Savoir Vivre in Kuala Lumpur!

Finito!

2011-04-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

No more posts will be made in this blog. I will write only in my original blog, Combat Loaded & Mission Ready henceforth. Please do not leave a comment to this post and please do not follow this blog, there's not going to be any new posts.

The Shoebox Project: Photos from December

2010-02-01T21:47:00.001-08:00

We've finally got some photos of the Burmese Refugee Children Christmas Party held on 18 December 2009, after a long wait! Thank you to all our wonderful contributors who ensured that no child went home empty-handed. The initial request was for 172 presents, but we received over 300 presents in the end, which meant that the extra presents could be distributed to children from other vulnerable communities. Some of you may not be able to recognise your presents, as the other volunteers and I have wrapped and decorated the boxes that were not wrapped. The age of the children in this particular community school range from 6 to 16. The final two photos are of the teens. As you can see, your kindness brought them a lot of joy. For many of them, it is probably the first time they have received a Christmas gift.

International Refugee Food Fair

2010-01-22T05:30:00.000-08:00

The UNHCR Office in Kuala Lumpur recently held an International Refugee Food Fair from 20th - 22nd January 2010 to generate income for the refugee communities and to bring the various communities closer together through food. It was also an opportunity for the staff and volunteers to sample the food of the communities that they have been working with.

A copy of the menu for the day.

Somali sambousa (i.e. samosa) with a filling of potatoes, peas and meat.

Somali Abu Timir Cake.

Sri Lankan Fish and Potato Cutlets.

Sri Lankan Ulunthu Vadai (Vegetarian).

Sri Lankan 'Kool' - A spicy seafood soup.

Sri Lankan 'Roti' (flatbread) with Seeni Sambal (sweet and spicy onion relish) on the left, and Modaka/Modak sweetmeat made with flour, coconut, green beans, sugar and spices on the right. Hindu friends will know Modaka as the sweet offered to Lord Ganesha every Vinayagar Chatthurti.

Shan noodles (Siang Lah Miang) from Myanmar, cooked in a soup containing tomato and dried shrimps.

Afghan 'Zereskh' - Mixed rice and chicken.

Note: I could not provide food reviews as most of the food is not vegetarian. In addition, in some of the photos, you may notice that Styrofoam tableware was used, simply because the particular communities did not bring sufficient tableware. Nobody had thought of supplying the stalls with biodegradable tableware, which would be more expensive but less harmful to the environment. Measures could be taken in future to create incentives for customers who bring their own cutlery, takeaway containers and tableware.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Address: 570, Jalan Bukit Petaling, 50460 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Telephone: (603) 2141 1322
Fax: (603) 2141 1780
Email: mlslu@unhcr.org

SPCA Charity Gala: Black Solid Gold!

2010-01-13T05:51:00.001-08:00

After years of applying to purchase the land that our animal shelter is situated on, SPCA Selangor is finally able to legally own the premises, thanks to the efforts of the Selangor State Government, which approved the application for land alienation. For the past few months, all of us at the shelter have been very excited over the plans to transform and remodel the animal shelter into an aesthetically-pleasing eco-friendly shelter that can house 300 dogs and 200 cats.

The new eco-friendly facility is designed by award-winning architect Hijjas Kasturi, who offered his services pro bono. Hijjas Kasturi, his wife and his family are no strangers to volunteering and have dedicated a lot of their time, effort and resources to worthy causes.

To raise funds for our highly ambitious remodelling plans, SPCA Selangor organised a fundraising dinner featuring Chairperson Christine Chin's husband, Donne Ray Radford, who would be singing R&B, soul and funk hits from the '70s and '80s. I have heard Donne perform before, at the fundraising do at Noble Banquet in 2007, and was delighted to be offered a seat at the volunteers' table. I knew my parents would enjoy the dinner and programme, and so we purchased dinner tickets so we could attend the event together and contribute to this worthy cause.

SPCA Charity Gala: Black Solid Gold! Dress code: 80's Retro!

The Charity Gala, which took place at the Sabah Ballroom of Shangri-La, was highly successful. Merchandise sales were brisk. There was even a wine auction and a magic show as precursors to the main attraction.

Donne Ray Radford, former lead singer of The Platters, in his element. You couldn't help but want to get up and dance!

As we would say back in the '80s, it has been a most excellent party, fur sure!

To find out ways to support SPCA Selangor, come visit our current animal shelter any day, from 0900 - 1600 hours!

"Give Peace A Chance"

2010-01-10T20:37:00.001-08:00

The January 7 arson attacks on four churches in the Klang Valley have unleashed the best and the worst in Malaysians.

While the mainstream media has been exercising restraint in their reporting of the incidents, not all bloggers have demonstrated the same level of mindfulness. Some of the bloggers I have previously followed expressed such prejudice, hatred and suspicion in their opinions that I have decided that they are not people I wish to retain as my friends. Others made unfounded and preposterous allegations of the arson attacks being political manoeuvres by either party, depending on which side you are on. The more erudite bloggers have been holding forth endlessly on how the random acts of violence are the results of years of corruption, reverse discrimination, marginalisation of certain groups and the undermining of the independence of the judiciary and the doctrine of separation of powers.

I am not convinced that the attacks are the outcome of political machinations. I am not convinced that the situation is under control, as our nation's leaders would have us believe. I am not convinced that the incidents were isolated and unrelated incidents.

What I do know, however, is that is it now truly a battle between "us" and "them".

"Us" constitutes those of us who are not merely paying lip service to the ideas of peace and tolerance, but who actively reach out to others in a spirit of friendship, compassion and conciliation. "Us" is those of us who believe that a fundamental way of battling corruption is by living our lives with integrity -- by not offering or accepting bribes; by not "pulling strings" and relying on "connections" to secure jobs, contracts, titles and places in favoured institutions; by not transgressing housing and public order regulations and then expecting the authorities to "close one eye"; by not purchasing illegal and pirated goods or patronising illegal outlets; by not creating opportunities for dishonesty and corruption. "Us" is those of us who believe that the way to lasting and peaceful change is through democratic means and through public education efforts, and that the only way to counter bad ideas is through better ideas, and not through censorship, the suppression of civil liberties or exploiting the ignorance of certain groups.

"Them" is made up of those who respond with hatred, suspicion and malice. "Them" are the ones who utter incendiary words and expect the worst of people. "Them" are those who spread fear and hatred and disseminate unfounded rumours and implicate individuals and groups. "Them" are those who hold the "I am better than you" and "Serves you right" mentalities. "Them" are the ones who are arrogant, unthinking and fearful of those who are different.

I urge all of you, gentle readers, not to respond in fear and suspicion, but to pause to reflect instead, on how the arson attacks have also brought out the best in Malaysians.

Consider the goodwill gesture of a group of Malaysians of different faiths and backgrounds who responded to an appeal on Facebook and came together at Bukit Bintang to hand out flowers to passersby in a gesture of goodwill and friendship. I may not be entirely convinced that "everything's going to be alright", but I do know that with individuals such as Chi Too and his friends who courageously turned up at Bukit Bintang, there is immense hope that our country will rise above its failings and shortcomings to be united, strong, progressive and resilient.

Youths giving away flowers as a sign of friendship and unity at a busy intersection at Jalan Bukit Bintang yesterday in the wake of arson attacks on four churches on Friday. — M. AZHAR ARIF / The Star

Photo and caption reproduced from The Star, without permission but in accordance with the principles of fair use.

And today, 130 Muslim NGOs volunteered to help protect churches by patrolling and checking on churches in their neighbourhoods and reporting on suspicious activities in a gesture of goodwill.

These sincere gestures touch our hearts precisely because they are so rare that they have become newsworthy.

Our duty today and henceforth is to make an earnest effort to ensure that goodwill gestures such as these will no longer be exceptional or isolated.

I foresee the attacks are not going to stop immediately. But if we were to react with fear and hatred, we would be letting "Them" win. Our duty therefore is to respond with courage and goodwill, as the groups above have.

The only way we can make our nation strong is by extending a hand in friendship, compassion and trust to others. Don't just sit there complaining that the investors have lost confidence in Malaysia -- play your part by living your life with integrity and reducing opportunities for corruption and illegal activities! Don't whinge about how Malaysian society is no longer what it used to be -- say hello and introduce yourself to a neighbour, a new colleague, the postman or waste collectors, the stranger who happens to share your dinner table at an event! (P/S: Thank you, Mum and Dad!) Be diligent at work, but also take the time to volunteer your time and skills and contribute your resources to worthy causes, because sharing is a privilege and a pleasure.

The groups above have taken a step towards creating a better and more peaceful Malaysia for all. Let us make it our New Year resolution to follow their lead and make peace, stability and unity our responsibility. For we are One, and we are strong, and we are better than those who try to stoke the fires of hatred. And we shall overcome, but only if we all play our part.

New Year 2010: Merrymaking in the Mangroves and Mudflats!

2010-01-07T19:43:00.000-08:00

(This entry is posted after the conclusion of the Blog4FT contest and the events herein were not conducted in Kuala Lumpur. This blogpost is posted for the benefit of the followers of this blog and contributors to the Shoebox Project.)

Sometime in the final week of 2009, I decided that at least 40 of the surplus shoebox gifts I received from our generous contributors could go to the hardworking and deserving children of Kelab Alami, a nature club set up by Cikgu Bakhtiar and Cikgu Zurina, dedicated teachers who I met while volunteering with Save Our Seahorses (SOS Malaysia), in Tanjung Kupang, Johor. The club is assisted and co-coordinated by my dear friend, Serina, and the members of the club are local children who mostly come from the fishing community.

Most of the children come from low-income families, and some are from truly disadvantaged backgrounds. The objective of the club is to inculcate a love of the environment in the children and provide them with basic knowledge in natural history and ecology. Among the projects they have undertaken this year include data collection visits to the seagrass beds and mangrove forests and the establishment of an organic vegetable patch. Since the children have worked hard all year, I made plans to throw them a New Year's Day party and hand out shoebox gifts filled with school supplies and other treats.

My buddy Zawalan was roped in to assist and we started our journey on the morning of New Year's Eve. Serina had also informed us of pollution having occurred in the vicinity of the seagrass beds and I wanted to accompany her to visit the site to collect samples.

We arrived at Pendas Jetty in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, at 1730h. Serina, some of the children and teachers, and our marine scientists Alfian and Leena, were already waiting in the boat. Off we went to visit the seagrass beds to see what could be done to mitigate the damage done to the ecologically-sensitive area.

31 Dec 2009
Serina took her charges, Udin and Amal, along with us to visit the affected seagrass bed in Tanjung Adang.

31 Dec 2009
A sea squirt at the seagrass bed in Tanjung Adang, looking rather poorly.

31 Dec 2009
I checked on yet another poorly-looking "chocolate chip" starfish at the pollution site.

31 Dec 2009
One of the club members, Jannah, inspects the sections of pipe planted in the seagrass bed 2 months ago as part of an experiment on seaweed and seagrass habitats.

31 Dec 2009
Ebony and Ivory... Live together in perfect harmony...

31 Dec 2009
We went out for our New Year's Eve dinner at Awana restaurant in Gelang Patah, as there were no shops and eateries open in the village after dark.
From left to right: Alfian, Leena, Serina, Lan and Zawalan.

1 Jan 2010
Serina's kampung house is the only one in the entire village with a Christmas tree. The kids were absolutely fascinated by it. For many, it was the first time they have seen a Christmas tree in the flesh.

1 Jan 2010
The Kelab Alami organic vegetable patch, maintained by the hardworking children and teens of Kelab Alami Tanjung Kupang, behind Serina's rented pad.

1 Jan 2010
The children started arriving for the party in the afternoon and Serina required a few of them to complete a natural history survey.

1 Jan 2010
To keep the youngsters who have completed their surveys occupied, I organised a nature-related Scavenger Hunt outside and instructed the children to search for specific stones, fruits, leaves and grasses. The first child to bring me the correct object receives a prize. This game had the children running all over the streets and climbing trees and over fences. I gave out over 20 packs of stickers, writing equipment, felt-tip pens and chocolates, which were loose items left over from the Shoebox Project.

1 Jan 2010
The entire village was our playground on New Year's Day. Due to space constraints indoors, we took our Pass-the-Parcel game outdoors. My version had a natural history / Green Living component, for which the youngsters had to answer questions like "Name one way to conserve water at home" and "Name one way to improve fuel economy" before they could have the goodies buried under each layer of paper.

1 Jan 2010
The feline club mascot had a field day begging scraps from everyone.

1 Jan 2010
Tea-time for the Kelab Alami youngsters does not have to be an elaborate affair. I paid for the fried noodles, green bean soup and iced syrup. Serina supplied a watermelon and lots of apples and oranges. A friend, Desmond, contributed chocolate wafers and biscuit bars.

1 Jan 2010
The youngsters were all shiny-eyed and excited over the lovely gifts they received. Most boxes had high quality school supplies in Cartoon Network/Disney themes that our rural children could not afford or could not find in their local shops. The school supplies made practical but fun gifts for the children of Kelab Alami. Once again, I would like to thank our generous sponsors for their thoughtful gifts!

1 Jan 2010
After the party, Shoebox Elves Serina, Jannah and Cikgu Zurina helped me sort and label the remaining gifts for the children who could not attend the party. Most village children either had household chores to do or had to work at little jobs during the school holidays.

We also decided in the evening that some of the remaining gifts could go to the very needy Orang Asli (indigenous) community in Kampung Simpang Arang in Gelang Patah the following day. We opened up the boxes to make the items easier to distribute, as there would not be enough boxes for all, and even if there were, entire boxes full of school supplies would be of limited use to children who do not attend school.

2 Jan 2010
The following morning, we dropped by Kampung Simpang Arang in Gelang Patah to distribute presents and treats to the children. I tried to make them queue up so that I could hand out school supplies to those who do attend school, and hand out presents according to age, gender and need, but it soon descended into anarchy. No one was listening to my pleas to queue up anymore. It was an unpleasant experience as I have hitherto had only positive encounters with our friends from the indigenous communities.

The children of Kampung Simpang Arang were patently impoverished. Many were sickly and clad in rags. Some had such sore and infected eyes that I was surprised they could see what I brought them. They screamed, snatched and fought with each other over the toys. I am glad we made the decision to hand out individual items rather than entire boxes and expect them to share. For our next visit, I think it would be wiser and better for us to give them clothes, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes instead.

2 Jan 2010
One of the boys in the Kg. Simpang Arang Orang Asli Village had found an abandoned baby otter and decided to hand-raise it until it was strong enough to be released. Thankfully, no one tried to sell it to us and the people seem determined to nurse it back to health.

We left Johor on the afternoon of 2nd January and made our way back to Kuala Lumpur. It has been a productive and enjoyable trip, and I was pleased to have spent my New Year in the company of dear friends. Work and the City beckons, and next weekend I will be back at the SPCA animal shelter and be kept busy henceforth for the rest of the year with work and coordinating other projects.

2010 is off to a good start!

Reflections for the New Year

2009-12-30T03:08:00.001-08:00

As my final post for this year (and quite possibly, this contest), I have chosen to interview 5 outstanding KL-ites in terms of their contribution to the country, society and the natural world on their hopes and goals for the coming year.

Edmund Bon
Lawyer, human rights activist and legal aid volunteer.

What was the best thing that you will remember of 2009?

Post-March 8, and this year particularly, we have seen a rise in the number of young(er) activists advocating civil society's causes. 10 years after the birth of the "Reformasi Generation" (as Liew Chin Tong puts it), we have many new, idealistic professionals and students wanting to be heard, to stake their claim, and to shape society by themselves; not allowing others to do it for them.

The successful launch of the "MyConstitution Campaign" or "Kempen PerlembagaanKu" on 13 November 2009 is strong testimony of this - our young Malaysians have sought to embark on a difficult terrain yet uncharted for 2 years to educate 28 million rakyat about the Constitution. These activists are the rising and future stars of the Bar, and include, among others, Mahaletchumi Balakrishnan, Syahredzan Johan, Grace Wong, Firdaus Husni, Adrian Chew, Daniel Albert, Kwan Will Sen, June Low, Low Boon Seong, Samuel Leong, Selena Kong, Shamala Balasundaram, Yip Xiaoheng, Yeoh Tung Seng , Tey Jun Ren, Yap Yin May, Sonya Liew, Young Ai Peng, Nadia Abu Bakar, Michael Loo, Leong Yeng Kong, Keith Chin, Joshua Tay, Gregory Marimuthu and David Siaw.

Malaysia's future looks bright!

If there is anything regrettable or anything you could change about 2009, what would it be?

The way the monarchy took an unprecedented role in our democratic affairs, noting what happened in Terengganu and Perak. Incidents which have caused public disquiet exposed the institution to attacks which could have been avoided. The perception of the Judiciary has not improved, some argue that it has plummeted.

And of course, more importantly, the number of beached whales that die every year. How do we stop that? It is really sad to see them stranded and helpless.

What do you hope 2010 will bring?

MyConsti is working hard to launch the remaining 8 phases by March 2011 - (i) institutions of the Constitution and separation of powers (coming your way on January 15 at Sunway University College), (ii) federal-state relations, (iii) fundamental liberties and the rakyat, (iv) Parliament, (v) Executive, (vi) Judiciary, (vii) elections and democracy, and (viii) Sabah and Sarawak.

I wish that many more people will work with us on the Campaign, participate in our discussions and workshops, attend our launches, join our Facebook page at http://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com/MyConstitution check out our "Rakyat Guides" and "Rakyat Service Advertisements" at http://www.blogger.com/www.perlembagaanku.com, watch our 1-minute video clips at http://www.blogger.com/www.youtube.com/user/PerlembagaanKu and disseminate the enduring messages of the Constitution to their friends and loved ones.

Brian Lariche
UNDP Programme Adviser on HIV/AIDS Leadership, social justice activist and director-founder of Lariche Community, a consultancy that develops capacity-building programmes for NGOs and Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.

What was the best thing that you will remember of 2009?
The new social enterprise I started, Lariche Community, which specialises in Community Development.

If there is anything you could change about 2009, what would it be?
That the robbery did not happen to me and my family. I was robbed in my own home and the robbers traumatised us. The police were of no help or use. When I shared this with some people I know, many revealed they were also victims of a robbery. I think my loss of 'innocence' as a result of the robbery is the most painful and regrettable consequence.

What is your wish for 2010?
That Malaysia becomes safer for her citizens, that we will actually have a police force that is trained to have better people skills rather than pass annoying comments and then proceed to do nothing with regards to a crime. That NGOs become more accountable and transparent in their operations. Finally, that more companies do real CSR work and not just PR exercises.

Do you have any New Year resolutions you would like to share with our readers?
I will focus more on non-profit development and I hope to help create a method of public NGO assessment.

Loretta Ann Shepherd
Project Coordinator, Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT).

What was the best thing that you will remember of 2009?
The National Tiger Action Plan that MYCAT produced in collaboration with the government was endorsed by the Deputy Prime Minister. Such high-level commitment to doubling our tiger numbers to 1,000 by 2020 was a big boost – and we look forward to this translating to REAL action for tigers!

If there is anything regrettable or anything you could change about 2009, what would it be?
More dead tigers seized in Malaysia than ever before. Tigers are poached for man-made greed – for wildmeat consumption, medicinal use, trophy collections – the list is long. Malaysia is lucky because she still has tigers but that also means she has tigers to lose. Dead tigers popping up here and there really cut to the core of us working so hard to protect them in the wild. The demand appears almost relentless, and we fear that this coming 2010 will mean an increase in the demand for tiger parts precisely because it IS the Year of the Tiger.

What is your wish for 2010?
2010 being the Lunar Year of the Tiger = big buzz in the tiger world. There is much planned for the coming year, and we hope to ‘capitalise’ on the attention so that it is channelled positively to saving wild tigers.

I have more than one wish, naturally. I wish we could have more Malaysians join the field of conservation. There are so many things than need doing; and you have the choice of making it your career, or volunteering to help out, and taking steps to change the way you do things. For specific ideas on how you can help - http://www.malayantiger.net/take-action

We need more Malaysians to join the cause by speaking up to the media, to their MPs, to their local leaders. If Malaysians don’t demand that wildlife needs better protection, why should any politician take a handful of ‘animal-lovers’ (the Press loves to paint everyone with that brush) seriously?

Lack of funds is not the only challenge we have, but it is a major one. It would be wonderful if we had all the money we needed to tackle the identified threats to tigers.

Do you have any New Year resolutions you would like to share with our readers?
To do more for tigers this year (and beyond) than I have, and one of the ways I can think of doing more is by inspiring more people, especially youth, to commit themselves to helping save Malaysian wildlife.

Joe Yap
Founder-Creator of the Waterfall Survivors Facebook Group, which aims to educate Malaysians on conservation of our water catchment areas and river systems, and which organizes, coordinates and conducts waterfall and river cleanup campaigns.

What was the best thing that you will remember of 2009?
Personally, I felt that the Save Our Waterfall cleanup campaign at Kanching waterfalls cum 350.org was a very successful event with more than 350 participants. This is really one of the events that made history for Waterfall Survivors in 2009. Why do I consider this the best thing that I will remember of 2009? Because we held this event together with thousands of other events across the world and we managed to reach out to people directly to tell them what the 350 movement is all about. Most participants contributed as much as they could in terms of hard work and that was truly very heartwarming, and a confidence booster for us to soldier on. It also proves that Malaysians are still a caring lot.

If there is anything regrettable or anything you could change about 2009, what would it be?
I would have liked members to be more active. We have almost 4,000 members but those that participate are only a handful. In fact, I can safely say that fewer than 1,000 participated in our events.

There were times when Waterfall Survivors (hereafter, “WS”) was criticized heavily because some members thought WS was becoming commercialized. It wasn’t easy to handle these situations, especially since we are a Facebook-based group. It is just so easy for people to post damaging remarks and there is no onus on them to be responsible for what they have posted. We hope they can understand that the grass always looks greener on the other side. We work with very tight budgets and our objectives and missions have never changed. We have always been about receiving funds from members and providing services back to the members and promoting protection of the environment. Since WS’s formation, our committee covers the deficit of events, if any. We didn’t perform well in terms of fund raising. Else we could have done much more.

What is your wish for 2010?
I’ll be a little greedy here because I have many wishes, not just one. Here goes:
-To explore more unknown falls;
-To do even more charity and social work for society, whether waterfall-related or otherwise;
-To make future Save Our Waterfalls campaigns even more successful;
-To educate the public and the younger generation, especially schoolchildren, about protecting waterfalls and the environment 350 days a year, oops, I mean 365 days a year;
-To bring underprivileged children, with the support of WS members, to enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature. Why with WS members? Because they will only feel more empathy for these children if they are personally involved in the programme. Sadly, people in general are still more interested in enjoying life and making money, even though they have more than they need. I think WS members can be much more active than they were in 2009. After all, one of the main driving forces behind WS’s activities is compassion for people and Mother Nature;
-To create more awareness of safety at waterfalls and hopefully this will result in zero drowning cases at waterfalls in 2010;
-To recruit more hardcore waterfall lovers to join us as committee members, as we tend to get tired at times. There simply aren’t enough hands; and finally
- To secure more sponsors for our events!

My resolution for 2010 is to preserve WS as the largest Waterfall Group in Malaysia and to reach greater heights in all its endeavours. And for all those who share the same passion as we do, to wake up with a smile everyday!

Ahmad Fansuri
Volunteer Management Coordinator, Rumah Nur Salam

Apakah pengalaman yang paling manis yang saudara lalui pada tahun 2009?
Pengurusan Rumah Nur Salam memberi kepercayaan kepada saya untuk menjadi Penyelaras Pengurusan Sukarelawan agar saya dapat menarik lebih ramai masyarakat menceburi bidang kesukarelawanan, khususnya terhadap isu-isu kanak-kanak di Rumah Nur Salam. Tanggungjawab ini bukanlah mudah kerana kerja-kerja kesukarelawan di Malaysia masih di tahap yang rendah, berbanding masyarakat antarabangsa yang menganggap kerja-kerja sukarela sebagai satu tanggungjawab yang perlu mereka laksanakan dalam kehidupan mereka.

Apakah pengalaman yang paling pahit yang saudara lalui pada tahun 2009?
Pengalaman Pahit - terlalu banyak yang dialami dan biarlah ianya menjadi pengalaman dan panduan diri dalam mengharungi kehidupan yang mendatang.

Apakah hajat, harapan dan azam saudara untuk tahun 2010?
Saya berharap pada tahun 2010, melalui "Nur Salam Volunteer Programme", lebih ramai ahli masyarakat akan menghulurkan bantuan dan berkongsi kasih sayang, pengetahuan, kemahiran dan pengalaman dengan kanak-kanak dan remaja yang mendaftar di Nur Salam seiring dengan misi dan visi Rumah Nur Salam.

Saya juga berharap Nur Salam akan berjaya dalam misi dan visinya, dan jika diizinkan, ingin melihat pusat Nur Salam ditempatkan di serata Malaysia kerana ramai lagi kanak-kanak yang perlu dibantu.

Berkenaan diri sendiri, saya berharap mendapat kesihatan dan kehidupan yang lebih baik.

Happy New Year, everyone! May 2010 be a year of social justice and environmental responsibility, and may the New Year bring hope and general amity to this troubled world of ours.

May 2010 bring out the best in people and prompt us to reach out to others in friendship and with love, empathy, understanding and respect.

May 2010 be a year of productive and joyful achievement for each of us, and may the coming year bring us a Kuala Lumpur with a reduced crime rate, better maintenance of public facilities and greater protection of green spaces.

I wish each of you and your families a year of joy, abundance, reconciliation and faith in all that is good.

Covert Operations ’78, OUT.

Letter to the Editor: Capping of additional school fees a welcome proposal

2009-12-29T19:15:00.000-08:00

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
CAPPING OF ADDITIONAL SCHOOL FEES A WELCOME PROPOSAL

As volunteers who assist underprivileged families and schoolchildren in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur , we support the National PTA Collaborative Council's call to cap additional school fees at RM25 per primary school pupil and RM50 per secondary school student. (The Star, 28 Dec 2009)

While we also applaud the Education Director-General's call to schools and Parent-Teacher Associations to decide on additional fees based on the student's activities and socio-economic background, we strongly urge the Education Ministry and National PTA Collaborative Council to look into the issue of unnecessary additional fees, which is a burden not only to lower income families, but also to our generous donors who are finding it increasingly expensive to sponsor needy students.

We are of the opinion that the additional fees charged are not entirely for the purpose of improving school infratructure, teaching facilities and services.

Certain schools in Wangsa Maju and Setapak, for instance, are charging students RM20 at the beginning of the school year for the school’s award day and end-of-year party. This sum is exorbitant, as it is on top of the RM30- RM50 charged as PTA contribution. The children we work with are already marginalised and at an academic disadvantage. Awards Day has little context for them, as they are statistically less likely to be the recipients of prizes for good performance. The RM20 fee also raises suspicions of unjust enrichment, as a school with 5,000 students would then have collected RM100,000 for an Awards Day Ceremony attended by approximately 80 teachers and 250 students!

Students are also charged RM6 - RM8 for Moral Studies / Islamic Studies. No reasons are given for this sum being charged, and since these are compulsory subjects, students who are unable to pay the additional fees do not have the option of dropping these subjects.

We are also concerned over several schools' insistence on school socks (averaging RM6) and track bottoms (averaging RM18), which appear to us to be of substandard quality yet unreasonably expensive. We believe that as long as a student is outfitted in the uniform sanctioned by the Ministry of Education, there should be no need for special ‘school socks’ and other accessories.

Among others, some schools also charge students RM10 for the use of the school library and RM10 for the library access card. A simple, inexpensive library card system and the enforcement of the ‘no schoolbags inside the library’ rule would be sufficient to prevent the loss of books. The children who are unable to afford this fee are also the ones least likely to have access to reading materials and a conducive study space at home.

We have written letters to the respective school principals for a waiver of the fees on behalf of these children, but only one school has agreed to waive the fees for one child. Another school turned down our request, while other schools did not bother to respond at all. Not all parents were able to meet up with the school heads themselves, because the parents are either illiterate, unable to communicate fluently in Bahasa Malaysia or English, ill, victims of domestic violence or more commonly, working at jobs that do not allow them to take leave.

We therefore strongly urge the Education Ministry to cap additional school fees, both in the interests of protecting the welfare of low-income families and of curbing corruption.

We also wish to appeal to the Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being to work with schools to identify students whose parents earn below RM2,500 a month and to provide aid in the form of free tuition classes, subsidised transportation, canteen food aid schemes, school uniforms, workbooks and payment of school fees. This would be a more realistic urban poverty eradication strategy than merely disbursing monthly financial aid to individuals and groups who have registered themselves with the Social Welfare Department. Many of the hardcore poor are hindered by illiteracy and the inability to get assistance with bureaucratic processes, and are therefore not receiving aid. At the very least, the Ministry can assist their children by providing all opportunities and resources necessary to enable them to perform academically and thus break the cycle of poverty.

BERNADETTE CHIN & WONG EE LYNN
KUALA LUMPUR

Faces of joy at Rumah Nur Salam, Chow Kit

2009-12-28T06:38:00.000-08:00

While I am aware that most Malaysians associate the Chow Kit area in Kuala Lumpur with vice, drug users and illegal activities, I look back on my days of carrying out legal aid outreach work there with much fondness. And when I began receiving shoeboxes in excess of the number I requested for the Shoebox Project, Rumah Nur Salam (formerly Pusat Aktiviti Kanak-Kanak [Children's Activity Centre] Chow Kit) was somewhere on the top of my list of recipients for our shoebox gifts.

Rumah Nur Salam is a 'safe house' for at-risk children from different backgrounds. Rumah Nur Salam also operates a 24-hour activity centre aimed at improving the quality of life of the children of Chow Kit, almost all of whom are from lower income families and who live in environments that expose them to greater risk of harm. Most of the children come from single-parent families, while some are the children of members of marginalised communities, or may have been trafficked or exposed to harm before. Some do not have the requisite legal documents proving themselves to be citizens or enabling them to attend school.

I contacted the affable and friendly Volunteer Management Coordinator of Rumah Nur Salam, Ahmad Fansuri, and explained with unnecessary defensiveness that we (i.e. the volunteers) are not a Christian group, but a multi-faith group mostly made up of members of the Malaysian Nature Society.

In true Malaysian spirit, Ahmad responded that they welcome everyone of all faiths, and that it would be good for the children to celebrate all festivals and learn of different faiths and cultures. And so I spent the rest of the week sorting, filling, packing and labelling shoebox gifts, and invited my friends Sheela, Ili Fatimah, Shet Mei and Lysha to spend Christmas Day at Rumah Nur Salam with me.

Snack time before the games begin! My friends and I marvelled at how well-behaved and polite the children are, even those who are boisterous or talkative. Some of the younger ones 'salam'-ed us before accepting the treats that we handed out for breakfast. A few children offered their snacks to us and to the caretakers before settling down to enjoy the goodies. Credit must go to the caretakers and the highly engaging Children's Coordinator, Hasrul, for teaching the children so well.

Shet Mei, who loves children, was delighted when the little ones asked to be photographed with her. The children of Chow Kit, although at greater risk of harm, have an advantage over children of more sheltered environments, in that they are more open-minded, accepting and streetwise. How many 5-year-olds would be able to define 'condom' correctly and without squeamishness? The children of Chow Kit may frequently be little old souls, but are just as in need of protection and care as any other children.

Ili Fatimah was first recruited as a volunteer for the Malaysian Nature Society Eco Kids Junior Day Camp on December 5. She provided such valuable help that I asked if she could come and help out again for this event. I wish all undergraduates were as reliable as her! The ones I tend to meet at the SPCA are so helpless that I sometimes wonder if they have been bottle-fed and swaddled in cotton wool until the age of 21.

A noisy and rambunctious round of Musical Chairs helps the children forget the squalor of life outside Rumah Nur Salam! The Children's Coordinator plans enriching activities for the children daily, while certified tutors and teachers assist the children in their studies in classrooms set apart from the rumpus room in which we had our little party.

Rumah Nur Salam lives up to the motto on its nursery walls: "Because Every Child Matters". With therapy, lessons, love and patience, most of the troubled children are now well-adjusted, productive and healthy young persons.

My friends and I were especially impressed by the fact that quite a large number of the children have since been accepted into residential boarding schools (Note to friends who are not from Malaysia: Places in residential boarding schools are reserved for high achievers).

Time to get down and boogie! No party is complete without music, and the children love to dance. Many of them have really slick moves. The art classes conducted at Rumah Nur Salam also include dance classes as an exercise in self-expression. We noticed that the teenagers were especially kind and helpful to the younger ones, so this is a strong indication that they have learned well from the good example set by the caretakers and coordinators.

A young winner comes forward to receive his prize after a particularly arduous round of "Musical Statues".

Time to hand out the gifts! The children were disciplined and polite and waited until everyone has received their gifts before opening their gifts together. Half an hour after the gifts had been opened, the floor was spotless and every scrap of litter had been swept up and disposed of by the teens.

This little boy could hardly contain his excitement at receiving his gift!

A little girl minds her friend's box while they wait to open their gifts together.

The children admired the contents of each other's boxes and shared their sweets without bickering, not because they are born angels, but because the Children's Coordinator had taught them well. Children living in welfare homes or attending community centres should not only be fed and clothed, but be taught manners, consideration, gratitude and concern for the environment. It sure looks like Rumah Nur Salam has done a good job with these youngsters!

Too cool for school! The children performed a “Thank You” song for us which had us rolling in mirth! “Xie xie ni! Nandri! Domo Arigato, Hai!”, they sang with gusto, followed by a Japanese-style bow!

My friends and I would like to thank the children of Rumah Nur Salam too, for the friendliness and appreciation they expressed so easily, which made us feel welcomed and loved. And our especial thanks go out to the Children’s Coordinator, Hasrul, for his dedication to improving the quality of life of the children, motivating them into becoming better persons and enriching their minds and souls with improving activities. We would love to come back again to conduct another activity during the next school holidays.

“Nur” in Arabic means ‘light’, while “Salam” means ‘peace’. Rumah Nur Salam is therefore an appropriate name for this sanctuary that has lighted the way to a better future for the children of Chow Kit, and provided a peaceful refuge for the children against the chaos of the outside world.

For more information, please contact:
Address: Rumah Nur Salam, No 24B, Jalan Chowkit, 50350 Kuala Lumpur
Facebook: Rumah Nur Salam, Chow Kit
E-Mail: fansuri@chowkids.org

Generous KL-ites bring cheer to needy families

2009-12-24T01:43:00.000-08:00

If I had to describe life in Kuala Lumpur in just one word, I would choose 'abundant'.

"You've got to be kidding," I hear other city-dwellers huff dismissively, as they rant about the rising costs of fuel, highway use, consumer goods and property. I prefer to notice, instead, the portions of food left uneaten at restaurants and stalls, the long queues at department stores and hypermarket counters and the line of eager moviegoers at cinemas.

We are blessed with so much that we sometimes don't make a conscious effort to remember how fortunate we are. Just as a fish would not have a word in its vocabulary for water, most urban professionals in Kuala Lumpur are accustomed to having so much that they forget that they actually lack nothing.

Kuala Lumpur is lucky, too, to be home to a vast number of thoughtful and generous individuals and groups. Numerous charitable bodies operate in the City to alleviate the suffering of those who are less fortunate. Children living in welfare homes and orphanages are so well-provided for that they get dozens of gifts each festive season. When my ex-manager called me up recently to request my assistance in identifying needy children's charities in KL, I had a hard time identifying even one that was truly in want.

There are, however, pockets of impoverished communities living amongst us in KL. Many are so poor that their children drop out of school at a young age. Others are victims of domestic violence, disease or illness.

This is where individuals like my friend Bernie comes in. Bernie has spent years identifying, checking on and assisting hardcore poor families in Setapak, Sentul Dalam, Wangsa Maju and Sri Rampai, near her home in Setapak.

Bernie's outreach work has the noble objective of helping the poor, especially single mothers, be self-sufficient, and of providing education assistance and opportunities to needy schoolchildren.

Sumathi has 6 children, an abusive husband and no means of financial independence. Bernie and her volunteers bought Sumathi a blender and taught her cooking and business skills. As a result, Sumathi is now able to sell nasi lemak, even if only in small quantities, and that has helped her feed and clothe her children.

Kanniamah is a widow with 2 young daughters and strives to be independent by selling thosai outside her house. They rent a room in Setapak and make hardly enough to pay the rent and bills.

Inthra Devi, her husband, 3 sons and a daughter live in this shack that they built themselves in Wangsa Maju. Her husband does odd jobs, as does her 13-year-old son during the school holidays.

For the past 3 years, I have been assisting Bernie in coordinating the collection, purchase and distribution of school supplies and other aid to the needy families. I am frequently overwhelmed by the magnanimity of Malaysians and their trust in us. I have been informed that many Malaysians want to be able to help, but they just need to know that their contributions are being given to the intended beneficiaries directly without the interference of middlemen and organisations with their retinue of staff.

On 20th December, my group of friends and I, led by the inimitable Bernie, visited a number of homes to deliver food items, school supplies, provisions and shoeboxes filled with goodies.

The volunteers getting ready to haul the goodies up 13 flight of stairs to bring cheer to a single mother with serious health issues and her schoolgoing children.

The children were a little awkward and shy during the photo session, but their mother cried and hugged us for the school supplies and provisions we brought to help them through the leaner months.

These siblings lost their father recently and were very glad of the assistance we provided for school. The low-cost flat unit in which they reside is made comfortable thanks to well-wishers who donated secondhand furniture and electrical appliances.

Volunteers Zawalan, Sasha, Shankar and Agi unload the goods from Zawalan's pickup under Bernie's supervision.

Tharuvin and Ravi Kumar tried to look macho for this shot, but broke into wide grins as soon as I finished taking their photo. What young man wouldn't be pleased with such a splendid-looking new bicycle? When our friends heard how the 3 brothers had only one old bicycle between them, and how they had to take turns running and riding the bike to school, they decided to pitch in and get the boys a new bicycle so they could get to school on time.

The new clothes are a little too big for Tharshini, but she will grow into them! Her mother expressed thanks for the provisions we brought, especially the baby formula.

Why do we do what we do? I believe it is because we have embodied the essence of 1Malaysia long before the Prime Minister gave it a name. To volunteers and donors like Bernie and the rest of our friends, 1Malaysia isn't about dressing children up in traditional costumes for a National Day photo opportunity. 1Malaysia isn't about the self-conscious attempt to 'tolerate' and 'understand' people of different faiths and cultures.

To us, 1Malaysia means looking out for each other and offering assistance to all communities, with no strings attached, in order that the nation becomes strong. It means extending our circle of compassion to others regardless of religion, ethnicity, political persuasion, gender and background.

To donors, 1Malaysia means recognising that distributive injustice and inequality exists everywhere in the world. It means embracing our roles as agents of social change by making the gap between the entitled and those who lack opportunity a little smaller. It means understanding that poverty does exist, often due to circumstances such as illness and bereavement of a spouse, and that no one is to blame for it, but that we have a shared duty to assist those who are more in need than we are.

To volunteers, 1Malaysia means realising that a single act of compassion is worth far more than ten volumes of vitriolic criticisms and complaints, and more than the mere paying of lip service to the ideals of harmony and unity. It means acting on the aforementioned realisation and on our shared values of justice, kindness and service to mankind and the living world. It means becoming the difference we want to see.

1Malaysia to us isn't found in songs and PR campaigns, but in the sincerity with which we demonstrate care and concern for the well-being of others, and our ability to empathise with others and their predicament. 1Malaysia isn't to be found in local delicacies, or only during the festive season, but in our daily lives when we share our meals, work together towards common goals, turn to each other for advice and support, spend the night in each other's homes when a volunteer project stretches late into the night, address each other as "brother" or "sister", or have the spare keys to each other's homes in order to attend to pets and potted plants.

For we are so much more than just caricatures of our ethnicities, with traditional costumes and idiosyncratic accents to identify us as being of a particular racial heritage. We are so much more, so much better and so much more resilient than the definitions and limitations that the politicians have encumbered us with.

I know my great-grandparents came to Malaysia from China a hundred years ago for a reason. They saw this country as a land of opportunity for those willing to work hard. They saw this country as a safe place to start a family and raise their young.

I share their vision and I will be part of the mechanism to make it come true. I know that my fellow Malaysians and I will work together to bring inclusiveness, progress, justice and economic, political and environmental stability to this country.

And I know I am not alone in striving towards this goal.

Link to this post: Letter to the Editor: Capping of Additional School Fees A Welcome Proposal.

The Shoebox Project, KL Chapter

2009-12-22T06:51:00.000-08:00

A fellow blogger, Mum-In-Malaysia, had defined 'honesty' as the best trait of KL folk in her blogpost entitled "A City Named Honest" . In my response to her post, I had averred that I found generosity to be the best trait of KL-ites.

Nowhere is this generosity more apparent than during the festive season, when senior citizens, underprivileged children and the disabled receive countless gifts and invitations to dinners and parties. Fundraisers held in Kuala Lumpur typically raise far more money than the projected targets. Each time a major newspaper highlights the plight of an underprivileged individual requiring medical treatment, donations start pouring in within the same day. Charity boxes and donation bins in Kuala Lumpur fill up almost as soon as they are fixed in place.

Generous city folk never let the VenusBuzz Community Chest at Bangsar Village go empty. It is almost always full of food and provisions for various charities.

I frequently feel overwhelmed by the love, support and generosity of KL-ites whenever I coordinate any community service project. The same is true of this past month, when I coordinated the Shoebox Project.

The Shoebox Project was initiated by my colleagues who solicited shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies and treats for refugee children living in Kuala Lumpur. We had 172 beneficiaries on our list, and I decided to get a few friends from my mailing list involved. The response was so immense that I was soon swamped with close to 300 shoeboxes, filled with goodies for underprivileged children, that I had to extend The Shoebox Project to include the following groups of children:
1. Urban disadvantaged schoolchildren living in Setapak, Sentul Dalam and Wangsa Maju;
2. The children of Rumah Nur Salam, Chow Kit; and
3. The orang asli children of Ulu Geroh.

Pretty shoeboxes in festive colours created by my friend Patricia, who got her entire family involved.

Volunteers of different faiths get together to pack and decorate shoeboxes at their office.

The contents of one of my shoeboxes, prior to packing. I simply had to include the toothbrush and toothpaste, seeing as that I was giving the children sugary treats!

Some of the donors invested a lot of time and care into decorating their boxes. I had recommended that the donors do not wrap their boxes with wrapping paper, as it is wasteful, but to cover and decorate the boxes in such a way as to allow the recipients to open and close the boxes with ease, and reuse the boxes as storage boxes.

My dear friends Khairul Anuar and his lovely wife Shireen obviously put a lot of thought and care into their shoeboxes, which had a combination of practical, useful, fun and beautiful things. I can imagine the look of delight on the faces of the schoolchildren who will be receiving these beauties!

On December 20, a number of volunteers got together to deliver school supplies, food aid and shoebox gifts to needy families. I trust the children could feel the love and care that went into each box.

Shoebox Elves at work! My friend Sheela and my mother are all set to deliver the shoebox gifts to children who rarely have anything new to call their own.

My friend Shet Mei brought cheer to a single mother and her young children with these goodie-filled boxes.

Sumathi, a single mother struggling to make ends meet, expressed her gratitude for the school supplies, food and provisions we brought, while her children were simply thrilled with the unexpected gifts. The younger children were speechless with excitement and could only grin at us.

When you are struggling to put food on the table, even items like Milo packets, raisins, fancy school supplies, colour pencils and toys become luxury goods. This little boy was so pleased with his box that he kept opening and shutting it to sneak peeks at the contents, but took nothing out!

To the 200-odd generous KL-ites who contributed their resources, time and energy into creating, filling and delivering these boxes, we thank you! You've made the world a little more beautiful with the cheer you brought!

The Purr-fect Gift: A Second Chance at Life

2009-12-21T04:34:00.001-08:00

"Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to. "
- Alfred A. Montapert

Would you consider the saving of a life to be an ideal Christmas gift to yourself? Well, two young men obviously did!

On Friday, my friend Dr. Ong called me to inquire as to cat adoption procedures. Her teenage sons, Nigel and Andrew, did not want a PS3, Wii or new cellphone for Christmas. Instead, they wanted a pet cat to love and to care for. Dr. Ong wanted to know if I had any cats left for adoption under Project Second Chance, which is my personal initiative to vaccinate, rehabilitate, neuter and rehome stray animals, but I did not. All the cats that were not adopted are now permanently living with me and are as attached to me as I am to them.

I recommended that they adopt a cat from the SPCA, as the number of animals abandoned and surrendered increases dramatically every holiday season. There are too many people who consider getting rid of their pets as part of their spring-cleaning duties, and many others who have no qualms about surrendering their pets rather than making arrangements for boarding when they wish to go away on vacation. Too many animal lives are needlessly terminated due to overcrowding and lack of capacity.

I informed Dr. Ong that I would be at the SPCA on Saturday and would be able to assist them with the adoption process.

Nigel, Andrew and their dad Chris spent some time getting to know the animals. Andrew took a special liking to Ginger, a one-year-old neutered tomcat.

Their mum, Dr. Ong, signed the adoption papers. The boys will not be eligible to sign the adoption documents until they are 18. This is to reduce the likelihood of animals being adopted by well-intentioned youngsters who may not have a sufficiently strong sense of responsibility to care for an animal. To bring an animal home, care for it for several days and then return the uncomprehending and miserable animal to the shelter when you find that you are unable to cope with the responsibility would be cruel indeed.

Fortunately, I do not foresee that the Patterson boys would be capable of any act of neglect or irresponsibility. They have a weekend job doing delivery work in their neighbourhood and will be using their hard-earned money to purchase cat food and litter with!

"Two cats are easier to care for than one," I advised Dr. Ong. Cats are social creatures and will be happy to have each other's company. Further, if you have two cats, you will not have to feel so guilty about going out and leaving poor Kitty alone at home for the evening.
Her kind-hearted family agreed, especially since there was a tiny kitten in the same cage as Ginger, and they did not have the heart to leave him behind.

Meet the newest members of the Patterson family, Ginger the Tomcat and Rusty the Kitten!

Andrew and Nigel couldn't wait to bring their new pals home. Thank you so much for saving their lives, guys! I hope you have a Paw-some Christmas!

Many more lonely animals await a new home at the SPCA Animal Shelter and from the Independent Pet Rescuers and other Kuala Lumpur-based animal rescue groups. Would you have room in your heart and home for one?

Handel's 'Messiah' at the KL Performing Arts Centre

2009-12-21T04:22:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about living in Kuala Lumpur is that we have a vibrant and progressive arts scene. While theatre and the arts in Malaysia may not have attained the same glamour or quality as Broadway or West End, our arts scene is still populated with gifted, creative and dynamic personalities and is full of charm and character.

The staging of Handel's "Messiah" at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) from 17th to 20th December 2009 is testimony both of religious diversity in Malaysia and of the existence of some pretty formidable musical talent in our nation's capital.

I barrelled over to KLPAC after work on Friday, 18th December, to watch the performance. Not being a Christian does not prevent me from enjoying the oratorio. I am certain that the audience that night was a multi-faith one.

The world zipped past me in a blur as I hurried to the Box Office to collect the ticket I had booked by phone.

The warm glow of the Box Office, coupled with the twinkling of festive lights from the Christmas tree in the corner, filled me with cheer and anticipation.

Theatre afficionados milled around the lobby of KLPAC, waiting for the doors of the respective theatres to be opened and for the performances to begin. I finally met up with my companions in Pentas 1.

Guest conducter Paul Baker led the 35-piece KLPAC Orchestra along with a 40-strong choir. My friend Alicia is a soprano in the choir.

Can a secular theatre interpret the Christian doctrine of the Messiah? KLPAC shows that it can!

Theatre and the arts are important to the human experience because they help us connect and empathise with each other, and come to terms with our world in all its complexity. A civilised society should not have to constantly justify its need for, or the existence of, the arts. Science and the arts are not mutually exclusive. Art, especially theatre, helps us explore ourselves and our role in society.

Handel's "Messiah" ended its run in KLPAC on Sunday, but there is a good selection of other performances lined up to tantalise, provoke and entertain you this holiday season.

For more information on what's on, please click
here.

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC)
Sentul Park
Jalan Strachan
51100 Kuala Lumpur
General Enquiries: (03) 4047 9010
General Facsimile: (03) 4047 9011

Sunshine and smiles at the Eco Kids Junior Day Camp

2009-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

It had rained all week, but the sun had been kind to us on Saturday, December 5, the morning of the Eco Kids Junior Day Camp at our Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Urban Nature Centre in Jalan Kelantan.

Fair weather greeted us when we arrived at our Urban Nature Centre.

Sometime in October, I had proposed the idea of a free-of-charge Eco Kids Day Camp for children aged 4 - 8, as they are often inadvertently excluded from MNS' more challenging activities. I worked out the preparations and requested the assistance of trustworthy volunteers in coordinating the Camp.

Volunteers John and Brian spruce up Heritage Trail a day before the Camp. "Anything for the little dears", teases Nature Guide Ashleigh.

(Photo credits: Ashleigh)

We were able to keep the project zero-cost and zero-waste by requesting that participants bring their own lunch, drinks, mosquito repellent, and basic art equipment such as palettes and brushes. There was no necessity for packed lunches, goodie bags and disposable packaging. Nature isn't supposed to be a Happy Meal With A Free Toy Inside! It was also a good way of leading by example, and teaching the children that when we put the Planet first, everyone wins! 31 children registered for the Camp and turned up at our gates bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with parents in tow.

Children can be makeshift tables when there are indemnity forms to be signed! Judging by the way Tobey Isaac is giggling, the pen must have tickled!
(Photo credits: Cindy Chen)

Hadif leaned away as his mother, Tiara, applied mosquito repellent on his arms prior to the Nature Walk. I first met Tiara during an island holiday in Pulau Tinggi in 2001 and we have kept in touch since. I was delighted when Tiara decided to sign up for a Malaysian Nature Society membership and enroll Hadif in our Camp.
(Photo credits: Cindy Chen)

Pasupathy Jayaraj, more fondly known as Pasu, our engaging Nature Guide, explains jungle ecology to the children during their guided walk through Heritage Trail, which forms part of Federal Hill. Green lungs such as Federal Hill form buffer zones that encourage urban biodiversity, create opportunities for nature recreation and provide ecological services such as improving air, water and soil quality.
(Photo credits: Cindy Chen)

Nature Guide Ashleigh looks every part the Mountain Man as he explains wilderness survival techniques to the fascinated children and parents.

Cerys can't wait to begin her trail walk.

The Green Living Guessing Game piqued the children's curiosity, sharpened their sense of smell, touch and hearing and created opportunity for discussion on the environmental implications of each object.

Where does this object come from? Is it man-made? Can it be easily recycled or composted? What can you reuse it for? What is it a good alternative for?

(Photo credits: Cindy Chen)

"You said I can't say it out loud, but I sure can act it out!"
(Photo credits: Cindy Chen)

The children took only minutes to warm up to each other and became friends with each other by the end of the first game.

Aloysius tries spinning a top made of a 'kas' seed and bamboo skewer. The toys made out of natural materials fascinated the children the most.

Lara complains, "I can't see!", while Matthew responds: "That's the whole point!"

Tiara helped me out with blindfolding the children. As is appropriate with International Volunteer Day, the parents provided valuable help.

Lillian whips out a piece of iguana skin for the children to feel, and to provide an interactive lesson on why reptiles like snakes and lizards shed their skin.

The art project proved a little too challenging for the children. For that, I apologise. I should have chosen an easier project. I guess we all learn through trial and error.

The children created 'spray paint art' using unwanted plastic combs and old toothbrushes dipped in poster paints.

Time for an active game! The children hunt for paper caterpillars in a game that teaches them about insect camouflage and protective colouration. Some of the children took my advice to ‘pretend you are a bird’ literally and actually chirped and flapped their arms as they went about in search of prey.

The children were supposed to bring their caterpillars back to me for comparison, but two little girls decided to make a 'nest' out of pebbles to keep their caterpillars safe in.

Volunteering is a rewarding pastime, as Pasu will no doubt tell you! Pasu is the recipient of the 2007 MNS Branch Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions as a volunteer and is an extraordinary trainer of nature guides. I guess you can retire a teacher from active service, but you can never truly take the teacher out of them! Pasu was a former school headmistress but now devotes her time mostly to nature guiding and Malaysian Nature Society activities.

I had initially started the Eco Kids programme for the MNS Selangor Branch as a value-added programme in 2006 to keep the Society relevant for families, but it has since evolved into a programme encompassing the following beliefs:
i. That nature is for everyone, not just the physically fit among us;
ii. That nobody is too young to learn about and practice environmental conservation;
iii. That a love for our natural environment requires more than just exposure to flora and fauna,
and children should be equipped with basic knowledge about conservation practices such as the 3Rs (reducing, reusing and recycling) and water and energy conservation; and
iv. That young voices should be heard.

I would like to thank the following volunteers for their invaluable help in making the Eco Kids Junior Day Camp a success. All shortcomings and failings remain my sole responsibility:
Ashleigh, Pasu, Brian, John, Li Li, Li-Kim, Ili Fatimah, Lillian, Maye and Hashimi.

Many Thanks and A Happy International Volunteer Day to all.

Has the bell tolled for Pudu Prison?

2009-12-14T13:15:00.001-08:00

"I know not whether Laws be right or whether Laws be wrong; all that we know who live in goal is that the wall is strong; and that each day is like a year, a year whose days are long."
- "The Ballad of Reading Gaol", by Oscar Wilde.

Penal institutions, in my opinion, have immense historical value in that they help us trace the evolution of the criminal justice system of a country. The now abandoned Pudu Prison in Kuala Lumpur, constructed by the British in 1895, even had an important role to play in our road to Independence and should therefore be remembered as such.

Pudu Prison once housed Japanese prisoners of war of Australian, New Zealand and British nationality during World War II. It would be a dishonour to the memory of the Allied troops who had fought valiantly in the War to demolish Pudu Prison in the name of development and convenience.

The fading mural on the external walls of Pudu Prison was painstakingly painted by the prisoners, led by an inmate, Khong Yen Chong, in the course of over one year. Their effort earned the mural a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the Longest Mural in the World at 384 metres.

The last execution reportedly took place within the prison walls in 1986. Kevin Barlow and Henry Chambers, two Australian nationals who were convicted of drug trafficking, were hanged in 1986. The prison officially closed in 1996.

Even in a place filled with such sorrow, pain and horror, one cannot help but acknowledge its air of quiet dignity and elegiac beauty. Here, the watchtowers along Pudu Prison's walls display a touch of local flavour -- Minangkabau roofs! The watchtowers were constructed in the 1970s.

Why should we preserve a structure in which people were deprived of their freedom, and subjected to torture, grievous harm and death? I believe it is because the criminal justice system forms an essential part of any civilised society, and penal institutions such as Pudu Prison once held prisoners of war and thus play an important role in our nationhood.

Pudu Prison is gradually being muscled out by development. The real estate value of Pudu Prison is estimated at RM300 million. UDA Holdings Berhad has already commenced tunnelling works under the Pudu Prison complex to construct an underpass in an effort to reduce traffic congestion in the Bukit Bintang area. Civil society groups have called upon the authorities to preserve at least the prison entrance gate, sections of the wall and a few of its watchtowers.

A Blast From My Past! I visited Pudu Prison on 17th June, 1997, with my college classmates when the prison first opened its doors as a museum. I remember that my friends and I were absolutely fascinated with the prison trucks and we had fun locking each other in the prison cells.

The most confounding thing about Malaysia is that we very frequently destroy or renounce our heritage and history and only lament its loss after it is gone. With a little political will and innovation, we could easily incorporate our heritage buildings into mainstream development and preserve them for posterity.

Our built environment often defines, or at least documents, our social history. I wonder what is says about our community that we keep tearing down unique architectural assets in order to invest more resources, energy, fuel and manpower into erecting structures that are forgotten almost as soon as they are completed.

Art Noveau and Neoclassical Walk

2009-12-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

There is so much more to Kuala Lumpur than the Petronas Twin Towers and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building! A walk through the older parts of downtown KL is a trip through history. The Art Noveau and Neoclassical buildings constructed in the pre-War years of 1900 – the 1930s have such charm and character, and tell of the glory days of Kuala Lumpur when it was a bustling hub for trade and commerce.

Unlike the largely utilitarian buildings of today, Art Noveau and Neoclassical shophouses, offices, banks and other buildings place as much importance on form and beauty as they did on function.

Art Noveau architecture generally has hyperbolas and parabolas in the windows, arches and doors, and decorative moldings inspired by nature and typically taking on the form of stylized plants, flowers, seashells, flames, insects and ribbons.

Neoclassical architecture, on the other hand, began in the mid-18th century and is principally derived from the architecture of classical Rome and Greece. Neoclassical buildings frequently make use of pillars and are evocative of ancient civilisations.

Muzium Telekom, a telecommunications museum, is housed in a Neoclassical building constructed in 1928 as a main telephone office. It is located in Jalan Raja Chulan, just down the hill from St. John’s Institution and St. John’s Church, and is open 7 days a week from 9.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. except on public holidays. Like most Neoclassical buildings, Muzium Telekom is symmetrical in form and has tall Grecian columns that rise to the full height of the building.

The Coliseum Cinema isn’t the only Art Deco building in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman! These Art Deco shophouses, constructed circa 1920, have incorporated ziggurats, crosses, geometrical shapes and horizontal and vertical banding into their design.

Neoclassical and Art Noveau buildings in various stages of decay line Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. This Art Noveau beauty, constructed in 1915, could do with a facelift, especially since it is in such a conspicuous part of town.

Art Noveau shophouses in Lebuh Pudu and Medan Pasar are reminder of the decades when the area was the business and financial hub of Kuala Lumpur. These shophouses remain fully functional and now house various restaurants and textile shops. I hope they will be preserved for posterity, for what is a society that has forgotten or abjured its history?

The nature-inspired details on this Art Noveau shophouse in Lebuh Pudu are almost like something out of a storybook! If only the property owner would maintain and repair this work of art accordingly.

Jalan Tun HS Lee has Art Noveau shophouses with attractive decorative moldings. The contrasting pastel hues of each shophouse add to their charm and eclecticism.

This Art Noveau shophouse in Jalan Hang Kasturi, facing the side entrance of Central Market, juxtaposes the old and the new – It’s lower two floors houses a McDonalds restaurant!

What a difference a coat of paint makes! Art Deco shophouses adjoined to the Central Market Annexe are such a source of interest and artistic inspiration. If only all the heritage buildings in Kuala Lumpur were this well-maintained!

Thank you for taking a walk down history lane with me, and I hope you will visit again soon!

Blood Donation at the Pusat Darah Negara

2009-12-09T09:28:00.001-08:00

"Donate Blood, Save A Life" declare the banners at the Pusat Darah Negara in Kuala Lumpur. I have never witnessed my blood being used to save a human life, so I cannot state categorically that I donate blood to save lives until I have proof of the same. What I do know, however, is that I am a grateful person, and I believe gratitude doesn't come any purer than a willingness to share what one is grateful for. And I am immensely grateful for my relatively good health, and hope that by donating blood every quarter, I may be able to assist those who are in need of a transfusion due to serious illness or injury. Perhaps it is also enough for me to know that my regular donations of blood help to maintain a community supply, in case a patient need arises.

Pusat Darah Negara (National Blood Centre) at Jalan Tun Razak is a well-maintained and well-equipped facility established for the purpose of registering and recording the data of blood donors, maintaining a supply of blood and apheresis products, conducting testing and research and providing treatment for blood disorders, among others.

The Pusat Darah Negara medical and non-medical officers have never failed to impress me with their courtesy and dedication to service. They have proven themselves to be competent, friendly and helpful on all my visits, and have never failed to show concern for my well-being prior to and after donation.

What happens to your blood after it has been collected?

Blood is almost never used in its whole form. Most patients requiring transfusions only need one or two of the many components that make up blood. It would be wasteful and sometimes harmful to give the patient blood components they do not need.

More than 99% of the whole blood collected in this region is separated into blood components that can be used to treat the specific medical needs of three or more people. Below are some of the products derived from whole blood:

Red blood cells carry oxygen and are needed by surgical patients or to treat those with anemia. Red blood cells can also be washed and filtered to prevent adverse reactions in some sensitive patients. Sometimes rare blood cell types are frozen to extend their storage period and help ensure that an adequate supply is always available.

Platelet concentrates are fragile blood cells that are an important part of the body's clotting system. They are used to control bleeding in the course of treatment of leukemia and other forms of cancer.

Plasma is the yellow liquid portion of blood. It restores fluid volume in patients who have suffered from shock and provides a source of clotting proteins that stop bleeding.

Cryoprecipitate is a part of plasma that contains certain clotting factors found in whole blood. It is used to treat clotting deficiencies like those found in people with hemophilia.

Fractionation is the process of breaking down plasma. When plasma gets mixed with certain chemicals, proteins can be separated and processed into products that are stable and easily stored. Some of the more common fractions are as follows:
Albumin is used in the treatment of certain kidney and liver diseases. Because this product is easy to store and administer, it is used in the treatment of emergency cases, such as for accident or shock victims.
Gamma globulin contains antibodies and is able to modify or prevent measles and other infectious diseases such as some varieties of hepatitis.
Factor VIII concentrates are used for treatment of patients with hemophilia.

It won’t be long before my Blood Donor booklet will have to be replaced with a new one. It shows here that I gave blood for the 29th time on my 31st birthday.

No blood donor has to go hungry at Pusat Darah Negara! The staff and nurses are usually quite insistent about making me rest for ten minutes and finish my meal before I leave. Thank you, Pusat Darah Negara, for making blood donation a consistently pleasant experience for me!

Address: Pusat Darah Negara
Jalan Tun Razak
50400, Kuala Lumpur

Phone: 03 - 2693 3888
Fax: 03 - 2698 0362
URL: www.pdn.gov.my

Operating Hours:
Mon – Wed: 7.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Thurs & Fri: 7.30 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
Saturday: 7.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.
Sunday: ~ Closed ~

International Volunteer Day: Celebrating volunteerism in Kuala Lumpur

2009-12-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

Of all the United Nations observance days, my favourite has got to be International Volunteer Day, which is celebrated on 5th December annually. International Volunteer Day is a day to honour and celebrate volunteers and to enable and empower volunteers to share their experience and resources, and to motivate others to commit time and energy to volunteering.

Why volunteer? As a volunteer with several organisations, I am frequently called upon to speak to youths and new volunteers. Faith groups, youth groups and special interest groups have their own reasons for promoting and advocating volunteer work, but what would impel individuals to invest their time, energy and resources in public interest work that would bring them very few, if any, tangible returns? My arguments in support of volunteering are as follows:
1. Volunteers perform a valuable community service that has economic worth. I have always believed that if governments and public bodies had to pay wages for the service that is rendered by volunteers, the economy could very possibly collapse overnight.
2. Volunteering exposes volunteers to a wide range of experiences, people and situations that they would not usually encounter in their daily work. These experiences help us develop our capacity to cope with crises, difficult and frustrating situations, and learn how to manage time, people and (often very limited) resources to the best of our ability. It also helps develop perseverance, commitment and resilience, qualities that would stand one in good stead in life.
3. Volunteering empowers you to be the difference you want to see.

Malaysians are blessed with mind-blowing generosity and compassion, and a large number do volunteer for various causes. In commemorating and celebrating International Volunteer Day 2009, I have decided to feature some of my favourite organizations and opportunities for volunteering with them.

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Selangor

Address:
Jalan Kerja Air Lama, 68000 Ampang, Selangor.
Tel:
Animal Shelter & Admin Dept: 03-4256 5312/ 4253 5179 (8.30am - 4pm Daily)
Public Relations Dept & Inspectorate: 03-4253 5312 (10am – 6.30pm Daily)
Fax: 03-4252 8382
Email:
enquiries@spca.org.my
Website:
SPCA Selangor

I started volunteering with the SPCA in 1996. My responsibilities then include bathing and grooming animals, preparing food, cleaning kennels, washing food and water bowls, assisting in fundraising and outreach activities, illustrating posters, drafting articles and letters, administering medication and attending to visitors and adopters.

As a senior volunteer today, I still perform the duties described above, but my responsibilities have increased to include drafting and reviewing documents and correspondence, assisting the Inspectorate, organising events and fundraisers, training new volunteers and engaging in policy and advocacy work.

Here I am shampooing and tickwashing dogs in a candid photo taken in 2007/2008.

Feel the love! This friendly little dog gave me a lick as I was cleaning kennels sometime in 2008.

What you can do:
If you have experience with animals, the SPCA always needs volunteers who are able to foster young animals at home until they are strong enough to be re-homed. We also need sensible volunteers for the following animal care duties: bathing and grooming animals, administering tickwash, cleaning the shelter, preparing food, washing food and water bowls and handling animals. Non-animal care related duties would include manning the outreach booth, assisting in fundraisers such as the quarterly Jumble Sale in the shelter premises, cleaning and painting the shelter, website and merchandise design and office work (filing and organizing documents, answering phone calls, attending to visitors and customers, helping out in the Charity Shop).

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)

Address:
MNS Selangor Branch,
JKR 641, Jalan Kelantan,
Bukit Persekutuan,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel:
603-2287 9422/ 2287 3304/ 2287 3306.
Fax:
603-2287 8773
Website:
Malaysian Nature Society

The Malaysian Nature Society’s objectives and areas of work include environmental conservation, environmental and nature education and establishing and managing nature parks. In 2008, MNS was accorded the Merdeka Award for the ‘education and community’ category, a deserved honour indeed for the nation’s oldest volunteer-based environmental organization.

I joined the Malaysian Nature Society in 2000/2001 and commenced volunteering on the day I signed up. In 2006, I accepted the challenge of establishing and coordinating a new Special Interest Group called Green Living. I was coordinator from 2006 to 2009, and at the same time, started a family-based programme called Eco Kids, which has its own monthly column in the newsletter and periodic nature camps and outings. Today, I am a committee member for the Selangor Branch and my duties include policy, advocacy, education and outreach work.

Public speaking skills are essential as an MNS volunteer. Here I am explaining waste management practices to members of the public at FRIM.

In 2008, I was accorded the MNS Branch Award for the service I rendered as a ~~coolie~~ ~~major slave~~ volunteer.

What you can do:
The MNS volunteer base is made up almost entirely of registered members. Membership is necessary for reasons of policy and legal indemnity/waiver. Volunteers are required to, inter alia, manage activity and outreach booths, talk to students and the public about the environment, conduct outings, expeditions, seminars and talks, coordinate cleanup campaigns, coordinate and assist in community events, draft articles and reports, and initiate or assist in data collection and research work. However, members of the public, including school and college students and corporate volunteers, also participate in large-scale community events such as our annual Raptor Watch Week and biannual Open Day.

Bar Council Legal Aid Centre Kuala Lumpur

Address:
Bar Council Legal Aid Centre Kuala Lumpur
Tingkat 6, Wisma Kraftangan,
No. 9, Jalan Tun Perak,
50050 Kuala Lumpur
Tel:
03-26913005 / 26932072
Fax:
03-26930527
E-mail:
lacklb@po.jaring.my

The Bar Council Legal Aid Centre (BCLAC) was founded by the Malaysian Bar Council with the ideal of affording citizens equal opportunity for the enforcement of their fundamental right to equality before the law. It is funded by the sole contribution of members of the Bar and cases are taken on a voluntary basis by dedicated lawyers.

I had volunteered with the BCLAC both in the advocacy and policy programme in cooperation with PT Foundation Malaysia and as a volunteer counsel in industrial relations matters.

What you can do:
Although only Advocates and Solicitors of the High Court of Malaya are allowed to take up BCLAC files, undergraduates and law students and lawyers who are no longer in practice also have the opportunity to assist in research, file management and clerical work.

Waterfall Survivors
Facebook Page: Save Our Waterfalls

Waterfall Survivors is a Facebook group founded by a dynamic young lady named Joe Yap to explore wild, scenic waterfalls in Malaysia and to clean them up. The group has over 4,000 members, many of whom have participated in the waterfall cleanups. The last cleanup I was involved in was on 25th October 2009 at the Kanching Recreational Forest.

Kanching Recreational Forest, 25th October 2009. "350" stands for 350 parts of CO2 per million, which is the target environmental groups have set for the international community.

What you can do:
Join the Facebook Group and keep yourself updated on their latest campaigns. Assist in their cleanup campaigns and bring your friends and family along. Be a sensible volunteer: Bring your own latex/gardening gloves, drinking water, sunblock and mosquito repellent, and be aware of and prepared for the risk of injuries, insect/animal bites, heatstroke and accidents.

Eco Warriors
Facebook Page: Eco Warriors

Eco Warriors is a Klang Valley-based citizens’ action group set up by Matthias Gelber, the ‘Greenest Man on the Planet’. Part of the appeal of the Eco Warriors Facebook Group lies in the fact that it is non-hierarchical and does not require registration or a membership fee. Among the activities conducted by the Group are tree-planting, farm work (they spend most weekends at Bandar Harapan, an organic farm dedicated to helping the underprivileged be self-sufficient), trail/river/park/jungle cleanups, community workshops (on recycling, composting, et cetera) and participating in community events such as Wild Asia’s Tree Party.

What you can do:
Sign up to be a member of the Facebook Group and assist in cleanup projects, tree-planting campaigns, farm work and community activities.

Food Not Bombs Kuala Lumpur

Website/Weblog: Food Not Bombs
Facebook Page: FNB KL

(I have written about Food Not Bombs KL in an earlier post.)

What you can do:
Food Not Bombs welcomes the assistance of volunteers who can contribute and prepare vegetarian food (sandwiches, biscuits, fruit, rice, noodles etc.), transport it to the area where food will be served, serve the clients and tidy up after all food has been consumed.

Independent Pet Rescuers

Website/Weblog: Rescue 2 Rehome

The Independent Pet Rescuers was founded by Sherrina Krishnan, a KL-based social and animal rights activist who is a strong proponent of the no-kill policy. The Independent Pet Rescuers practice TNR (Trap, Neuter and Release) of stray animals that they are unable to re-home, but place emphasis on fostering, vaccinating, neutering and rehabilitating animals in order that all animals have a chance of being adopted. In the few years that they have been in operation, the Independent Pet Rescuers have managed to re-home hundreds of animals in need.

What you can do:
The Independent Pet Rescuers need fosterers who can assist in feeding, cleaning and rehabilitating cats and dogs. Volunteer fosterers must be prepared to bring pets to qualified veterinarians for treatment and provide post-treatment/post-surgery care. Animals must be fostered until they are strong and healthy enough to be safely put up for adoption.

What will YOU be doing this International Volunteer Day? Please leave me a comment to let me know either what you will be doing on December 5 to honour and observe International Volunteer Day, or what you pledge to support, assist or get involved in commencing International Volunteer Day, and you might just receive a set of limited edition, commercially-unavailable Green Living bookmarks as featured below!

Blog Swag: Leave me a comment and these gorgeous Green Living bookmarks may just find their way to you!

Be A Volunteer: Because sharing is a privilege and a pleasure!

World AIDS Day in Kuala Lumpur

2009-11-30T09:29:00.000-08:00

1st December, 2009 marks the 21st anniversary of World AIDS Day. The theme for World AIDS Day 2009 is "Universal Access and Human Rights". The theme was chosen to address the critical need to protect the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, and to lobby for all countries to remove laws that discriminate against people living with HIV/AIDS, women and marginalised groups.

Malaysian society has come a long way from the first year World AIDS Day was observed locally. Tremendous progress has been made in the treatment of HIV infection. However, efforts need to continue to ensure universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support for all.

Among the activities organised by non-profit organisations, healthcare agencies and interest groups in Kuala Lumpur include the following:
1. Distributing red ribbons to members of the public, to remind them of their stake in providing protection and enabling access to healthcare, information, justice and opportunities for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS;
2. Poster and photo exhibitions;
3. HIV awareness sessions and dissemination of HIV/AIDS-related information and literature;
4. Health screenings and counselling services;
5. Outreach activities targetting people most at risk, such as intravenous drug users; and
6. Sports, games and activities for youth and children.

The PT Foundation, formerly known as the Pink Triangle Foundation, held its Red Ribbon Carnival at the Sungei Wang Plaza, Kuala Lumpur on Saturday and Sunday, 28th & 29th November 2009. As with the previous years, there were performances by local artistes, the distribution of red ribbons and leaflets, exhibitions, quizzes and surveys.

It is with regret that I report that I arrived at the Sungei Wang Plaza a little too late to catch the performances. I had been at the SPCA animal shelter the entire day, cleaning cages and kennels, and it was late when my buddy Nicole and I arrived at Sungei Wang. I had wanted to meet my comrades from PT Foundation and reminisce about the work we used to do as outreach volunteers.

The PT Foundation works with five vulnerable communities, namely:
1. Drug users;
2. Transsexuals;
3. Sex workers;
4. Men who have sex with men (MSM); and
5. People Living With HIV/AIDS.

I had opted to work with the PT Foundation while doing legal aid duty in 2004, as I realised that the aforementioned 5 groups are among the most marginalised and disenfranchised in the country. Of the five communities, I worked most closely with the transsexual community, which has its own drop-in centre in Chow Kit (which shares its premises with Positive Living, a halfway house for people living with HIV/AIDS), although occasionally, we would also spend some time at the Ikhlas Drop-In Centre for Drug Users in the same area.

In the evenings, the staff and I would carry out outreach work in the Chow Kit and Lorong Haji Taib area, distributing condoms and dispensing legal advice. Despite the misgivings of others around me, including other volunteer lawyers at the Bar Council Legal Aid Centre Kuala Lumpur, I still aver that I have never felt safer or more welcome in our world of traffic jams and burglar alarms than in the presence of my friends from these marginalised communities in the said areas. Until today, I cannot say for certain if I have ever rendered them any true service, but I know for a fact that I made some good friends.

(Note: The reason why I had to discontinue outreach work in 2006/2007 can be summed up in 2 words: Politics and Funding. Quelle surprise!)

PT Foundation's objectives, as listed in their official website, are as follows:
1. To help minimize the rate of infection of HIV/AIDS amongst the five target communities.
2. To help provide care and support and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS.
3. To help reduce discrimination against the five communities that is based on ignorance and lack of information.

Besides providing counselling and care to persons of concern, PT Foundation also conducts talks, seminars and educational and awareness campaigns, and works together with the authorities and law enforcement agencies to find durable solutions to problems involving vulnerable groups. The core communities manage their own safe spaces, including the drop-in centres and halfway homes mentioned above.

Contributions in cash to fund the projects and keep the safe spaces in operation are always welcome, as are contributions in kind (dry foods such as biscuits, tea and coffee, soap, shampoo, blankets, towels and even comic books and magazines). For further information, please contact PT Foundation to find out how you can support the noble work that they do:

PT Foundation
Address: No. 7C/1, Jalan Ipoh Kecil, Off Jalan Raja Laut, 50350 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-40444611
Fax: 03-40444622
Email: ptf@ptfmalaysia.org
Opening Hours: 10am-6pm, Monday-Friday (Except public holiday)

IKHLAS Drop-in Centre (Drug User Program)
Address: 30A-30B Lorong Haji Taib 4, Chow Kit, 50350 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-40451404
Fax: 03-40444622
Email: du@ptfmalaysia.org
Opening Hours: 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday (Except public holiday)

At a personal level, you can make a difference by pledging to do the following:
1. Lobby pharmaceutical companies to put their patents in the UNITAID patent pool to make HIV medication more affordable.
2. Get involved with local civil society campaigns.
3. Look beyond your own prejudices, and rid yourself of the "Us vs. Them" mentality. Remember that not everyone has had the opportunities and privileges that we have.

If we have the determination and commitment, each of us can be a mechanism of social change to assist and support the more vulnerable members of our society. This World AIDS Day, let us all take the lead in making HIV and AIDS seen, heard and attended to!

SKBD Lends Seahorses A Helping Hand

2009-11-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

Environmentalists like me have always felt quite ambivalent towards, if not openly mistrustful of, property development and resource extraction corporations such as YTL, but I have to concede that the KL Performing Arts Centre is one of the conglomerate's finest success stories in that it manages to fuse artistic elegance with the preservation of structures with historical value.

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPC) complex is a reclaimed and refurbished old railway building. Some of the construction materials were salvaged from railroad tracks and buildings that were to be demolished. I like the fact that the building allows for natural light and ventilation.

Visitors can stop by for a book and a cup of tea at the cosy Resource Centre within the KLPAC complex.

The abandoned old colonial railway station adds charm to Sentul Park. Trees line the roads; silent sentries of the dusk. Treading gently on the good Earth has paid off handsomely for YTL Corp where Sentul Park and KLPAC are concerned.

Nothing stirs in the abandoned railway building. There is nothing here but the trees and the secrets they keep. Taking a stroll in Sentul Park frequently feels like stepping into the past, when the backwaters of Kuala Lumpur are filled with shade trees and residential homes.

I was invited to attend a play on Tuesday, 24th November. There was to be a special offering by Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara, and one of the parents in the organising committee had very kindly given me a VIP ticket for a very minor service I had rendered on 10th July, when I had been one of the judges for a project the schoolchildren did on seahorses.

The school chooses an endangered animal as its focus animal each year, and pupils from Year 1 to 5 produce artwork, factsheets and skits on the focus animal. Funds would be raised from donations and the sale of handmade craft items for a chosen environmental charity, and this year the funds would go to Save Our Seahorses (SOS Malaysia), one of the non-profit organisations closest to my heart. Tonight, the school Drama Club would be performing a play, the proceeds of which would also be directed to SOS Malaysia.

I have always averred that I dig Harold Pinter, not Harry Potter, and have only ever been to KLPAC for serious plays and dance dramas. A school concert by children who are passionate about saving marine animals would probably be a refreshing change. I dragged my friend Lynette along, and we got ready to be entertained, fully aware that we were the only people in the audience who were not the parents, grandparents or teachers of anyone in the cast.

The play was original and quite witty, and the children even managed to incorporate facts on seahorse mating and reproductive habits in the performance. Lynette and I ended up laughing at the bits that were probably not meant to be terribly funny, because the children were so cute that they were entirely unconvincing as evil witches and greedy fishermen. There was even a singing clam, which had us in stitches. It was quite a riot. The children were earnest and enchanting, and I am glad that I had attended the play, at least as a representative of the Malaysian Nature Society, if nothing else.

On behalf of Save Our Seahorses and the Malaysian Nature Society, I would like to thank the parents, teachers and pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara for the wonderful effort they have put into raising awareness and funds for a worthy cause. Your spirit and passion are admirable!

Universal Children's Day in KL

2009-11-24T08:39:00.000-08:00

On 20 November 1959, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. On 20 November 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed. For this reason, Universal Children's Day is celebrated on 20 November annually.

Malaysia typically observes Universal Children's Day with school parties, concerts, award ceremonies and various initiatives dedicated to children and families. The meaning of Universal Children's Day, however, goes beyond mere treats and parties. Universal Children's Day was instituted by world leaders to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children, and to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children.

I was fortunate enough to be involved in organising and executing a Universal Children's Day event at an aid agency in Kuala Lumpur for vulnerable children from marginalised communities. (Note: I cannot disclose locations or names for reasons of confidentiality).

Universal Children's Day celebrates the resilience of children-at-risk, who can still smile and play despite the trauma and adversity they have been through. These boys have just won a 'Duck Walk Race'.

This means WAR! In spite of the dangers and harm faced by children caught up in armed conflict, many would not pass up an opportunity for a good old-fashioned water bomb war, especially against adults! These kids are pretty sharp throwers!

Older children participating in an art competition.

The younger children have been given free rein over these plywood panels.

Volunteers touching up a mural where the children left off after being distracted by sweets and games.

A palpable hit! A little girl has a go at hitting the pinata, as her friends cheer her on.

Paint me a story: Children putting their thoughts, fears, hopes and dreams on paper.

Freedom of Religion: A poignant tale is told in this illustration. The youngster had painted houses of worship, which are important to him, with guns and gunmen pointing at them. All children should have the right to profess, observe and practice their religion without fear of reprisal.

Freedom to Dream: A little girl illustrates her ambition of becoming a doctor. All children should have access to education and should be in a position to earn a livelihood when they attain adulthood.

Freedom of Recreation: A young boy draws what matters most to him -- playing in a rock band! Children should have the right to pursue their interests and develop their talents.

In an ideal world, laws and society, and not aid agencies, should protect children. Let us all work together to address the specific needs of children at risk, and institute laws and enforcement systems to protect them.

Going Meatless In Kuala Lumpur

2009-11-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

In observance of International Meatless Day, which falls every 25th November, this blogpost will be dedicated to the topic of vegetarian and vegan eateries in Kuala Lumpur.

The International Meatless/Animal Rights Day was started in 1986 by the Sadhu Vaswani Mission in Pune, India, in honour of Sadhu Vaswani's birthday. Sadhu Vaswani was a spiritual leader who championed animal rights and vegetarianism, among other causes.

Interestingly, many of the prime movers behind 'Meatless Day' campaigns are not the vegetarians, but non-vegetarians, environmentalists and animal welfare advocates. A vegetarian diet, even if only once a week, has the following benefits:

1. Benefits to human health: Vegetarians have lower rates of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, kidney stones and gallstones.

2. Environmental benefits: According to the UK government’s Climate Change Programme 2006, if everyone in Britain were to abstain from meat one day a week over a year, this would save 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon savings would be greater than taking five million cars off the road. Nitrous oxide used in fertiliser applied to crops grown to feed cattle with, and the methane generated by livestock in their waste, are all potent greenhouse gases. Livestock farming is an energy, water and fuel intensive industry. Reducing the meat you consume will save precious natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Animal welfare concerns: The existence of alternative media has made more people aware of the cruelties of battery farming. We eat, utilise, domesticate and raise animals; therefore, we owe them a better life.

As my friends at Food Not Bombs KL aver, vegetarian food is ideal because it is 'non-denominational' and 'non-violent'.

Vegetarians, vegans, piscetarians and 'occasional vegetarians' in Kuala Lumpur are spoilt for choice when it comes to vegetarian eateries in the City.

The following is a list of my favourite vegetarian eateries in KL:

1. Tian Yan Café & Restaurant
Address: 5, 7 & 9, Jalan 3/93, Taman Miharja, Jalan Cheras, 55200 KL.
Open daily (11am-9pm) except during Chinese New Year.

This café serves fast food as well as Chinese food. The mushroom 'twinkles' and 'chita' salad are highly recommended snacks.

2. Annalakshmi Restaurant
Address: 46 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar.
Contact: 03 2284 3799

Annalakshmi is an international chain of vegetarian restaurants operating in a unique concept of "Eat to your heart's content, pay what your heart feels". Their buffet meals are delish, and their ulunthu vadai are addictive.

3. Giant Bowl Vegetarian Restaurant
Address: 10, Jalan Klang Lama, Batu 4 1/2, 58000 Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 016-3322-949, 03-3323-9949

Giant Bowl is famed for their noodle and rice dishes, but don't be surprised to find meatless dim sum and satay on their menu!

4. Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant
Address: 65, Lebuh Ampang, Masjid Jamek, Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 03- 2032 3333

A South Indian thali meal followed by falooda or kulfi for dessert at Sangeetha's -- now that's a meal fit for a king!

5. Bakti Woodlands Vegetarian Restaurant
Address: 55 Leboh Ampang, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 03-20342399

This is where my friend Amril and I used to come for uthappam and bajji. The food is inexpensive and tasty.

This International Meatless Day, please make a pledge to go meatless at least one day a week!

"To a man whose mind is free, there is something even more intolerable in the sufferings of animals than in the sufferings of man. For with the latter, it is at least admitted that suffering is evil and that the man who causes it is a criminal. But thousands of animals are uselessly butchered every day without a shadow of remorse. If any man were to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime."
- Romain Rolland, author, Nobel Prize 1915

Energy Efficiency Carnival 2009 at the PWTC

2009-11-23T10:59:00.001-08:00

Energy Efficiency Carnival 2009
Organised by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water
Venue: Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC)
Duration: Saturday, 21 Nov 2009 – Sunday, 22 Nov 2009

As soon as I learned of the Energy Efficiency Carnival 2009, I knew it would be of interest and of benefit to the members of the Malaysian Nature Society, and to me personally as a volunteer and a consumer.

Households use over 1/5 of the total energy consumed in the country. An average suburban family creates 4.5 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from home electricity use every year.

Efficient energy use and alternative (renewable/sustainable) energy sources would not only reduce the amount of CO2 generated, but also reduce the economic costs associated with the construction of energy generation, supply and transmission infrastructure, and at a more domestic level, the cost of replacing and repairing inefficient appliances and of energy consumption.

Energy Efficiency: For a cleaner, safer future!

Booths offering energy-related products and services received lots of attention from patrons. Although I found many of the booth operators reasonably helpful, many did not seem particularly well-informed. Perhaps I am just too used to Malaysian Nature Society volunteers who are formidable Know-It-Alls. There is, however, a glaring lack of information on the management of electronic waste. It’s all very well to urge us to replace inefficient appliances, but where would the waste go? There is only one licensed scheduled waste management company in Peninsular Malaysia, and their fees are way too high for domestic users. Perhaps the Ministry could work with City Hall and the local authorities to set up centralised electronic waste collection centres for urban municipalities.

The Smart & Cool Homes energy-efficient model house drew many interested visitors.

Visitors checking out energy-saving refrigerators offered by a vendor. I can attest to the energy consumption habits of decrepit old fridges. The pre-Falklands War refrigerator unit we used to have at our bachelor pad had a rubber seal so leaky that we probably ended up refrigerating the whole street. When we finally replaced it, our electricity bill went down by a whopping 30-40%!

Wind turbines for energy generation would be ideal for coastal areas.

A CETREE (Centre for Education, Training and Research in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency) volunteer obligingly poses by their Energy Efficiency Snakes and Ladders Board. Our friends at CETREE were kind enough to give me two sets of the board game for our MNS Green Living booth and Eco Kids projects.

The Green Building Index rating and certification programme is an initiative under the Persatuan Akitek Malaysia. I ended up engaging in a friendly discourse with the booth operator on why it would make more sense to certify retrofitted existing buildings than exclusively certify new construction. Think of the fuel and energy costs involved in the clearing of land for development, transportation of construction materials, and the construction and transmission of energy and water to a new building!

The Energy Commission booth has a multimedia display and information boards on the Energy Star rating system. I hope the rating system will be made compulsory for all appliances in the market.

Human well-being, we have learned, is linked more closely than most people realise to the great marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Carbon emissions must not exceed Nature's capacity to withdraw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and neutralise the carbon.

The challenge is that the world's inhabitants will need to find politically acceptable ways to reduce their CO2 emissions level by 80%.

Personal choices are not a substitute for political action. Global problems could only be comprehensively solved through actual reforms in public policies that engage most people and institutions.

Similarly, however, political action is no substitute for leading lives that reflect our environmental values. As long as people keep buying energy guzzlers (e.g. big vehicles as status symbols, power-hungry electrical appliances), businesses and manufacturers will continue producing them.

The Energy Efficiency Carnival 2009 is a step in the right direction and it would be heartening to see more collaboration between the public and corporate sectors on environmental initiatives in future.

Kuala Lumpur’s ‘French Quarter’

2009-11-20T03:19:00.000-08:00

Mention ‘French Quarter’, and the Spanish and French-influenced mansions of New Orleans will no doubt come to mind. Most of the structures in the French Quarter of New Orleans were constructed after the great fires of 1788 and 1794. The buildings before the Great Fires were heavily influenced by French design and architecture, and sported peaked roofs, wooden siding and ironwork balconies and galleries. The Spanish overlords rebuilt the Quarter after 1794 and replaced the damaged roofs and sidings with flat-tiled roofs and fire-resistant stucco walls. In the early 20th century, the French Quarter of New Orleans attracted a large artistic and Bohemian community. The colourful walls and elaborate ironwork balconies and galleries of the French Quarter are still around today to be admired and gazed upon by tourists and history buffs. Since the 1920s, the buildings of the French Quarter have been protected by law and cannot be demolished. Any renovations and new construction in the Quarter must be done according to the regulations to match the period’s architectural style.

How delightful it is, then, to find that Kuala Lumpur has buildings that evoke the Old World charm and colonial appeal of the New Orleans French Quarter!

My father was driving past Wisma Fui Chiu (more popularly known as the puzzlingly named S&M Shopping Arcade) with me one evening in 1996 when he pointed out the ironwork balconies of the Neoclassical/Art Noveau shophouses along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Lebuh Pudu.

“Look,” Dad exclaimed jocularly, “French Quarter balconies!”
And so they were!
I have been fascinated by the architecture and history of the 1920s shophouses in downtown Kuala Lumpur ever since, and have lamented the destruction and ‘renovation’ of each heritage shophouse as I would the departure of an old friend.

This shophouse along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock now houses a ‘Jukebox Shoe Shop’ on the lower floor. The upper floor opens up on the side to a colonial-style balcony with lace-like ironwork railings. I say ‘balcony’ and not ‘gallery’ despite the size, because this particular balcony is suspended off the ground by means of support extending from the walls, and not by means of poles and pillars extending to the ground. Note the Art Moderne / Art Noveau portholes and swirling decorative moldings that defined much of 1920s architecture!

Fah Num Textiles Sdn Bhd used to have the same architectural details as the other Pre-War shophouses in the area, before its renovation. However, I am glad that they retained their ‘French Quarter’ balconies, if nothing else. I am not sure of the correct terminology, but I call these ‘gratuitous balconies’ because they are purely decorative and do not have doors that open up from the inside to the balconies. However, even the flowing organic shapes of the original ironwork balconies have been replaced with plain geometric ones.

A gentle reminder of the opulence that once defined Lebuh Pudu, this turn-of-the-century shophouse, with the writhing plants in the ironwork of its balcony, hyperbolas and parabolas in the windows, and nature-inspired stucco moldings, remains beautiful despite the state of disrepair that it is in.

It would be praiseworthy indeed if City Hall and the tourism authorities could look into the restoration of the pre-War buildings in Lebuh Pudu, Medan Pasar, Petaling Street, Jalan Tun H.S. Lee and Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock to at least half their former glory. These historical buildings exude such grace and quiet pride that it would be a terrible loss indeed if we were to replace them with sterile structures that lack history and character.

There is so much we can do to improve the state the area is in. We could, for instance:
1. Make it compulsory for all food and beverage operators in the area to install grease and rubbish traps;
2. Clean up and cover up waste disposal and wastewater discharge structures to control the vermin and disease vector population;
3. Institute stormwater management measures to reduce the incidence of flash floods;
4. Repaint, restore and maintain old structures that they remain serviceable and tenantable; and
5. Monitor new construction and any renovation projects to ensure that the architectural and design style of the particular historical period is retained or at least replicated.

With a little effort and the participation of city-dwellers, the heritage areas of downtown Kuala Lumpur could be as attractive and as worthy of visitors as the New Orleans French Quarter.

Pet Neutering Services at the SPCA-DBKL Klinik Kembiri

2009-11-17T03:56:00.001-08:00

“You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

My friend Azura managed to get her two rescued stray cats, Obie and Mummy Cat, neutered recently at the SPCA-DBKL Klinik Kembiri, thanks to the generosity of SPCA Selangor, which gave away 50 vouchers for the spaying/neutering of mixed breed and rescued companion animals during its World Animal Day celebrations in October. I was fortunate enough to obtain a voucher for Azura to facilitate the neutering of her two juvenile felines.

Azura followed up with a blogpost of such insight and warm humour on the issue of neutering and care of companion animals, from the perspective of a conscientious Muslim, that I cannot resist but link to it here. Azura had even taken the trouble to find the specific fatwa by JAKIM on the advantages and permissibility of neutering.

SPCA officers, veterinarians and staff standing in front of the SPCA-DBKL Klinik Kembiri in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
2nd from left: Dr. Goh, 3rd from left: Dr. Suhanna, 4th from left: clinic assistant Murugan, 5th from left: Consultant Glyn Roberts, 6th from left: PR Officer Nicole Tai.
Photo courtesy of PR & Marketing Officer, Jacinta Johnson

The SPCA-DBKL Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic was set up to provide subsidised spay and neuter services for companion animals belonging to people from the lower income category, animal rescuers and people caring for stray animals in their community. The Klinik Kembiri vets are heroes in their own right, being dedicated individuals who chose the path of community service and animal welfare over that of a lucrative career in private veterinary practice!

Dr. Suhanna performing surgery on a cat at the Klinik Kembiri.

The benefits of neutering are countless, as any caregiver for a neutered companion animal would attest. Besides the obvious benefits to the animal’s health and behaviour, neutering companion animals is good for the environment as it controls stray animal population and reduces incidences of fecal pollution and scavenging by stray animals.

Many of you would no doubt remember the high-profile incident in which over 300 dogs were abandoned on an uninhabited island by the villagers of Pulau Ketam.

There was also a case in February 2009 in which the SPCA Inspectorate had to enter an apartment unit to rescue 53 cats that had been abandoned by their irresponsible caregiver. Cases such as these are by no means isolated. The SPCA receives over 700 unwanted, abandoned and/or abused animals every month. I have no doubt that other animal welfare groups receive, rescue and help many animals in need as well.

Such cases would have been prevented if the animal care providers had behaved responsibly and had practiced early spaying/neutering.

The SPCA website offers professional pre-surgery and post-surgery advice, so do drop by for a visit to allay any misgivings you may have about the procedure!

For more information, please visit the SPCA website.

To fix an appointment, please contact:

DBKL-SPCA Klinik Kembiri
Pusat Kurungan Haiwan
Jabatan Kesihatan DBKL
Jalan Air Jerneh
Air Panas, Setapak
53200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel:
03-40243446 (Office)
012-2581041 (Manager – Mr G.R. Krishnan)

E-mail:
klinikkembiri@spca.org.my

“Late Quaternary Mammals of Borneo” at the Rimba Ilmu Auditorium

2009-11-15T11:57:00.001-08:00

MNS Selangor Speaker Series
Title: “Late Quaternary Mammals of Borneo”
Speaker: Lord Cranbrook
Date and Time: 6th November 2009, 8.00 p.m.
Venue: Rimba Ilmu Auditorium, University of Malaya
Organised by the Malaysian Nature Society, Selangor Branch.

I was at the University of Malaya Rimba Ilmu Auditorium again recently to attend a talk on the “Late Quaternary Mammals of Borneo”.

Judging by the turnout at the first of the Malaysian Nature Society (Selangor Branch) talks for the current administrative year, it’s going to be a great year for science and conservation-based events. The audience occupied every seat in the Rimba Ilmu Auditorium and spilled out into the aisles. Who would have guessed that there would be so much interest in the Late Quaternary Mammals of Borneo? Lord Cranbrook’s lecture was both fascinating and engaging. I almost thought that I was in the presence of a rock star!

Lord Cranbrook outlined the evidence of changes in the mammalian fauna of Borneo during the Quaternary, which was a period of very variable climate dominated by cyclic Ice Ages. The main information comes from archaeological work in the caves of Sabah and Sarawak, notably the huge cave at Niah.

Lord Cranbrook's first appointment was at the Sarawak Museum in 1956. After a short period on a post-doctorate fellowship in Indonesia, he joined the Department of Zoology, University of Malaya (1961-70). He was associated with the Royal Geographical Society Expeditions to Kinabalu (1964) and Vanuatu (as Deputy Leader, 1971), and the joint expeditions to Mulu (as Deputy Leader, 1977-78) and to Belalong in Brunei (as Joint Leader 1989-94). He has published many books on Southeast Asian wildlife, including Mammals of Borneo (1965), Birds of the Malay Penninsula Vol 5 (jointly authored, 1976), Belalong: a tropical rainforest (jointly authored, 1994) and Swiftlets of Borneo (2002). In recognition of his services to the State of Sarawak, Lord Cranbrook was awarded the titles of JBS (Hon) in 1997 & PNBS (Hon) in 2005 (the latter carrying the title Datuk Seri); he was recently (May 2006) elected an Honorary Fellow of the Linnean Society of London. He is an Honorary Life Member of MNS.

So what’s a Late Quaternary Mammal when it’s at home, if you please? Why, Ice Age Mammals, of course! Stegodonts such as this handsome fellow here walked the plains of Borneo in the Quaternary Period.

The talk covered topics such as:
- Mammals as environmental indicators
- Origins of mammal remains in cave sites
- The Borneo Anomaly – Quaternary Climate Change
- Past fauna and past environments

So why did the tiger (Panthera tigris) and Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus) disappear from Borneo, yet continue to exist in Peninsular Malaysia? What else is waiting to be discovered in the limestone caves of Borneo? The plot thickens!

Many thanks to Committee Members Ilyas Sapiyan and Cindy Chen for organising such a successful talk, and of course, to Lord Cranbrook, for being so obliging despite his hectic schedule!

Rimba Ilmu, which is Malay for “Forest of Knowledge”, is a tropical botanical garden within the University of Malaya, the nation’s oldest university. Rimba Ilmu was set up in 1974 by Professor W.R. Stanton to generate and promote awareness and knowledge of tropical plant life and its environment, ecology and conservation.

For a virtual tour of the Rimba Ilmu Botanical Gardens, please visit the official website.

The Rimba Ilmu main building, in which the auditorium is housed.

The water feature in front of the Rimba Ilmu Building. If you were to walk up the flight of stairs, you would arrive at the Orchids and Rare Plants Conservatory.

The Ceratopteris thalicbroides (Parkeriaceae) is regarded as a weed in the rice fields. However, its young fronds can be eaten and the leaves can be used as a poultice for skin ailments.

The Orchids and Rare Plants Conservatory.

A staff member hard at work cultivating plants in the Conservatory.

A charming little archway over the entrance to Rimba Ilmu.

Can you spot the Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) plant in the picture?

The Malaysian Nature Society, Selangor Branch, organises monthly guided walks around Rimba Ilmu. Led by the inimitable Angela Hijjas, this walk, which takes place on the first Saturday of every month, allows visitors to view and experience the collections in the gardens while discussing environmental and ecological issues.

The next walk will be on 5th December 2009, at 9.00 a.m. The Malaysian Nature Society Rimba Ilmu Guided Walk is open to members of the public. A fee of RM4.00 for each adult and RM2.00 for each child is imposed for the joint Universiti Malaya/MNS Environmental Education Fund.

For more information on the Rimba Ilmu Botanical Gardens, please contact:

The Coordinator,
Rimba Ilmu,
Institute of Biological Sciences,
University of Malaya,
50603 Kuala Lumpur.

Telephone No: +60-(3)-79674686, +60-(3)-79674690, +60-(3)-79674688 and +60-(3)-79674664

Office Hours:
Mondays to Fridays: 2.00pm - 4.30pm
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: Closed

Ordinary people, extraordinary deeds: Brian Lariche

2009-11-10T10:56:00.001-08:00

The Lariche Made-To-Order Charity Project operates out of Brian’s orderly garage in his tastefully-decorated Bangsar home.

My friendship with the one-man dynamo that is Brian Lariche began in 2001/2002, when I received an email from a colleague requesting food items and provisions for a list of welfare homes, on behalf of an individual named Brian Lariche who works directly with marginalised groups. The beneficiaries were mostly women and children living with HIV/AIDS and included the following welfare organisations:

1. The WAO women’s shelter
P.O. Box 493, Jalan Sultan, 46760 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

2. Rumah WAKE and Rumah Solehah
(‘Safe homes’ for women and children living with HIV/AIDS)

3. Rumah Ozanam and Rumah Jaireh
(Homes for women and children living with HIV/AIDS, both located in Batu Arang, Selangor)

4. Food Not Bombs Kuala Lumpur
(A soup kitchen run by a group of young people who serve vegetarian food to street folk)

5. Tenaganita shelter for trafficked women

The entire office was so impressed with how detailed and organised the wishlist was that we spared no effort in pooling our resources to purchase most of the items needed. I learned during my first encounter with Brian that his e-mail lists would be disseminated once a month or every two months, as the need for food and provisions is a constant one, and meeting those needs can be a struggle for the Homes.

Brian informed me that most of the organisations he chose to work with are related to HIV and abuse victims, as these are his areas of work and interest, and he has determined that they are a marginalised minority in Malaysia. Surplus donations would be distributed to other organisations in need.

Brian has been featured in the Press many times for his work with marginalised groups, and his outreach, awareness and education efforts.

Every 6 weeks or so, Brian would compile a list of items that are needed by the Homes. He would then send an email out requesting the food items. Ideally, the e-mail recipients would respond and inform him what they are able to purchase and deliver. Every 2 days, he would update the said list to remove items which have already been received.

I requested to be included in the mailing list. Over the years, some of my friends continued to contribute. Many others dropped out. New friends were made and some supported our effort by contributing and volunteering.

Brian responded to a need not by complaining and blaming others, but by opening up his home and creating opportunities for other Malaysians to help.

At the age of 15, Brian felt the calling to make a difference in the lives of others. He began by constructing maps for the blind and later ran a club for teenagers at the YMCA. He has come a long way since then.

In an interview with The Edge, Brian asserted: “There are many things about this country I wish I could change and many things I won’t. You can b***h about the country and nothing will change. Or you can do something. I’ll never be a rich man but at least I would have made a difference.”

Brian’s e-mails to his mailing list often include the following proviso:
“Some of you have asked to come along with me to visit the Homes. This is a difficult issue as many people seem to want to visit the homes for some reason. I only visit the homes for a purpose and not to just ‘be there’. If the visit adds no value to the home, I think it should not happen. Especially with the homes for abused kids and HIV+ clients/residents which are meant to be in a secret location anyway so as to not attract the any form of discrimination. Furthermore, some caregivers ‘force’ the children to pay attention or speak to the visitors out of obligation.”

I agree with Brian’s firm stand against publicity and gratuitous visits to welfare homes just so the donors can feel good about seeing ‘where their money went to’. However, Brian also finds and creates opportunities for those who wish to volunteer on a regular basis.

Before my acquaintance with Brian, I had preferred to volunteer with animal welfare and environmental initiatives, as I previously found people – both the donors and recipients – demanding, frequently unreasonable and difficult to work with. Brian inspired me and motivated me to work with people in accordance with their strengths and capabilities. It is through observing and having discussions with him that I learned fundraising and charity event management methods.

Through Brian, I learned that when organising charitable projects, there will always be people who will ask ridiculous questions like, “What race/religion are they (i.e. the recipients)?”, “Why should I give to refugees/ former drug users / sex workers/the poor? They brought it upon themselves!” or “Why should I donate? The government should be paying for all these!”, or who will want to foist off their old clothes and junk on you when neither is requested. And that is alright, because I learned that these are opportunities for us to engage in a civil discussion with others to edify them as to our reasons for doing what we do, for choosing the beneficiaries that we do and for declining well-meaning requests. Very often, we have do-gooders who want to take the children from the Homes out for outings or buy them fast food, without realising that these could harm people with compromised immune systems. With a little persuasion, donors could learn to put the needs of the beneficiaries first, instead of pushing their own agendas.

The Lariche Made-To-Order Charity Project has been operating for the past 9 years, and with Brian at the helm, I believe it will be around for many decades more. Brian’s project has received a lot of positive attention from the media, and this has spawned other community projects such as the Venusbuzz Community Chest in Bangsar Village.

Brian wishes for greater social equity and less economic disparity in Malaysia. I hope we can see that dream come true within our lifetimes.

(You can check out “Community Chest & U” outside the Village Grocer supermarket in Bangsar Village 1, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.)

Art Deco Walk 4: Oriental Building, Jalan Tun Perak.

2009-11-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

I was on my way back to the office from the Magistrates Court, then in Jalan Raja, as a pupil-in-chambers in 2004 when I realised my court shoes needed repairing. I went to the sidewalk cobbler seated under the arches of the Oriental Building/CIMB Bank in Jalan Melaka, facing Jalan Tun Perak, to have my delinquent shoe repaired.

As I stood under the arches of CIMB Bank, watching the cobbler at work, something about the broad horizontal bands of brickwork and the radiating ribs extending from the archway indicated that this could be an Art Deco building.

I walked across the street to the Masjid Jamek LRT station for a better view, and it hit me like an epiphany -- the building I pass by every day on my way to court is, indeed, a very fine example of an Art Deco building.

Notice the classic tall, narrow windows framed by metal muntins, with Neoclassical geometric spandrels?

Art Deco frequently utilises contrasting materials to emphasize differences in colour and texture. The white frieze with a bas-relief of overlapping coins frames the entire central exterior facade of the building.

Ribs beam out from the archway and taper off into bold horizontal bands. The sharp, clean lines suggest at an inchoate sunburst motif.

The projecting panels of walls in between the windows are stepped, creating the illusion of depth. Stepped pillasters begin at the 3rd floor, flanking the windows.

I learned later that the Oriental Building was designed by A.O. Coltman in 1930. A.O. Coltman, as you may well remember, is the Art Deco savant responsible for other amazing landmarks such as the Odeon Cinema, OCBC Building in Medan Pasar and the Medan Pasar Clock Tower.

The Oriental Building housed Radio Malaya in the 1940s. Picture reproduced from "Malaysia: A Pictorial History 1400 - 2004" by Wendy Khadijah Moore, without permission but in accordance with the principles of fair use.

Jalan Tun Perak used to be known as Java Street. After Malaysia achieved Independence, it was renamed Mountbatten Road. Mountbatten Road was named after Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Allied supreme commander in Southeast Asia during World War II.

Mountbatten Road was only renamed Jalan Tun Perak in 1980, after the fifth Bendahara (equivalent to the post of Prime Minister) of the Sultanate of Malacca. Bendahara Tun Perak was in office from 1456 to 1498 and had served under Sultan Muzzafar Shah, Sultan Mansur Shah, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah and Sultan Mahmud Shah.

The fact that most city dwellers who work in the vicinity of Jalan Tun Perak do not know the age the Oriental Building indicate both the agelessness of its design and that the building has been very well-maintained.

However, I find that the classical grandeur of the Oriental Building has been marred somewhat by the rather obtrusive posters and banners, and the constant presence of illegal hawkers and litter outside the building. Much improvement could be made if the posters were tastefully framed and positioned, and the area outside the Masjid Jamek LRT station rid of illegal traders and litter. It is my contention that illegal businesses contribute nothing to the economy of the country, undermine City Hall's efforts to maintain hygiene, health and cleanliness standards and create the impression that petty crime is condoned in Kuala Lumpur.

Let us make the Oriental Building a point of interest that art and history buffs would be thrilled to visit! In order to generate interest in our heritage buildings, effort must be made not only to engage the curiosity and enthusiasm of the people, but also to reduce or eliminate the elements that would create the perception that our City is uncared for and unloved.

Food Not Bombs, Kuala Lumpur Chapter

2009-11-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

The Food Not Bombs KL logo, reproduced with kind permission. The universal FNB logo is one of a fist holding a carrot. This is a localised one of a fist with rice.

When I was still the coordinator of the MNS Green Living Special Interest Group , I was intrigued by the emergent interest our members have on issues such as food security, distributive justice, vegetarian activism, mindful living and how all of these relate to the topic of food wastage , which I covered in two issues.

Recent conversations with my friends convinced me that I should pay Food Not Bombs, a local volunteer-based organisation, a visit to find out opportunities for volunteering and donating surplus garden produce. I first found out about Food Not Bombs KL seven years ago when I started assisting Brian L. with his food collection project to purchase food and provisions for welfare organisations that seem to have slipped under the radar of most donors and sponsors. I was most supportive of the fact that they were uncompromising about serving only vegetarian food to their clients. Vegetarian food is not only better for the environment and human health, but also non-violent and non-denominational.

I knew that Food Not Bombs KL (hereafter, FNBKL) was still serving food to the homefree (we don’t use the term homeless) and other clients at the corner of Jalan Gereja every Sunday evening, so I made arrangements to spend an evening with them. I was lucky in that I had 2 young volunteers to help me at the SPCA in the afternoon, and so I managed to wash and groom the dogs, spring-clean the Cattery and finish cleaning the front half of the animal shelter by 1700 hrs. I washed up, purchased a bag of dukong manis and made my way to downtown KL to share my food with strangers.

At 1800 hrs, a little sidewalk ‘stall’ was set up and the dedicated volunteers started ladling out rice, vegetables and herbal soup to their clients. I closed in, placed my food contribution on the table, introduced myself to Thilaga, Husni and Yew Hun and offered to assist in serving food and doing the dishes.

'Business' was good today. There is nothing left except dregs of Husni’s lovely herbal soup. I did not take any photos of the clients because I appreciate their need for privacy.

The official creed of Food Not Bombs KL reads as follows:
“Food Not Bombs Kuala Lumpur (FNBKL) is an independent, do-it-yourself, non-hierarchical collective consisting of a number of individuals who organize and participate in the collection, preparation and distribution of free food for the city's homeless (homefree) and the destitute.

We believe that hunger and poverty are not necessary, especially in a society which disposes of so much perfectly edible and safe foodstuff out of commercial interest. We save and recycle "commercially-unwanted" foodstuff by gathering it from commercial outlets around town. We will then cook and serve free meals on the streets of KL every weekend.

We do this as a form of protest and also in order to raise awareness to the problems of wastage and unfair food distribution in our society. We also aim to empower the urban homeless & destitute community with solidarity, knowledge and basic living skills.

Help is always needed from you. We are in constant need of your solidarity, donations and manpower to keep this activity consistent and effective. We are thankful for anything which you can help us with, and appreciate your efforts in providing our fellow human beings struggling on the streets with their basic needs which the society at large took for granted.

We all look forward to working with you to tilt the scale back to equality.”

Volunteers and clients doing the dishes together. I was glad to know that as practicing ‘freegans’ and ‘freecyclists’, FNBKL would be happy to accept the plant waste enzyme (as a biodegradable, phosphate-free cleaning solution) that our Malaysian Nature Society members have made a surplus of.

Yew Hun, Husni and Thilaga wish to keep a low profile because they are doing this without any vested interests and without any desire for self-glorification.

Members of our society are always too quick to dismiss our youth as spoilt and indifferent, and the destitute as indolent and unproductive. FNBKL shows us that the way forward is not by passing judgment on others, but by helping one another so that the nation can become strong. As I have always averred, a nation is only as strong as its weakest members. When we exclude and disenfranchise certain members of our society, what we are essentially doing is preventing them from becoming involved and contributing members of our community. This is why we should make inclusiveness as much a developmental goal for Malaysia as having adequate infrastructure and technology.

As I bade goodbye to my newfound friends for the night, I assured them that I would be back soon, and that I would compile a list of the items and supplies needed and disseminate it to MNS members who would be able to contribute.

So come on by if you are able to assist, or have anything to contribute. At FNBKL, everyone is a volunteer, a participant, a decision-maker, a contributor, a client – and most of all, a friend.

Malaysia's Biggest Breakfast, in aid of NASAM

2009-11-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

After leaving the Terry Fox Run event grounds, I decided to drop by Bangsar Village to participate in Malaysia's Biggest Breakfast, in aid of the National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM).

The promotional banner hanging outside Bangsar Village.

The event was a collaborative effort by at least 23 food and beverage outlets in Bangsar Village and Bangsar Village II, in which customers could purchase a breakfast set from any of the participating outlets for a minimum of RM15.00.

The breakfast sets were made available between 10.00 and 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1.

Good Day, Sunshine! A cheery orange-and-white banner festooned with balloons inform shoppers of the worthy cause and invite us in for a cup of joe!

The difference between this event and other fundraisers is that the breakfast sets are fully sponsored by the respective outlets and all proceeds collected from this event will go towards the National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM). This means that the entire cost of the breakfast would be borne by the participating outlet, and all proceeds, and not merely the profits or a certain percentage of the proceeds, would go to the intended beneficiary.

I had the big breakfast set at Bisou Bake Shop, as I needed the energy for all the hours I would be putting in at the SPCA animal shelter later. The service was good, the staff were friendly and courteous, and the food was worth coming back for.

The National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM) operates 8 centres in Petaling Jaya, Ampang, Penang, Perak, Melaka, Sabah, Johor and Kuantan. According to the official information on their website, NASAM centres function as places for stroke survivors to help themselves in their rehabilitation process, to interact with fellow survivors, and to get information and group support for themselves, as well as for their carers.

I was gratified to see entire families and groups of friends enjoying hearty breakfasts at the participating outlets in aid of this praiseworthy cause.

Although there will always be detractors who argue that it is better to just donate cash directly to the intended charitable organisation, I believe that fundraising events such as the Malaysian Biggest Breakfast are important for the role they play in raising awareness on the causes they champion, empowering local communities, providing opportunities for the corporate sector to contribute to charitable programmes and bringing families and friends closer together.

After all, merely putting small change into a collection box does not engender occasion for discussion and reflection the way a weekend breakfast gathering would.

I knew I would be feeling peckish at the SPCA later, therefore I bought cupcakes from Bisou to share with the staff and other volunteers. I've never met a confectionary I didn't like!

Very few conscientious individuals would decline to commit one morning a year to raising funds to aid those afflicted with, and affected by, stroke.

NASAM’s long-term mission is to open a centre in every state in Malaysia to provide rehabilitation programmes and facilities for stroke survivors.

For more information, kindly contact:
National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM)
12 Jalan 7/2, 46050 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.
Tel: 03 7956 4840 Fax: 03 7954 2275

The Terry Fox Run 2009, Kuala Lumpur

2009-11-02T08:10:00.001-08:00

If you were faced with a debilitating disease, what would you do? If you were informed that you had a terminal illness, or had to lose a limb, what would your response be?

Terrance Stanley Fox (Terry Fox) was a sports-loving young man who was only 19 when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of cancer for which the causes are still largely unknown. Upon diagnosis, the only known way to treat the cancer was to amputate young Terry's right leg several inches above the knee.

At the age of 22, Terry Fox established the Marathon of Hope. He decided to run from coast to coast in Canada with the objective of raising $1 from each Canadian citizen for cancer research. Terry Fox had run 5,085 kilometres by the end of his training, in preparation for the Marathon of Hope. This was in spite of his existing heart condition, left ventricular hypertrophy.

Terry Fox began the Marathon of Hope at the Newfoundland coast. He intended to finish in Victoria, British Columbia. Sadly, Terry Fox never completed the Marathon of Hope. His cancer had metastasized to his lungs and he had to stop running after 143 days. Terry Fox died on 28th June, 1981.

But Terry Fox's courage and spirit lives on in the Terry Fox Run, which has evolved into a worldwide event to raise funds for cancer research, to commemorate the determined young activist who died too soon and as a show of solidarity and support for those affected by or who had lost their lives to cancer.

The Terry Fox Run is exceptional in that it has no corporate sponsorship, is non-competitive, and has no winners or awards. The purpose of the Run is to create public awareness and raise funds for cancer research. The Terry Fox Run was first held in Malaysia in the early 1990s, and Malaysians, ever generous, have never failed to show support for the event by participating in ever-increasing numbers.

I arrived too late to assemble with the rest of the participants, but it is never too late to join in the Run! There is no registration requirement. Participants merely have to purchase the t-shirts for RM25.00.

Let’s follow the high-spirited crowd to the Lake Gardens. Participants can skate, walk, run, bike or even ride in prams, if too young!

A capoeira troupe lends a South American flavour to our Sunday morning run at the Lake Gardens.

Leisure boats cruise lazily along the waterways in the Lake Gardens as we jog the final 100 metres to the finishing point.

T-shirts for sale to support the cause of cancer research.

Mounted City Hall officers on horseback to keep order at the Lake Gardens.

Years ago, the cause of ‘cancer research’ would be one that would not rest easily on my animal-loving conscience. Would it entail gratuitous cruelty to animals? Could vivisection ever be justified? Is it ever right to put animals through prolonged suffering? In the last few years, I have come to terms with the fact that animal testing could be categorised into ‘unnecessary’ and ‘justifiable’ testing and research. In addition, since it is always animals with immune responses that are the most similar to human’s that are used in medical research, perhaps advances in cancer research could bring progress to the field of veterinary oncology as well. Also, I am persuaded that cancer research in the last decade or so entails more sophisticated techniques than merely animal testing. Human genome research and human cell and tissue culture testing are all growing alternatives to animal testing.

Cancer knows no political or geographical boundaries. The Terry Fox Run doesn’t, either. Whatever cancer research necessitates, we must acknowledge that more research is required to ensure that cancer can be prevented, treated and managed. Available statistics reveal that cancer causes an estimated 13% of human deaths. The price of inaction is simply too high. For this reason, I salute the heroism, courage and resolve of Terry Fox, who never gave up, who had faith in himself when no one else did. And I salute all the Malaysians who gave up their Sunday morning to run in loving memory of those who had succumbed to cancer, in solidarity with those who live with cancer, and in celebration of the indomitable attitude of a young man who never said die.

Art Deco Walk 3: Bangunan Lee Rubber

2009-10-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

When the admittedly popular Popular Bookstore was relocated from the heart of Petaling Street to the corner of Jalan Hang Lekir and Jalan Tun H.S. Lee, I was pleased with how accessible it is now from the Pasar Seni LRT station. As soon as I saw the building it is currently housed in, I had another reason to rejoice. The Bangunan Lee Rubber is one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture I have ever seen.

The discrete horizontal 'banding' on the exterior facade and the spandrels in Fauvist colours are the first indications that this is an Art Deco building. Like most urban Deco buildings, the Bangunan Lee Rubber has a flat roof with no cornice or overhang.

The narrow windows, considering the full surface of the walls, are characteristic of Art Deco buildings of that era. Repeated geometric patterns below the windows create a sense of theatric opulence. The windows above the Deco accents are of metal muntins, also in the Deco style.

Art Deco spandrels accentuate the space between the top of the window in one storey and the sill of the window in the storey above. Fluted pilasters halfway up the wall hold up an entablature with fluted rectangular motifs.

The construction of Bangunan Lee Rubber was commissioned in the early 1930s by the Lee Rubber Company, a multi-million dollar enterprise set up by Southeast Asia's rubber and pineapple king, Lee Kong Chian.

The building itself has a colourful history. It was once the headquarters of the Kempeitai (Japanese Secret Police) in Kuala Lumpur, according to the ‘Letters & Comment’ column in Asiaweek (15 September 1995) and the testimonies of various Malaysians who lived through World War II.

Later, the building became one of the branches of the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), which isn't surprising considering that Lee Kong Chian was once the general manager and vice-chairman of Huayi Bank, and was later appointed vice-chairman of OCBC when three Chinese banks merged to form the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation during the Great Depression in 1933.

"Jalan Tun H.S. Lee" was formerly known as "High Street", while "Jalan Hang Lekir" was formerly known as "Cecil Street" before the nationalisation of street names in Kuala Lumpur. Many of the double-storey shophouses along Jalan Tun H.S. Lee date back to the 1880s.

Tun H.S. Lee, or Tun Sir Henry Lee Hau-Shik (1900 - 1988) played a major role in helping to establish the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) in 1949 and in initiating the coalition between MCA and UMNO in 1952, which led the then Malaya to Independence in 1957, so it is only proper and fitting that such an important and busy street be named after him.

Hang Lekir, on the other hand, was a warrior who lived during the height of the Malaccan Sultanate in the 15th century. Some of the street names in Kuala Lumpur have been named after warriors from the Malay Annals.

High Street leading to Foch Avenue (1930s). Photo reproduced from "Malaysia: A Pictorial History 1400 - 2004" by Wendy Khadijah Moore, without permission but in accordance with the principles of fair use.

The Bangunan Lee Rubber is a perfect example of how a coat of paint and a culture of maintenance can make a world of difference to heritage buildings. Heritage buildings in Kuala Lumpur do not have to be converted into unproductive galleries and deserted museums. They could still be utilised for commerce and trade and be wholly tenantable, as long as the property owners take pains to keep the building in good repair.

I wish that someday I could walk down the streets of Medan Pasar, Leboh Pudu and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and see that the Art Deco and Art Noveau buildings are as well-kept, clean and aesthetically pleasing as the Bangunan Lee Rubber.

Art Deco Walk 2: Medan Pasar

2009-10-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

Exit Central Market from the back and walk down the street where the city buses wait to pick up passengers, and you will find yourself in Medan Pasar, formerly Market Square, before the 'nationalisation' of street names in Kuala Lumpur.

"There isn't much to see in Medan Pasar", my friends complain. "It's just a dirty place with damaged pavements where mostly migrant workers wait to board their buses."

In the 1990s, I figured out that if Central Market were an Art Deco building, then at least some of the buildings in the same area must necessarily also be Art Deco buildings.

I didn't realise how accurate my conjecture was. At least half the buildings in the area are Art Deco buildings, constructed in the 1920s and 1930s. The other buildings date back to 1907, and are in the Neoclassical/Art Noveau style, with highly ornate motifs inspired by nature, or garlands set in cast plaster.

Medan Pasar, or Market Square, was the capital's banking and shopping hub in the 1920s. It is sad that this area has been largely ignored as the river confluence where the tin-miners and traders first landed.

A 1920s photograph shows 3-storey commercial buildings built in the Art Noveau / Neoclassical style in Market Square. Photo reproduced from "Malaysia: A Pictorial History 1400 - 2004", by Wendy Khadijah Moore, without permission but in accordance with the principles of fair use.

What we know as 'Bangunan OCBC' today, at the corner of Medan Pasar, was constructed in 1938 as the headquarters of the Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation. The architect for this Art Deco wonder is A.O. Coltman, the same genius who designed Odeon Cinema in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman - Jalan Dang Wangi.

The regularly-spaced, narrow windows of the Bangunan OCBC speak of Art Deco elegance. The vertical columns create a 'band' separating the first from the second storey. Like many multi-storey Art Deco buildings, the windows are relatively small, considering the full surface of the wall.

The old clock tower in Medan Pasar is revolutionary in design for its time. It was erected in 1937 in commemoration of the coronation of King George IV, but the original memorial plaques have been removed. The geometric art form shows the influence of Cubism and Futurism. The geometric sunburst motif on the doors at the bottom of the clock tower is of especial interest, as it is more commonly found on windows and above archways than on clock towers.

The sunburst and rising sun motifs in Art Deco convey a sense of strength and optimism in a time when the Great Depression was imminent. Also, fascination with the Orient and the Far East was beginning to grow in the West in the 1920s, and this delight in all things exotic was translated into pyramids, ziggurats, rising suns, running deers and Japanese cranes in Art Deco motifs.

Unfortunately, the Medan Pasar Clock Tower is a sorry sight these days. At least 2 of its surfaces have been defaced with obscene graffiti. Litter surrounds its base. The tired commuters queuing up in front of the Clock Tower have no interest in its history or preservation.

It is a shame that Medan Pasar, which is so rich in history, and indeed, the very place where Kuala Lumpur began, is so neglected. It is hard enough for me to get my fellow KL-ites excited about it, let alone persuade tourists that it is a place of historical and artistic interest.

I believe that it shouldn't be too difficult for City Hall to rally up volunteers to clean up and beautify Medan Pasar. I wish to see the area rid of illegal stalls, graffiti, litter and petty crime. I am a strong proponent of the 'Broken Windows' theory. Litter and graffiti begets more litter and graffiti, because the impression a passerby gets is that no-one cares. Condoning the presence of illegal stalls and pirated goods shows that low-level crime is tolerated in a particular area, and of course, crime begets more crime.

Restoring the buildings in Medan Pasar to some of their former glory should not be a costly exercise. Building owners can be held to account for the condition that their properties are in. Unsightly signboards and banners should be restored with tasteful and unobtrusive ones, while rubbish should be removed and drains fitted with gratings and covers to deter littering. The installation of grease traps and drain traps should be made mandatory for food and beverage outlet operators to ensure the cleanliness of the area and to manage stormwater and wastewater. The installation of better street lighting and pavement barriers to create a safe zone for pedestrians from motorcycle snatch thieves would go a long way towards lowering the crime rate in the area.

Plaques could be installed on building walls to inform tourists and visitors of the year the respective buildings were constructed, and to provide a short history of the area.

It is a shame that this little square, just a skip and hop away from Central Market, could be left to deteriorate the way it is. We claim to be proud of our history and heritage, but our actions so far do not seem to reflect our values. I believe it is time that we restore Medan Pasar to its former glory.

Art Deco Walk 1: Central Market

2009-10-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

This is the first in my series of posts on Art Deco structures in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Seeing as that I was at the Central Market Annexe on Tuesday evening, it is inevitable that a post on Central Market would follow. It is, after all, one of my favourite places to hang out in.

Why Art Deco? My fascination with Art Deco began in the mid '90s when my love of big band and swing music grew, along with my love for the works of authors of the Jazz Age, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, and poets of the 1920s such as WH Auden and Cecil Day-Lewis.

The Roaring '20s was a glorious period in the history of the world. World War 1 had just ended, and never had there been a better time for industry and innovation. Even art forms embraced and celebrated technology and modernity.

There have been arguments propounded by the narrow-minded and mean-spirited that buildings such as the Kuala Lumpur Central Market aren’t part of our Malaysian heritage at all, but that of our colonialists. I beg to differ. In the first place, Malaysia wasn't a British colony, but a protectorate. Huge difference there, my friends. Secondly, what is Malaysian heritage, if not a miscegenation of cultures, faiths, ideas and shared histories? I think it is wonderful that the communities existing in Malaysia in the 1920s saw so much potential and beauty in Kuala Lumpur that they were inspired into constructing a building so elegant and so sophisticated for its time as the Central Market.

Central Market hasn't always been an Art Deco building. It was constructed in 1888 as a wet market for the then growing town of Kuala Lumpur.

The old Central Market. Black-and-white photos reproduced from "Malaysia: A Pictorial History 1400-2004", by Wendy Khadijah Moore, without permission but in accordance with the principles of fair use.

The new Central Market as we know it today was constructed in the 1930s. This photograph shows it in its completed stage in 1937. It must have been such an architectural and aesthetic gem even in its day.

Europe was then abuzz with fresh ideas in architecture and industrial design after the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, and the enthusiasm it generated was carried all the way across the oceans to the expanding and vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur.

I recall my first visit to Central Market as being in 1986, after it was saved from demolition, renovated and reopened as an arts and culture market. My father has always been very big on taking us to local places of interest as soon as they are open to the public. Our family made it a habit to travel miles to visit new highways, bridges, dams, parks and buildings weeks before the official opening ceremonies. This is just one of the benefits of having a Geography teacher for a father.

I remember a comic book specialty store on the first floor of the Central Market back in 1986 where we could purchase DC and Marvel comics. It was probably the first such store in Malaysia. I remember also the artists on the ground floor of Central Market, and the breathtaking portraits they painted, as I watched a little distance away, not quite 8 years old, not quite daring to breathe in case I ruined their paintings in some way.

Later, in my teenage years in the 1990s, Central Market became less of a showcase for local art and culture and more of a place where cheap, tacky souvenirs from neighbouring countries could be bought. Still, it was a colourful and friendly place to hang out in.

There used to be a pub called "the Bull's Head" to the left of Central Market where my buddies and I watched most of the football matches during the 1998 World Cup.

I remember a young man named Eddie who had a stall selling Native American crafts in Central Market, although I am positive that he is not of Native American descent any more than I am, and his merchandise were probably made in some warehouse somewhere in Selangor. I wonder where he is today.

Central Market received another facelift in 2008, in an effort to upgrade its facilities, regulate the merchandise sold and to divide the shops into zones. Hence the new Central Market now has "Lorong Melayu", "Straits Chinese", "Lorong India" and “Lorong Kolonial” zones.

The interior of Central Market, with its booths and stalls in the wide corridors.

The Asli Crafts shop has always been one of my favourite shops.

I am pleased to see that the renovation work did not destroy the original Art Deco details in the interior of Central Market. Here, the 'flat-against-the-wall' fluted columns and mock pillars have survived several facelifts and renovation exercises.

The illusion of pillars and columns and ancient architectural designs such as pyramids and ziggurats is frequently employed in Art Deco.

Central Market at dusk. Again, we can see that the architect has chosen a bold ziggurat design. A ziggurat is a terraced pyramid with each storey smaller than the one below it. King Tut's tomb was discovered in 1922, and it wasn't just the archeological community that was excited over the find! Artists, architects and designers all wanted to incorporate pyramids, ziggurats and other Egyptian motifs into their work.

The subtle horizontal band of pink textured concrete running across the breadth of Central Market is also characteristic of one of the techniques used in Art Deco, in which bands or columns of contrasting materials are used to create a sense of line or division.

One of the best adjectives used to describe Art Deco design is 'theatrical', the entrance of the Central Market is just that! The recessed 'second entrance' creates the illusion of a passageway to a stage set. Symmetrical receding abstract planes and aerodynamic streamlining are typical of later Art Deco and Art Moderne details.

The back entrance of Central Market. You've got to love the Deco typestyle in the signage! Most Art Deco typestyles are completely in capitals, emphasising the swank and boldness of the era right before World War II. Take note, yet again, of the ziggurat design and the repetitive geometric patterns and the combination of materials used. Art Deco isn't about moderation -- it was all about eclecticism and glamour!

Central Market is one of the best success stories in Malaysia when it comes to heritage buildings. We didn't just 'preserve a building left by the British', we combated stasis by making it our own. Dare we hope that City Hall and the Ministry of Federal Territories would apply the same strategy in conserving and revitalising other heritage sites in the City?

“No Refuge” at the Central Market Annexe Gallery

2009-10-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

I was at the Central Market Annexe on Tuesday evening for a photo exhibition on Burmese refugees in Malaysia. "No Refuge: Burmese Refugees in Malaysia", was presented by SUARAM and the Annexe Gallery. It runs from 15th to 25th October, 2009, and features the work of five photographers: Greg Constantine (USA), Halim Berbar (France), Rahman Roslan (Malaysia), Simon Wheatley (UK), and Zhuang Wubin (Singapore).

Artwork on display and for sale at the Central Market Annexe.

The Central Market Annexe looks clean, inviting and well-lit after the Central Market facelift. This place holds many memories for me. My buddy Sumita and I used to go clubbing in this area ten years ago. It stopped when I noticed many vagrants searching for food in the waste bins near Central Market. We started using our clubbing money to purchase food and beverage instead, which we would distribute to the vagrants sleeping on the sidewalks and park benches. It looks considerably cleaner here now, but maybe it's because it is still early in the evening.

The Annexe Gallery.

I inquired as to whether cameras would be allowed in the Gallery, and was informed that I may take photographs as long as they are not direct shots of the artwork. I can appreciate that, as the photographs remain the intellectual property of the photographers.

Faces filled with fear, despair, hope and grim determination stare back at me from the walls. There are over 60,000 Burmese refugees registered with UNHCR Malaysia right now. The Malaysian government perceives refugees to be economic migrants.

"The practice of granting asylum to people fleeing persecution in foreign lands is one of the earliest hallmarks of civilisation."
~ UNHCR website

The predicament of the refugees in Malaysia is not an easy topic to broach. The Government should understand that recognising the protection needs of the refugee population in Malaysia does not undermine our sovereignty and national security.

"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born. Love him as yourself."
~ Leviticus 19:34

The photographs speak not only of fear, sorrow and oppression, but also of courage, compassion, dignity and faith.

There are no ready solutions for those escaping persecution and threats to their life and freedom in their home country. Without a legislative framework, it is difficult to put into place any effective mechanism to protect vulnerable and marginalised communities.

For many refugees, resettlement is, in reality, out of reach. Resettlement countries will not acknowledge that certain groups and communities are favoured over others. The lives of the asylum-seekers who have been denied resettlement remain in limbo in Malaysia.

We have been blessed with so much in Malaysia. While there is no doubt that a sizable percentage of the Malaysian population agrees with the Prime Minister that the country cannot open its floodgates to undocumented migrants, it would be a positive step in the right direction for the country if the immigration and law enforcement authorities would honour the protection documents issued by the UNHCR.

I am glad to see that the Central Market Annexe is still the focal point of a vibrant, brave and progressive arts scene in the City, and that the management body is so supportive of citizens’ action and interest groups such as Food Not Bombs KL. It is delightful also to see how this modern annexe has so perfectly complemented Central Market. Our visits to the Central Market area are made all the richer for the Annexe.

Froggy Encounters in Gasing Hill

2009-10-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

It was on Deepavali morning that I agreed to go frogging at Bukit Gasing with Hurnain, Lillian and gang that night.

I informed Lillian that I would be at the SPCA animal shelter in Ampang all afternoon until after 7.00 p.m., as I had volunteered to stay back to feed the animals and clean up so that the Hindu staff could knock off a little earlier. The gang agreed to wait for me.

When I first informed Raj and our other friends during the Deepavali lunch that I would be going frogging at night and invited them to come along, they were incredulous.

"Frogs? What, to eat?" they exclaimed in surprise and curiosity.

Hey, just because I am of Chinese ethnicity doesn't mean that I eat everything with four legs except a table!

Frogs and toads are fascinating, and are good indicators of the environmental health of an area. Since amphibians are particularly susceptible to contaminants and are very sensitive to the changes in their environment, a decline in the amphibian population is a warning to us humans that an area may not remain safe for human occupation for very long.

The MNS Herpetofauna Special Interest Group , under the leadership of Hurnain and Lillian, has been conducting nocturnal frogging excursions in Bukit Gasing, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and other secondary forests in the City for years, for the purposes of data collection and research, and to inculcate greater appreciation for nature and indigenous reptiles and amphibians among city-dwellers.

The Bukit Gasing Forest Reserve is special in that it straddles the border of Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. It is a secondary forest and green lung covering over 100 hectares. It is worth noting that 36 hectares of secondary forest in the Petaling Jaya side were gazetted as a greenbelt in 1961, while the Kuala Lumpur side remains unprotected. I hope that the Ministry of Federal Territories accords this issue with the importance that it deserves and takes steps to gazette this green buffer zone in the City.

The last time I conducted a Green Living - Eco Kids Day Camp here was in 2007. The beneficiaries were the able-bodied children from the Taman Megah Home For Handicapped Children.

Happy faces after our Day Camp in 2007. The children received their certificates after making their Green Living pledges. I had initiated the Camp and was, and still am, very grateful for the support of my key volunteers: Yanty, Serina, Mariam, Hui-Min, Christine and Mohala.

Tonight, there would only be a handful of us. I pulled up at the entrance of the trail and joined Nain and Lil, pockets bulging with flashlights and mosquito repellent.

The local authorities must have thought it was a good idea to put these rock gabions here and create an embankment for our little stream. Perhaps their intention is to reduce or control soil erosion, but it has created siltation and reduction of flow in the stream and affected fauna that relies on the natural foliage growing on the riverbanks for shelter and food.

Lillian remains an active volunteer despite being in her fifth month of pregnancy. Her spirit of volunteerism is infectious!

Rana Raniceps / Hydrophylax Raniceps, commonly known as the Copper-Cheeked Frog. See how its beautiful skin glistens in the night!

Lillian showing little Cerys the proper way of holding and handling a Copper-Cheeked Frog. Nature awareness and education should begin as early as possible.

Bufo Parvus: We learned to identify it from the hourglass-like marking at the back of its head.

Hurnain and Lillian trying to locate the position of the frogs by their calls.

We heard Hurnain hissing to us from 10 metres away and squelched up the stream to see what he was so excited about. It was worth the hurry! Hurnain had spotted a Dogania Subplana! What luck! It hasn't been spotted in Bukit Gasing in ages!

Dogania Subplana: Malayan Soft-Shelled Turtle

The Dogania perceived us to be a threat and tried to get away by burrowing under the sandy stream bed. There was a plastic bag in the way and I offered to remove it. Hurnain and Teck Wyn cautioned that the Dogania would attack, and that it has a very painful bite.

I was adamant that the plastic bag be removed, and was not worried about being bitten. After all, I get bitten at the SPCA by new arrivals and nervous animals at least once every six months. I tugged gently at the plastic bag until it came loose and we collected other plastic litter from the stream.

L-R: Hurnain, me and Lillian with a message for joggers, picnickers and hashers: Please do not leave your litter behind. Littering is a poor return for the enjoyment you have derived from our natural spaces.

We saw another Dogania a little further upstream. This really is a serendipitous night for us to have spotted two in the same hour. This is a good sign that the water quality is good enough to create liveable conditions for wildlife.

While we were photographing another Bufo Parvus, I spotted another frog, sitting very still, next to it. It took a while for us to realise that it wasn't another Bufo Parvus but a frog which we have never seen before and could not identify. We proceeded to take photos of it from all angles to help in its identification.

Little Cerys was exhausted from her long day of Deepavali visiting and trekking, and so we made the decision to pack up for the night. We brought the litter we collected out with us, congratulated each other on a productive night of nature observation, and promised to come back again soon.

Our Deepavali wish would be to see green spaces given due protection against unnecessary development. There are enormous environmental and economic costs associated with the destruction of forests, such as an increase in the incidence of landslides and flash floods and the rise in tropical diseases. Similarly, there are enormous benefits to be gained from the preservation of rainforests and their ecosystem services such as carbon capture and as water catchment zones. A well-cared for green lung or forest reserve will also have great tourism potential and will be an asset to any state!

May we all tread gently upon the good Earth and show love and respect to other beings that share our Planet!

Brickfields Through My Eyes

2009-10-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

Mention Brickfields, and Indian food and the KL Sentral Terminal come to mind. Brickfields is acknowledged to be, but largely neglected as, one of the pioneer settlements in Kuala Lumpur.

Long before the construction of the KL Sentral Terminal in Brickfields, the very site on which KL Sentral stands used to be a Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) depot. The fifth Kapitan Cina (Chinese Chieftain) of Kuala Lumpur, Yap Kwan Seng, developed Brickfields as a hub for the brick-making industry for the then Malaya in or around the 1880s.

Labourers were brought in from India to work in the brick kilns and railway and thus until today, Brickfields is known for its high population of people of Indian ethnicity.

These railway quarters in Jalan Rozario are still serviceable as homes for the railway staff. They used to look so picturesque before the facelift, which saw all the quarters painted the same colour and fitted with identical window and door grilles. There used to be a football field right across the street from Jalan Rozario, but half of it has since been covered in concrete to serve as badminton courts and parking bays. Jalan Rozario was named after F.L.D. Rozario, who had served as the chief clerk to William Treacher, former English Resident of Selangor.

Reminders of Brickfield's illustrious past, railway quarters in Jalan Chan Ah Tong line up juxtaposed against high-rises that weren't here 15 years ago.

I was in Brickfields for errands on Friday, and waves of memory came flooding back to me as I parked at the YMCA. This is where we used to play football after work, in the fading evening light, until it got so dark that we couldn't see our goalposts anymore.

YMCA Building, Brickfields.

The admittedly quaint and charming Thambipillay Flats in Jalan Berhala.

Brickfields used to have an unpleasant reputation as a vice and crime-infested area. But it is also a place of great historical importance to Malaysians, and had played a big role in the modernisation and development of our country's capital. This is why I was pleased to read in The Star on Sept 29 that the Ministry of Federal Territories would be injecting funds into the beautification of Brickfields, and to develop it to make it safer and less congested.

Brickfields is fascinating for the number of places of worship located in a single enclave.

The Buddhist Maha Vihara was set up by the Sinhalese community in Kuala Lumpur. I can see improvements being made to the area by the Ministry already. The pavements in Jalan Berhala have been tiled, potholes repaired and street lighting and waste bins added.

This is where I come to worship. The Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields was set up by the Sinhalese Theravada community in 1894.

The Lutheran Zion Church was established in 1924. Lutherans trace their roots back to the sixteenth century when Martin Luther, an Augustinian Roman Catholic monk, challenged some of the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Tamil Methodist Church was operating well before 1908. Methodism came to Malaysia more than 120 years ago, and is now the largest Protestant denomination in Malaysia.

The Vivekenanda Ashram facing the KL Sentral development was constructed in 1904. You can still sign up for Kundalini Yoga classes here.

Night has fallen, and it is time to go. No visit to Brickfields is complete without a yummy meal of South Indian food, made complete with traditional sweets.

North Indian sweets fit for a king, at Jesal's, along Jalan Tun Sambanthan. You haven't lived until you have tasted their chocolate burfi.

Thank you for taking a stroll around Brickfields with me.

Festival of Lights in Brickfields

2009-10-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

It will be Deepavali (Diwali if you are North Indian) tomorrow, and there is joy and anticipation in the air. I have friends to visit and plans for the day. I thought it would be a good idea to drop by Brickfields on Thursday evening for a thali meal or perhaps some thosai. I took the Light Rail Transit to KL Sentral as I was aware that there would be massive traffic congestion in Brickfields.

All the major shopping malls in KL would be decorated with kolam (North Indian: Rangoli) by now, and perhaps carnatic music would play in concourse areas and hotel lobbies to put patrons in the mood. To me, however, nothing could come close to the experience of being in the Little India of Brickfields in the days leading up to Deepavali. I find the painstakingly crafted kolams and villaku prayer lamps in shopping centres sterile and self-conscious, and lacking the genial festive urgency of places like Brickfields, Lebuh Ampang and Klang Town.

Brickfields is of especial interest to me because of its historical significance, its houses of worship and also the simple fact that it used to be my playground. In the 1990s, I would frequent Skoob Books in the row of shophouses behind the YMCA, and in 2005-2006, I used to play football in the evenings after work with Priya, Ravi and gang at the YMCA field.

Even the stalls in the KL Sentral terminal are given a festive touch, but they lack the warmth and cheerful disorder of the street stalls in Brickfields.

Murukku and Pakora by the kilogramme.

Indian sweets to tempt the palate. The orange one in the foreground, jelebi, is my favourite. And I wonder why my teeth are in the state they are in!

Salwar Khameez, kurtas and Punjabi suits in Bollywood colours on offer along Jalan Thamby Abdullah.

Flowers and incense for the prayer room, sold at the corner of Jalan Thamby Abdullah.

Flowers for prayers. Most of the flowers used in the garlands are chrysanthemums and jasmines.

A balloon man doing brisk business due to the wheedling of young children accompanying their parents on shopping trips.

Wall-hangings and ornamental lampshades from India to add a dash of bold colour to your home.

What's the Festival of Lights without colourful decorative lights?

Religious idols and artwork for sale. The largest framed artwork is a rather fear-inspiring one of Kali, Goddess of Time, Change and Destruction. The two white ceramic figurines in meditative pose on the table are of Lord Ganesha (left) and Lord Hanuman (right).

May the Festival of Lights bring us enlightenment, joy and peace! Deepavali Valthukal!

ASEAN Sculpture Garden: A Walk In The Park

2009-10-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

The ASEAN Sculpture Garden, Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur

A hundred metres away from the Tugu Peringatan Negara is the ASEAN Sculpture Garden. I did a Roadside: Malaysia! post on this before, but it was so long ago that I don’t recall the content of my post at all. I have always been a strong proponent of public art, and sculptures are all the more arresting because of the way they confront you and make you reflect on their form and meaning.

I remember visiting the ASEAN Sculpture Garden in Fort Canning, Singapore, in 2005 together with my football teammates the night before our match. Like the Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Sculpture Garden, the Singapore version also boasts a collection of award-winning sculptures from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam and was commissioned as a symbol of ASEAN cooperation and solidarity. The main difference between the Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Sculpture Garden and the Singapore one, however, is that the Singapore Sculpture Garden has plaques providing information on the sculptor, his/her nationality, and the title of the artwork. The Malaysian ASEAN Sculpture Garden, regretfully, offers no information on the artists or their work. One can only speculate on the ideas and feelings the sculptures in this beautifully-landscaped garden are trying to put across.

The towering height of this structure deifies it. Is it a monument of worship? Its industrial texture and the purposeful nature of its construction lead me to question its function: Is it a giant fan? A steel tree, perhaps?

This piece’s strength and pace speaks for itself. It exudes power and vitality. There is an unacknowledged tension in this sculpture between movement and stasis.

This pyramid-like sculpture evokes a mystical feeling, and at the same time offers familiarity. The pyramid is a form that is integral to a significant portion of our built environment. It symbolises stability and groundedness. There is an architectural quality to this work.

This shelter-like structure juxtaposes the clean vertical lines of steel with roughly-hewn wood and whimsically patterned panels, drawing attention to the modern and the traditional. Beams and bars are cleverly used in this piece to create a sense of balance and security.

A stone circle displays four sculptures that are at once sensuous and visceral. The abstract form of these stone sculptures bespeaks movement, pause and change in direction.

Gibbous and pregnant, this stone sculpture (to me) signifies continuity, fertility and longevity.

That so few people are aware of the existence of the Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Sculpture Garden is a pity, as it provides wonderful photo opportunities. The Garden is well-maintained but plaques should be restored or replaced in order to edify the visitors and to honour the sculptors who created these works of art.

Remember the Fallen

2009-10-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

I am unabashedly open about my patriotism, hence it is only to be expected that one of my earliest posts will be on Tugu Peringatan Negara, or the National Monument. It is also a matter of serendipity that I had to pass through the Lake Gardens on my way to volunteering at the SPCA on Saturday. It wasn’t the best of conditions to go traipsing up to the monument. The sun rained down on me mercilessly as I jogged up the steps. I wondered if it weren’t a better idea to come on Sunday when the Tugu Drum Circle has its jam session.
I made a quick stop at the Cenotaph for a moment of quiet contemplation for those who had sacrificed their lives in order that our country remains democratic and sovereign.

The Cenotaph was created by the British administration to commemorate those who had lost their lives in World War I, World War II and the Malaysian Emergency. The inscription on the Cenotaph reads: “To Our Glorious Dead 1914-1918 (i.e. The First World War) 1939 – 1945 (The Second World War) and 1948 – 1960 (The Malaysian Emergency)

From the Cenotaph, I walked through the complex providing shade for visitors, past the waterscape and finally, stood before the National Monument in humility and awe.

A fountain at the National Monument complex.

Designed by American sculptor Felix de Weldon, the same architect who created the Iwo Jima Memorial Monument in Washington, this 15.54m high bronze monument was constructed in 1966 to honor the country's fallen heroes during the communist insurrection. Many members of the Malaysian Security Forces (of which my buddy Jake’s granduncle was a member) lost their lives during the Emergency, a 12-year struggle against communist insurgency that ended in 1960. The Malaysian Armed Forces were successful in crushing the armed rebellion and thus the communists failed in their attempt to set up a communist state in a very strategic point in Southeast Asia.

Long live Malaysia! Long live Democracy!

The National Monument, known in Bahasa Malaysia as ‘Tugu Peringatan Negara’, is one of the largest freestanding bronze sculptures in the world. The seven bronze soldiers represent seven noble qualities: Leadership, Unity, Strength, Vigilance, Suffering, Courage and Sacrifice.

Monuments, by their very nature, are designed to convey political or historical information. But the Tugu Peringatan Negara, to me, conveys a message not so much of bloody battles but of love and commitment to one’s cause. Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori.

World March Comes To KL!

2009-10-08T05:34:00.001-07:00

WMKL is the Malaysian leg of the first ever World March that will travel the world starting from 2nd October 2009, the anniversary of Gandhi’s birth, in New Zealand to 2nd January 2010 in Argentina, asking for the end of wars, the dismantling of nuclear weapons and for an end to all forms of violence (physical, economic, racial, religious, cultural, sexual and psychological). The focus in Malaysia would be to promote Peace & Non-Violence to & through Women, Children & Animals!

5 NGOs: Womens Aid Organisation, NurSalam, Voice of The Children, SPCA Selangor and World Without Wars are joining hands to organize this fun-filled event, which will include a Lantern Walk themed “Reclaiming the Night” and Street Festival at Jalan Bangkung, Bukit Bandaraya and Peace Dance at Leonardo’s Wine Loft on 10th October 2009, from 6pm-10pm.

OPEN TO ALL PEACE LOVING CITIZENS OF THIS WORLD!

Please come and join us this Saturday evening!

Sunday, 4th October 2009: World Animal Day at the SPCA

2009-10-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

The SPCA World Animal Day Celebrations last year were held at the KL Tower Terrace, thanks to the generosity and kind cooperation of City Hall and other corporate bodies. This year, however, we decided that a small-scale celebration at the SPCA shelter in Ampang Jaya would be just as meaningful.

The SPCA PR team sent out a request for ideas over a month ago, and I am pleased to report that my idea was selected. We would have a candlelight vigil, Volunteer Appreciation Awards, and a pledge ceremony. I drafted the pledge within 20 minutes of being requested to do so, and was surprised to find that it had been adopted verbatim.

I managed to stop by the Shelter on our way back from Titi Eco Farm, and was glad that I could join in the later half of the celebrations, even if I could not arrive in time to receive my appreciation award. I was gratified and touched to see the candles lit for the departed animals and the number of pledge cards signed and taken home.

Candlelight vigil for departed animal companions. May we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge.

Sombre faces: Jacinta and I, after lighting our candles.

Nicole was kept busy selling SPCA merchandise and collecting signatures for the UDAW Petition

Pris registering applicants for free Klinik Kembiri spay/neuter vouchers. For more info on the low-cost spay/neuter clinic, please click here.

Please take the World Animal Day 2009 pledge!
1. I pledge to look after, protect and provide for all animals under my care; to arrange for alternative caregivers whenever I am away and to find solutions for boarding and rehoming should I find myself unable to care for my companion animals any longer.

2. I pledge to vaccinate and neuter my companion cats, dogs and and small animals (e.g. rabbits and hamsters) and to educate my family, friends and co-workers on the importance of vaccination, neutering and obtaining necessary licenses for one's companion animals.

3. I pledge to gently advise neighbours who fail to provide proper care for their companion animals, and write to zoos, circuses, theme parks and other facilities that keep animals, in the event I witness any acts of neglect, ill-treatment or cruelty. If my advice should fail to bring about positive change in the treatment of the animals, I pledge to report the matter to the SPCA or relevant authorities such as the Wildlife and National Parks Department.

4. I pledge to assist the SPCA and animal welfare groups in finding homes for the animals under their care and advise my family and friends to spay/neuter their existing pets and adopt from shelters and pounds, rather than purchase from pet stores.

5. I pledge to live simply that animals may simply live. I will reduce, reuse and recycle more and use less fossil fuels and chemicals. I will dispose of hazardous materials such as paint, needles and cans with sharp edges carefully. I will use fewer plastics bags, polystyrene products and other materials that may pose a danger to stray animals and wildlife.

6. I pledge to be a more careful driver that I may avoid harm to animals that share our roads and neighbourhoods. I will provide all the assistance I can to animals harmed by traffic and people.

7. I pledge to vote against animal cruelty with my money. I will purchase and use only products that are cruelty-free and which do not cause animal suffering. I will avoid products that are known to have been tested on animals.

8. I pledge not to give animals as gifts unless specifically requested and chosen by the recipient. If I do get an animal as a gift, I will ensure that it will be vaccinated, neutered and given proper care. I will adopt from shelters, pounds and animal rehomers rather than purchase from pet stores and breeders.

9. I pledge to join or support wildlife protection programmes, animal welfare organisations and environmental organisations to educate myself on ways to reduce harm to animals and protect wildlife that are vulnerable to exploitation. Our collective voice and votes can help to change harmful governmental and corporate policies.

10. I pledge to opt for vegetarian food whenever I can. I will go vegetarian at least once a week. I will also actively look for alternatives to leather, suede, fur, honey, silk and ivory.

Happy World Animal Day, from all creatures great and small!

City Movement

2009-10-07T11:01:00.001-07:00

"The City is what it is, because our citizens are what they are."
~ Plato, 428BC - 348BC

This blog is started a special project under Blog For FT to document and report, from my perspective, activities, events, places of interest and community service announcements, among others, in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

Those of my readers who are following this blog from my other blogs are aware of my insight into, and enthusiasm for, the City that I live in, and of my patriotism in general. In fact, those of my friends who have been following my blog since 2002, in particular, those from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, would find some of the posts quite familiar, as they are merely extracted and polished versions of the Roadside: Malaysia! blogposts I did years ago. Well, the difference is that Roadside: Malaysia! was a personal pursuit, conceived out of pride in the City that I occupy, whereas this blog is an institutionalised initiative.

If you like what you see, I beg your kind indulgence to vote for my blog (links to be provided later). Until then, I wish you an intelligent and socially-responsible enjoyment of City life.