunai Integrated Resort City (Karambunai IR), Entry Point Project in Sabah under the Tourism NKEA, was the largest private sector EPP at the time the ETP Annual Report was published. In the ETP Annual Report, Pemandu scored itself 110 per cent under Method 1 of its KPI measurement. It disclosed that 43.9 per cent of the beachfront

Confusing real and nominal numbers

By this time, we should not be surprised that Pemandu misuses figures and targets in order to

and golf course villas had been pre-booked, exceeding its 40% target. We shall not dwell on why the target was set at 40%, and not, say, 45% or 50%, in which case Pemandu would have underperformed and deserved less than full marks. The 40 per cent target had never been disclosed prior to the claim of overachievement, let alone adequately explained. It is a case very much like the dodgy GNI (Gross National Income) target we exposed in Part 1 of this series and the RM83 billion private investment target we covered earlier. All might indeed be well, or, this might be another example of Pemandus tunnel vision where a focus on ticking the boxes replaces common sense. We had earlier raised concerns about Karambunai IR, which included: The ballooning taxpayer support which had soared 6-fold from RM100 million to at least RM600 million in a few months; Its viability without a gaming resort, it would need more visitors than all those arriving at Kota Kinabalu airport to break-even; and The capability of the project developer, Karambunai Corp Berhad. Pemandus response to our concerns alluded to processes including multiple safeguards and filters but failed to include key data that would incontrovertibly rebut our worries. Now, in this case, while pre-bookings are apparently on-track at Karamabunai IR, its developer,

by Research for Social Advancement (Refsa)

committed
sets; it made a RM12.2 million loss and earned just RM92,000 of revenue in that financial year; Secondly, it is very hard to see the economic logic of this project. The governments own Eastern Corridor Economic Region plan identifies Kerteh and Gebeng as the focus areas for oil and gas clusters, and Petronas is now developing the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (R APID) project in Pengerang, Johor, which is also an EPP. It has also been reported that the infrastructure development - proper access roads, sewerage and drainage - is far from complete, almost three years after this project was first launched in 2009. These 5 EPPs comprise 25 per cent of total committed private investments under the ETP The five projects named here and in Part 2 in this series - Karambunai IR, Tanjong Agas, L Foundry, Damansara City 2 and Pangkor Island Marina Extension make up RM17 billion or 25% of the total RM67 billion worth of private investments named thus far under the ETP. At this point, astute readers will ask, how does this RM67 billion total relate to the RM94 billion of private investments in Malaysia last year? We apologise if all these numbers are confusing. Even we find it difficult unravelling the morass of Pemandus obfuscation. The short answer is: We calculated the RM67 billion total from the various ETP updates which involved nongovernment and non-GLC stakeholders; Bear in mind, the RM67 billion is for committed private investments under the ETP, whereas the RM94 billion represents actual total private investment in Malaysia, that is, including investments which are not under the ETP. Actual ETP total (private and government) investments were just RM12.9 billion; Pemandu proudly proclaims that the ETP has RM179 billion of committed total investments. Based on our calculations, this means that RM112 billion or 63 per cent of the total committed ETP investments is from governmentlinked corporations (GLCs) and the government. If the investment figures for the 5 private sector projects we mention here are revised down, the share of government and GLCs will be even higher. the private sector the engine of economic growth. Sadly, the truth is the ETP actually delivdeliv ered just RM12.9 billion of total investments in 2011, from private, governmentlinked and government sources. This is a small fraction of the total RM94 billion of private and RM171 billion of total investments achieved in Malaysia in 2011. Furthermore, the veracity of Pemandus claim of RM179 billion of total committed private and government investments as at end 2011 is doubtful. We have so far highlighted just five entry point projects that collectively account for 25% of total private investments under the ETP whose financial sustainability may be in doubt. Excluding these would significantly affect the investments, incremental GNI and jobs created that Pemandu claims the ETP has achieved.

What should Pemandu do?

A crucial thrust of the ETP is to restore the private sector as the driver of economic growth. To this end, the ETP targets 8:32:60 ratio of investments from government, GLCs and the private sector. However, as it stands, government and GLCs already account for 63-65 per cent of the committed investments so far. We reiterate our call: Pemandu must take the bull by the horns and address the root causes of why the private sector has little confidence in the long-term potential of the country to invest capital in the so called shovel ready projects under the ETP. To do this, Pemandu should: Stop obfuscating by cherry-picking and trotting out misleading statistics and comparisons. This is unproductive and intellectually dishonest; and Explain the issues and the remedial measures being taken where there are deviations from the targets. If private sector investment is lagging, hiding behind different sets of data will not take us to high-income status.

deed reassurance that the RM600 million taxpayerfunded infrastructure development for this project will not be in vain.

Tanjong Agas - RM3b --> RM30b --> 0?

Karambunai Corp, is being sued by some 100 investors in its Nexus Residence development in Kota Kinabalu. These investors, who had bought luxury beachfront properties which were completed in 2009, claim the company is nearly one year in arrears on rental payments due to them. The annual rental on the 243 luxury beachfront villas amounts to some RM18 million only. If Karambunai Corp has difficulty paying this small amount, does it have the financial capability to deliver on the new villas, pre-booking notwithstanding? Recall that as far back as October 2010, the Star reported: Still, scepticism abounds on Karambunais ability to execute this grand plan, not least because of its weak financial status. The company has been in the red for the past three financial years.... In addition, it has piled on huge debts with short-term borrowings of RM192.07mil and longterm borrowings of RM283.77mil . Pemandu might well maintain that its safeguards and filters are in place. We do hope that the Pemandu positive sign-off on this project is inThe Tanjong Agas Oil and Gas and Logistics Industrial Park in Pekan, Pahang is part of EPP 4 under the Oil, Gas and Energy NKEA. Pemandu in November 2010 said that RM3 billion of investments was expected in Tanjong Agas between 2011 and 2012 . The ETP Annual Report in April 2012 went on to proclaim that a total investment of RM30 billion is expected in the next 10 years . The validity of this assertion is questionable, given that the very same AnAn nual Report says little about progress so far. Two other projects under this EPP with foreign partners in Pengerang, Johor and Pulau Daat , Labuan were cited as Achievements . But nothing was said about the RM620 investment commitment into Tanjong Agas by the Dubai-based Oilfield Supply Center (OSC) announced in October 2010 . REFSA had raised red flags on this project in its earlier series: Firstly, the concessionaire to develop the park, Tanjong Agas Supply Base and Marine Services Sdn. Bhd (TASBMS), is financially weak. As at 31 Sept 2010, its RM38.9 million liabilities outweighed its RM2.6 million of as-

The ETP has failed to attract private investment

Yet another Pemandu misstatement is now exposed. Pemandu claims that private investment in Malaysia in 2011 exceeded its targets and that This development validated our push to make

14 June 22 24,2012 SELANGOR TIMES

news
JUNE 22 24, 2012

Guards turn against residents

By Brenda Chng

15

seri kembangan: Some disgruntled security guards at Taman Bukit Serdang have allegedly turned against the community they are supposed to be protecting after residents stopped paying their fees due to escalating crime there. Having lived in fear for the past two months, Wai Soon Siang finally turned to the police for help during a dialogue between them and the community recently. The 27-year-old bread seller said several guards threatened to destroy his shop at the housing estate when he refused to pay for their protection. The guards asked us to pay a monthly fee of RM100 for their services and if we dont pay, they will destroy my bread shop nearby, he said during the dialogue. Wai, who has been living in the area for the past four-years, said a guardhouse was built by the selfappointed neighbourhood guardians in 2010. He believes theguardhouse was illegally constructed as no one in the neighbourhood requested or hired a guard. The guards make it difficult for residents, who have refused to sub-

scribed to the services, to enter theirown area. They told us to open the barrier ourselves if we wanted to enter the neighbourhood, he said. The threats started after more and more residents stopped paying the security guards. There have been a few incidents where cars were stolen and houses broken into. People felt that the guards were not doing their jobs and stopped paying, said Wai. Wai had previously raised the issue with the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) on several occasions but to no avail. We will look into this matter, and we will visit the neighbourhood to assess the situation. However, for the illegally constructed guardhouse, MPSJ will have to answer to that, said Serdang deputy police chief DSP Lam Chien Fei. Meanwhile other traders from the area raised fears that suspicious individuals were watching them as they closed their shops after business every day. A shop in the area was broken into recently and the traders suspect the same individuals of being behind the break-in. They are appealing to the police to step up their patrols to prevent

Ean Yong (second from right), Lam (middle), MPSJ councillor Tai Cheng Heng (right) and police representatives listening to residents concerns.

further break-ins. Another Bukit Serdang 3 resident, who only wanted to be known as Tiang, also called on police to have similar safety dialogues with pre-school teachers so they could safeguard the toddlers under their care, I hope the police can also organise meetings with kindergarten teachers and give them emergency contacts and addresses in case anything happens there, he said. In response, Lam told residents

the police were identifying schools around the area, especially private and international schools and kindergartens, before visiting them He further urged residents to lodge police reports immediately after witnessing crimes. Lam added that the public should also provide the police with more information after witnessing a crime including the number plates used in the getaway vehicle or a description of the suspects. If we have all this information,

we can spread the news to other police stations so that they too can be on the lookout for the suspects. Those who see any suspicious behaviour or crime happening around the neighbourhood, should call 012-235 7722 (Lam), 016-323 4815 (Chai) or 03-8602 0485 (Serdang police station). Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, Serdang member of Parliament Teo Nie Ching andMPSJ councillors were also at the dialogue.

Sewage tank uproar

Lee (centre) taking a look at the construction plan of the budget hotel laid out on the red sewage tank.

Nurul (centre) with lucky motorcyclists.

Nurul sets off helmet rush

lembah pantai: A hundred freemotorcycle helmets were snapped up in a little more than five minutes during a road safety campaigninitiated by Lembah Pantai member of Parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar recently. Much to her surprise, over 200 motorcyclists showed up for the programme near the Petronas Station next to the New Pantai Expressway in Jalan Bukit Angkasa. I didnt know everyone was going to come! said a delightful Nurul Izzah. The helmets were given on a first-come, first-served basis and pamphlets were also given away to educate the public, especially children, on road safety. The helmets cost RM40 each and were donated by community welfare NGO, Yayasan Aman. Due to the overwhelming response, she said similar events in the future were possible but it would depend on donations due to the lack of federal funds.

kajang: A sewage tank, which was supposed to have been built below ground, is raising health concerns among residents and traders in Kampung Sungai Chua. The tank, meant for a budget hotel, is only half-buried and could potentially emit stench when it is used. The stench will affect business in the area, cause a drop in quality of life, and also depreciate value of our properties, said Wong Kee Choo, a businessman who owns a motorcycle shop just next to the tank. He suspects the owner opted to save cost and build it half-buried instead of exploring alternatives when they came across ground water at a depth of 1.5 metres two weeks ago. Parking will also be a problem when the hotel starts operating due to it being in a commercial area with limited parking space. The developer was not able to continue as water will then flow out to the surround-

ing area, possibly affecting the foundations of nearby buildings and also cause soil instability, said Kajang state lawmaker Lee Kim Sin. The three-metre high and eight-metre long tube-shaped tank is located in an empty plot of land along Jalan Sungai Chua. The budget hotel is also under construction. Stand-alone sewage tanks are necessary in some areas due to the lack of integration with Indah Water Konsortiums sewage system. The Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) approved the construction of both the budget hotel and the sewage tank but sealed off the area after a site visit with Lee recently. MPKj has also issued an immediate stop-work order to the developers and told them to resubmit their amended construction plans in order to explore alternative solutions, said Lee.

news 16
June 22-24, 2012

Upgrades made easier for flat dwellers

SHAH ALAM: Joint management bodies ( JMB) who require assistance under Selangors Joint Property Repair Aid Scheme for High-rises (Ceria) now only have to sign a pledge to repay their portion of the cost before work can start. For phase three of Ceria, work can start immediately after residents sign a pledge. This is done to speed up repair works, said state executive councillor Iskandar Samad. Under the scheme, residents have to pay 20 per cent of the repair costs for their low-cost flats while the state government foots the rest of the bill. After signing the pledge, repair work can begin at their high-rises and after works are completed, they have to begin repaying the 20 per cent by instalments. Phase one of the scheme, which began in late 2010 and included 17 high-rises, required residents to pay 10 per cent before work began and the other 10 per cent in instalments after works were completed. In phase two, which included 52 high-rises, the amount residents had to fork out before work began was reduced to five per cent and the remaining 15 per cent after works were completed. However, residents of the mostly low-cost flats involved in the scheme have been finding it difficult to cough up the pre-works lump sum. For the third phase of the scheme, the state has offered to help 70 highrises with repair works. Having the residents pay a share of the cost of repair works is important. With their involvement, they take care of their own homes, IsIskandar (right) and Abdul Manaf (left) checking the repairs to the Teratai flats.

kandar said. He explained that with the inclusion of residents participation in the scheme, acts of vandalism, rampant in low-cost flats, can be reduced. The state has so far offered the Ceria scheme to 139 high-rises with 51 having been completed in the first and second phases to a tune of RM6.6 million. All three phases of the scheme are estimated to incur a cost of RM15.1 million. Residents should pressure their

Joint management bodies (JMB) and management committees (MC) to accept the scheme and sign the pledge, Iskandar said. He added that project managers for the repair works under the third phase will be hired based on open tender. Previously, only the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) and its subsidiaries were chosen as project managers. Iskandar said this during a visit to the Teratai flats in Taman Bukit

Subang on June 18. He was inspecting repair works done by Shah Alam City Councilhired contractors to the flats which were damaged by a storm on Feb 7. Ten units were seriously damaged with ceilings caving in and roof tiles falling off. Repair works for the Teratai flats cost RM163,000, said MBSA engineering department officer Abdul Manaf Kasnan. Residents had to vacate their units for repair works to commence and only started moving back in recently.

Fruitful durian charity fest

SUBANG JAYA:It was a fruitful Fathers Day for many who stopped by at Subang Parade for the durian-eating festival set up at the Sunken Plaza last Sunday. A total of seven and-a-half tonnes of fruit was delivered and consumed by some 2,000 people in the annual We Ate for Charity. The fund-raising event was organised for the Childrens Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS) which has been working to grant the wishes and bring smiles to the faces of terminally ill children since 2007. For just aRM20 donation, the participants were allowed to feast on as much durians, mangosteens and rambutans. Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh hoped many will give their support to CWS, which granted wishes of 200 children all over Malaysia. As a new parent, I can understand how parents feel if their child is sick, what more when theyre terminally ill. So CWS plays a major role in bringing a smile to children when parents cannot emotionally cope with it, she said. She also pledged RM5,000 to

LRT extension causing woes to residents

SUBANG JAYA: Congestion and disruptions to their lives were among issues raised by residents affected by the on-going construction oflight rail transit (LRT) extension along Jalan Kewajipanduring a closed-door meeting last Saturday. Residentsalong the LRT route in USJ 13 and USJ18 were given an opportunity to express their concernsthe meeting at Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) headquarters here on Saturday We expressed our worries about the traffic jams and especially the vibration the piling works is causing to our houses, said USJ18 resident Ong Lim Kean after the meeting. Some 10 residents from the two areas affected by the Kelana Jaya LRT extension project met engineers and managers from MPSJ and project owners Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana). The current works along Jalan Kewajipan involve, among others, the construction of station No. 9, which is near to houses at USJ18/5 and USJ18/6. Ong said the piling work, which started in early April, is causing air and noise pollution to the surrounding area and the residents have asked Prasarana to take further precautions to mitigate the situation. Meanwhile, residents have also expressed worries that the LRT stations being built near their homes will cause an influx of illegal parking by commuters who want to avoid paying parking fees there. To this, MPSJ vice-president Abdullah Marjunid said the local authorities and the traffic police would be issuing fines to any illegally parked car there once the LRT starts operation around late 2014. The day the LRT stations open, we and the traffic police will issue fines to motorists who park illegally in the area, he said. He added Prasarana engineers had given their assurance that they would utilise the latest piling and bore-hole equipment to minimise the ground vibration during earthworks along Jalan Kewajipan. Prasarana has also acquired a 900 sq metre plot of land from a playground shared by USJ13 and USJ18 respectively to build a power station for the LRT tracks. Residents were promised that only a quarter of the land would be used to construct a power station but the rest of it would be used to build a electricity line pylon. He said Prasarana had also placed more signages along the busy main road along with more personnel to direct traffic during peak hours. The Kelana Jaya line extension begins at Kelana Jaya station and passes through 13 new stations, including Subang Jaya and USJ before ending at Putra Heights, covering a distance of 17km.

Volunteers helping to carry the baskets of durians for the eating fest.

the charity foundation. CWS president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said this fund-raising effort combined the cooperation of different sectors of the Subang Jaya community. We have volunteers from many walks of life, even from the Subang

Jaya Fire & Rescue Department and Subang Jaya police, who took their time to help us carry the heaps of durian and open them up. A total of RM113, 000 was raised from corporate and public donations from this event.

Young musicians wow at first show

PETALING JAYA: Budding musicians, some as young as 10 years, played their debut concert to a packed audience at the city halls auditorium here in Jalan Yong Shook Lin last Saturday night. Some 600 members of the public turned up to see the performance by the Selangor Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), which consisted of students putting up a medley of songs from famous classical composers like Beethoven and Franz Schubert. Its great to see young and talented musicians take on complex compositions. They performed very well for student musicians, said music lecturer Judy Yap during the interval some 50 minutes into the two-hour concert. The orchestra which consists of a fully-fledged string section along with a woodwind ensemble of flute, clarinet and oboe, played their coming of age concert titled Chapter One: The Unveil, under the baton of their mentor and music teacher Chan Ling Chee. Ling Chee, who operates a music school in Puchong and specialises in teaching the cello and piano, said the orchestra consisted of passionate musicians who wanted to organise a concert that the public would be happy to attend. The highlight of the event also saw cellist James Ng giving a solo performance of a cello concerto by Antonin Dvorak. Ng, who studied in the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University and is a guest musician at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, later gave an encore performance. The concert was jointly organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) in conjunction with Petaling Jayas sixth anniversary of being conferred city status. Tickets were sold at RM10, RM15 and RM30, depending on seating location. Mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman Roslan (second from right) receiving a violin to sign from Ling Chee (third from left) as Hee (second and Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee from left), Gabriel (left) and Chee Kong look on. Loy Sian as well as MBPJ councillors Chan Chee Kong, Terrence Tan and Cynthia Gabriel attended the performance.

news 17
June 22-24, 2012

A participant, Jason Ang, receiving a gift for winning the 1,200m race organised by Villa Rimbawan Residents Association from executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar (centre) during the closing ceremony at Taman Pinggiran Putra. On the right is Bangi assemblyperson Dr Shafie Abu Bakar.

Hand, foot and mouth disease and dengue on the rise

SERI KEMBANGAN: Nearly 5,000 dengue cases and 4,600 hand, foot and mouth disease were recorded in Selangor from Jan 1 till the second week of June. Executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar told the press last Sunday 4,908 dengue cases and 12 deaths were reported in the state as of June 12. The situation is most dire in Klang, with four deaths and 1,445 cases, followed by three deaths each in Petaling district (1,364 cases) and Hulu Langat (1,092 cases). The Gombak and Kuala Langat districts also each reported a death due to dengue. He noted that the hot spots are concentrated in highly-populated urban areas while rural areas like Sabak Bernam and Sepang only recorded 66 and 67 cases respectively. Meanwhile, Dr Jayakumar said 4,559 infants and children were infected by hand, foot and mouth disease in Selangor from Jan 1 to June 9. The Petaling district recorded the hig hest number of cases (1,487), followed by Klang with 731 cases, Gombak 686 and Hulu Langat 678. Children aged one to five years were the most commonly infected, with 3,423 cases (75.1 per cent). The hand, foot and mouth disease, which causes nausea, sore throat and high fever, spreads through mucus and saliva. While Dr Jayakumar said it was not as deadly as dengue, he advised the public to take precautionary measures by maintaining cleanliness and keeping infected children away from public places. He was speaking to reporters after the closing ceremony of a six-month health campaign against obesity organised by Villa Rimbawan Residents Association at Taman Pinggiran Putra.

Taste of Chinas bold flavours

By Brenda Chng

food 18
June 22-24, 2012

overs of spic y Szechuan cuisine can now set their taste buds ablaze with the fiery flavoured dishes served at Paradise Dynasty which has now opened its doors at its first and only outlet in Malaysia, at Paradigm Mall. Located on the malls first floor, patrons no longer need to travel far for a taste of fine northern and southern Chinese cuisine which features bold flavours from the use of garlic, chili peppers, peppercorn and ginger. The concept of Paradise Dynasty is to bring to our customers the finer points of a bygone eras cuisine. Our dishes are an example of the fineness of Chinese cuisine, said Paradise (F&B) Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Elyna Tan. Choose to either sit beside the small indoor stream which snakes its way through the centre of the restaurant or opt for one of the two semi-private rooms for small gatherings. While getting cosy, order up a serving of their famous xiao long bao (steamed soup dumpling) which comes steaming hot in a traditional bamboo basket. Dubbed the legandary xiao long bao, patrons will be amazed with the chef s creativity at colouring the dumpling in eight different ways to help distinguish the various unique fillings inside. Unlike the original soup dumpling with the marinated meat filling, Paradise Dynasty offers foie gras (orange), black truffle (black), crab roe (light orange), cheese (yellow), ginseng (green), minced garlic (grey), Szechuan (pink) and of course original (translucent white). If patrons cant get enough of one or two particular flavours, not to worry as customers are allowed to order a basket of only one flavour or mix and match as they please. It is recommended to take a small bite to break the skin, suck up the juices and soup in the dumpling, dip it into vinegar, top it with ginger and lastly stuff the whole thing into the mouth. Prepared by chef Yan Wei from Nanjing, China, Paradise Dynastys fusion dish attracts the young and old daily and receives overwhelming orders of the foie gras and black truffle dumlpings. Their next bestseller is their silky handmade la mian (hand-pulled noodles), which are prepared fresh everyday in front of diners, where patrons can see them work through the transparent glass panel. Made by chef Ge Sheng from Henan, China, the noodles can be eaten either dry, soup based or tossed in meat sauce. Their signature noodle dishes are the la mian with dried shrimp and scallion and the one with poached marble beef Szechuan style. Both dishes will simply make your mouth water for more with every bite, as each offers a blend of different flavours from China. One special thing about la mian noodles is that you would have to bite it

Dumpling soaked in hot sauce.

La mian in signature meat bone soup served with pan-fried chicken chop. Legandary xiao long bao.

La mian with dried shrimp and scallion.

Minced meat to be wrapped in poppiah skin. Poached chicken in Szechuan style.

Glutinous rice ball topped with grated nut. Assorted egg loaf.

Spicy Szechuan chicken with peppercorn.

Radish puff pastry.

to break it or cut it personally in the bowl as the noodle resembles a never-ending ball of yarn. Also, be sure to order up their flaky radish pastry, which is hand-made by the chefs and should be eaten while it is still hot. A bite into it and compliments for the chef will be flying out of mouths as the flaky crispy outside breaks apart to reveal a ball of warm and soft chopped radish stuffing. For a moment, if felt like we were eating crispy popiah (spring roll), as the white radish filling was perfectly seasoned to taste like those stuffed in popiah. If you love that, be sure to order their other Shanghainese dim sum dishes such as steamed Tianjin buns, pan-fried dumplings and dumplings soaked in hot Szechuan sauce. For the more adventurous, try their hot and cold appetisers, chilled assorted eggs loaf done Yang Zhou style and assorted beef and organs in Szechuan sauce, which were specially created by the chefs themselves. The assorted eggs loaf is a blend of a few eggs into one unique cold dish, namely the century egg, salted egg and normal chicken egg. Another unique dish that patrons cant find in any other restaurant is the glutinous rice dumplings in fermented rice wine. This dish only caters to patrons with an eccentric tastebud, and not many might agree with the taste of it, just like those who think that almond pudding has a pungent smell. If you think you are full, clear your tummy for some dessert as the pastries are simply delightful. A must-try are their panfried pumpkin pastry, souffle egg white balls stuffed with red bean and banana, glutinous rice ball topped with grated nut (black sesame filling) and their chilled mango pudding. Paradise Dynasty is located at Lot 1F-15 Paradigm Shopping Mall Kelana Jaya. CIMB credit card holders are also entitled to a 10 per cent discount from now until Dec 30. For more information, visit www. paradisefnb.com.my and www.facebook.com/paradisegroupmalaysia

MEDIA

kuala lumpur: Fashion Weekend 2012 returned to the city last weekend showcasing a range of bright colours and trend-setting styles of Spring/Summer collection from various brands. Both Metrojaya MidValley Megamall and Suria KLCC hosted numerous runway shows featuring the collections which will be on sale in all their stores Modelled after the highly-popular London Fashion Weekend, KL Fashion Weekend 2012 serves as a platform for promoting the vibrant local shopping scene. This also provides excellent brand exposure while creating an important revenue stream for the local retail indus-

Latest collection in stores now

try, said a spokesperson from Metrojaya. This event, which is supported by Tourism Malaysia, was also held in conjunction with the launch of 1Malaysia Mega Sale 2012, last Friday. Among brands that were modelled were Salabianca, Hajaba, Laura Ashley, Cape Cod, Somerset Bay, East India Company and Passages. Also on sale are the Raya collection, featuring a wide range of baju Melayu and baju kurung specially designed by the labels above for both adults and children. Kuala Lumpur Fashion Weekend at Suria KLCC also entertained customers with talks and performances on the dos

JUNE 22 24, 2012

19

Blood donation drive at Tropicana

and donts of fashion. Among talks were Tips on Makeup by Malaysias leading make-up artist Cindy Chin, talk on Trends by the former fashion editor for The Star, Alistair Tan, and a talk on Styles by professional stylist Zaihani Mohd Zain. These fashion shows and talks were spread out over last weekend from 12.30pm to 6pm. For those who missed the fashion shows, head on down to the department stores, namely Parkson, Metrojaya and Isetan, to see the collections on display. The clothes will be on sale throughout the duration of the Mega Sale Carnival, which will last for seven weeks until Sept 2.

Tropicana Medical Centres Accident and Emergency department staff Dr Khoo Ching Soong (left) and Lam were among the donors.

New Honda City all set to vroom

kuala lumpur: Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd unveiled the longawaited new Honda City which is set to exceed expectations for design, performance and practicality. The new City caters to both work and leisure activities, said Honda Malaysia chief executive officer and managing director Yoichiro Ueno. Ueno, who spoke during the launch of the new compact sedan recently, said the new City combines attractive styling with practicality, comfort and economical driving. The new City debuts as the first completely knocked-down (CKD) model from Honda Malaysia after the resumption of its factory production in April 2012. With our production operating at full speed, we are pleased to announce we have cleared the 3,000 Honda City back orders we received during the production halt, Ueno said.

The new Honda City set to make a smashing debut. Inset: Ueno

The new City is powered by Hondas signature i-VTEC 1.5 litre engine which provides a balance of performance and fuel efficiency. Honda Malaysia targets to sell 2,000 units of the new City per month by the end of this year.

Customers can test drive and place their booking for the new City at any authorised Honda dealers nationwide. For more information, call Hondas toll free number at 1-800-88-2020, or log on to www.honda.com.my

petaling jaya: Some 70 people waited in line at Tropicana Medical Centre last Thursday to take part in a blood donation drive in support of the National Blood Centre (PDN). Organised by the medical centre, the campaign was aimed at creating awareness that a single blood donation can save up to three lives. Weve been organising this blood donation drive every year as we believe its an important social responsibility. We will also continue supporting PDN in meeting the blood banks requirements in the country, said Tropicana Medical Centre chief executive officer Erica Lam. The blood donation drive, which saw participation by both the public and medical centre staff, was held in conjunction with World Blood Donor Day. We thank those who have supported us today, as they have given others a new lease of life, said Lam. She hopes those who donated blood will continue their efforts and support the medical centre in other blood donation drives in future. Also present was PDN medical officer Dr Jaiy Nandani, who thanked the medical centre for organising this event. He said this campaign helped provide a convenient platform for the staff and community to donate blood. Such efforts by private organisations are very much encouraged as it contributes towards making blood donation a culture in the country, said Dr Jaiy. PDN also gave away goodie bags and served light refreshments to donors.

Added goodness
kuala lumpur: Health conscious fans of Milo can now enjoy the new Milo Mixes Variants which include less sugar, cereal and high fibre options to choose from. Milo Mixes Variants is a clear testament of Nestls commitment in promoting healthy lifestyles, said Nestl (M) Bhd Coffee and Beverages Business Unit executive director Don Howat after unveiling the new Milo variants in conjunction with Nestls 100th year in Malaysia to members of the press at Publika, Solaris Dutamas. The variants come in easily identifiable coloured packages like light blue for Milo Less Sweet, purple for Milo Hi-Fiber, and orange for Milo Cereal. Milo Less Sweet contains 47 per cent less sucrose and has all the goodness of Milo including high calcium and magnesium for strong bones and teeth. Milo Cereal gives the added advantage of healthy cereal flakes for fighting off the hunger pangs one might get between meals. Milo Hi-Fiber contains actifibras, a dietary fibre scientifically proven to maintain a good

Howat, Milo@Mixes senior brand manager Vincent Sebastian and consumer marketing manager Ng Su Yen with the Milo Mixes Variants and dancers during the official launch.

digestive system, which can reduce the risk of bloated stomach and gastrointestinal discomfort. The three new variants still contain the same goodness as other Milo products such as Protomalt, which is made from the wholesome goodness of malted barley. Also included in the Milo mix is ActigenE, which is a mixture of eight vitamins and four minerals, with skimmed milk powder for an excellent source of energy.

The new Milo Mixes Variants retails at RM10.50 for a pack which contains 10 stick sachets each. Nestls commitment to providing quality products to Malaysians dates back 100 years when it first began as the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in 1912 in Penang. Some of its brand names including Milo, Nescafe, Maggi, Nespray, and Kit Kat have become trusted household names and enjoyed for generations.

ISUZU D-MAX & Lori Baru

Stok sedia ada. Servis ke tempat anda. Tawaran hebat! Lawat : www.isuzu2u.com Hotline : 017-312 7222 Liza 019 329 2222 Mr. Lum

travel 20
june 22 24, 2012 The Splash Info Centre has all the information that any visitor needs.

Dam its beautiful!

Sometimes when the nearest beach is a wee bit too far from where you live, you may go where LIN ZHENYUAN has gone recently.

ome intrepid adventurers scale mountain peaks and add their conquests to their personal portfolio. I rest lower on the totem pole and try to visit as many dams as there are in Selangor. There are a total of seven in this state. They are the Sungai Selangor dam, Klang Gates dam, Sungai Tinggi dam, Sungai Semenyih dam, Sungai Langat dam, Batu dam and Tasik Subang dam. I have so far checked out the Batu, Sungai Langat and Sungai Selangor dams. The last one so happened to be an accidental pit-stop during my visit to Kuala Kubu Baru. A friend who made regular trips along the KKB-Frasers Hill road recommended that a visit to the dam would be most appropriate since I was already in the vicinity. Since I have a particular fondness for any vast natural landscape that surrounds a large pool of water, the temptation was overpowering. The Empangan Sungai Selangor is located five kilometres east of KKB and along the first stage of the 66.5km route up Frasers Hill. At first glance, the wide European-like scenery has a tendency to take a visitors breath away. It is as green as it is a vision straight from the garden of heaven. Its specific location is at a narrow gorge which sits on a

gargantuan granite bedrock a little downstream from the confluence of Sungai Gerachi and Sungai Selangor. The dam is 400 meters wide at its base, 800m long and 110m high. According to official records, the Sungai Selangor dam at full supply capacity covers 600 acres. It is the only dam out of the seven in Selangor that has the largest storage capacity relative to its area covered with water. The storage capacity is 235 million cubic metres. It was built as a regulating dam with a catchment area of secondary jungle covering 197 sq km. During the rainy season, excess water is kept in the reservoir. During dry periods when the water intake is low, water is released into the river. It is said that during the construction of the dam, two Orang Asli villages comprising 84 families were relocated. The KKBFrasers Hill road was also realigned to accommodate the reservoir masterplan. Traffic is relatively light along the road that goes up the resort of Just for those who are interested in some Frasers Hill.

Passing motorists tend to stop and stare at the beautiful landscape and its peaceful waters.

travel 21
june 22 24, 2012

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

Tel: 03-5637 3722 Fax: 03-5631 9815

Borang maklumaT Memaklumkan tentang meningalkan rumah kediaman untuk bercuti.
All is calm at the water edge of this 800m-long reservoir.

Kepada Kawasan pentadbiran balai polis .............................................................................................. BuTiran penduduk: nama: .................................................................................. alamat: ................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. nombor telefon bimbit/kediaman: ........................................ nombor telefon yang boleh dihubungi: ................................ .............................................................................................. tarikh meninggalkan rumah: ................................................ tarikh dijangka balik ke rumah: ........................................... Kenderaan yang ditinggalkan (jenis model & nombor daftar kenderaan). 1. .......................................................................................... 2. .......................................................................................... 3. .......................................................................................... lain-lain maklumat: ..............................................................................................

of the relevant components which help the dam to operate smoothly, features like chute spillway, plungepool (energy dissipater), diversion tunnel, coffer dam and Draw-off Tower were also constructed. Aesthetically, the Sungai Selangor dam ranks as one of the most beautiful in the state because of its proximity to the upward and winding KKB-Frasers Hill road. At 6pm when the sun has sunk behind the distant hills, the sky over the Selangor river dam looks picture perfect. Small clumps of white clouds rest like cotton puffs on different slopes. They create the kind of pastoral beauty that melts all but the most unfeeling hearts. On some slopes of the surrounding secondary jungle, there are signs of cultivation which do not rob the environs of its natural beauty. Before the construction of the dam at its present location, there was a comparative study of five sites. In the end, with its natural advantages and storage capacity, the Sungai Selangor site was selected as the most appropriate. The other four were in Rawang, Rening, Beletak and Batang Kali. The other factors that were in favour of the present site were low environment impact, excellent bedrock foundation and least area of private land affected. It was deemed that only 113 hectares of private land were affected in the overall area of 600 hectares.

Presently, as a measure to preserve and protect the quality of reservoir water, the entire catchment area encompassing 19,700 hectares has been gazetted as a protected watershed. In relation to the Sungai Selangor reservoir, there are two treatment plants. One is located in Rasa and the other in Bukit Badong. For many Selangor residents, the dams, particularly this one, at first glance are sites that would easily capture any passing motorists attention. The role of the dams is crucial because as of late last month, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim gave an assurance to the public that water reserves in the state are at a comfortable level. The total capacity of the seven Selangor dams currently stands at 522.66 million cubic metres, more than enough to supply all the water treatment plants in the state. This dam, which was completed almost 10 years ago, is one of the jewels of Kuala Kubu Baru. Cyclists going up or down Frasers Hill admire its beauty. Visitors make impromptu stops to absorb its natural beauty and anglers have been known to try their luck at certain strategic spots along the shores of the vast lake. Next time when you make plans to spend a weekend on Frasers Hill, take time off to be up close and personal with the Selangor river dam. The sights and serenity of its landscape are guaranteed to act like a soothing balm for your soul.

The hour passes swiftly amid such lovely surroundings.

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

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

Have you cHecked your electrical switcHes before leaving Home?

Before leaving your home for a holiday, did you check all your electrical switches and turned off your gas tanks?

Call the SS17 BomBa for advise at

03-5634 9444

Gallery 22
June 22-24, 2012

Klang member face mask from r receiving a free lan Papan morning market last de A Pandamaran tra e the Ja to members of th arles Santiago at of Parliament Ch stributed over 20,000 free masks cope with the o di em Sunday. Santiag e week to help th ang throughout th public around Kl worsening haze.

It was a durian eating (and burping!) fest for Subang Jaya residents last Sunday with proceeds from their donations going to the Childrens Wish Society. Some RM113,000 was collected from the event. Here, people can be seen eating the many durians, mangostee ns and rambutans served by the volunteers at the We Ate for Charity even t.

And this is how you do it, seems to be what Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is tellin g this mororcyclist. A hundred free motorcycle helm ets were snapped up in a little more than five minutes during a road safety campaign initiated by her last Monday.

e in Puchong. Staff of ian Water Sports Villag na boat ride at the As (MPSJ) and the press A bana Council bang Jaya Municipal Tourism Selangor, Su s recently. ir water sport activitie the were invited to try out

Hulu Kelang assemblyperson Saa ri Sungib (right) clearing away bran ches after chopping down a tree during a gotong-royong to clean up the open space at Jalan AU 1C/1, last Satu rday. He was joined by Taman Des a Pendidik Residents Association members and Selangorku voluntar y squad.

culture 23
June 22 24, 2012

The Joy Luck Club in Malaysia

By Dominic Luk

EDITORS PICK

any of us would remember the famous novel, The Joy Luck Club, written by Amy Tan in 1989 about four Chinese American immigrant families who start a club called the Joy Luck Club. The book made such a huge impact that it was developed into a movie in 1993. The movie itself made a lasting impression. Perhaps it was because the storyline was compelling and insightful, and spoke about many issues and encompassed themes that people could easily relate to. What not many of us would know is that the story of these Chinese American families was adapted into a play that was written by Susan Kim. The play made its debut in New York City at the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre. The story is made up of 16 interlocking stories about four Chinese immigrant women and their Americanborn daughters. The women form a group to play mah jong together, and named the group the Joy Luck Club. While the younger generation might not be so familiar with the book or the film, one Malaysian company has boldly taken the task of staging this play and bringing it back into the spotlight. Electric Minds Project (EMP), which has already produced shows like Bars and Bedrooms, White Trash, and Its The End of the World Now Run Screaming, will be staging The Joy Luck Club in November this year. The play will be directed by Alex Chua. Those living in the Klang Valley can now consider being a part of this legendary play by auditioning for roles, both lead and ensemble. Its certainly a fantastic opportunity to not just be a part of an

amazing production, but also to learn to appreciate good literature. Although the production will only hit the stage later this year, auditions will begin on 29 June. The dialogue for all characters are primarily in English, with some minor dialogue in Mandarin and/or Cantonese (not compulsory). Actors auditioning for the daughters are expected to have a very strong grasp of English and accent work. Auditionees are required to prepare 2 monologues, each between 1 to 2 minutes long. If youre interested in finding out more about how you can audition for The Joy Luck Club, send an e-mail to electricmindsproject@gmail.com. Also, check out EMPs Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ electricmindsproject).

The Comedy Club is back

Comedy: June 19-22 (8.30pm); Various venues; http://www. thecomedyclubkl.com/; RM43-RM99.
For the month of June, The Comedy Club Kl brings to you another trio of funny fellows. Brian Aylward (Can) - Back again since his last visit to Malaysia, Brian returns with his cunning wit and irresistible charm. Furnished with stories aplenty of his travels around and about Asia, Brian is no stranger to the Asian sense of humour. Starting his career in South Korea, hes been to various countries, such as Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and more. Hes also not without merit as he has held the title of Halifaxs Funniest in 2011. Hes a treat indeed, catch him with TCCKL in June. Matt Price (UK) - Hailing from Cornwall, all the way from the United Kingdom, here comes Matt Price. Like the name, the man himself has material which is absolutely priceless. Mixing things with a generous helping of joke based tales and audience interaction, every show is a unique experience. Constantly refreshing and ever loving the people he shares his tales with Matt, will give you a night to really laugh out loud to. Tim Tayag (Phi) - Earning comedy roots in San Francisco, California, this plucky Filipino went from traveler, to show host, writer and even official comedian for the Asian Games, Doha in 2006. Known widely for his extremely comical anecdotes on observational humour, Tim is never short when it comes to punch lines. Grab a drink and ready your funny bone, because is going to tickle it silly.

CALenDAR
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark
Play: June 19-23; PJ Live Arts Theatre @ Jaya One; 017-2289849; www. gardnerandwife.com; RM50RM89.

Im Loving Cello

Recital: June 22-23 (8pm); Toccata Studio, SS2 Petaling Jaya; 016-3046404; RM29. This is a cello recital by Dylan Lee, accompanied by E-Jan Tan. The programme includes pieces from JS Bach, R Schumann, A Piazzolla, G Faure and C SaintSeans. Admission is by donation (RM29).

Songs for a New World

Musical; June 21-24; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KL; 03-40479000; www.klpac.org/; RM23RM43. The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre presents Caipifruta Vocal Quartet in Jason Robert Browns intimate musical Songs For A New World. Hard choices. Betrayal. Hopes, fears. Once-secure lives falling to pieces. These are the all-too-real moments in life which Tony award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years) weaves into his intimate first produced musical, the offBroadway hit Songs For A New World. A celebration in song of love, laughter, tears, and adventure, these are songs about life and the passion within which drives every one of us to our own defining one moment. The Malaysian premiere of Songs For A New World is directed by Boh Cameronian Arts award-winning director Christopher Ling (Best Direction, Musical Theatre for The Last Five Years) and features Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) nominated vocal quartet, Caipifruta. (Best Group Vocal Performance, AIM18).

Join Plop, the baby barn owl as he journeys into the night-time world ofcampfires, fireworks and moonlit adventures! Based on the bestselling childrens classic by Jill Tomlinson and performed by the Blunderbus Theatre Company (UK), this gentle reassuring tale is brought to life with an irresistable blend of live music, puppetry and storytelling. Written especially for children aged 3 - 7, and grown-ups who still sleep with the lights on.

Selangor.Times.LilyII_FA_OL.pdf

6/21/12

5:36 PM

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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