It good to read about the local business in the area. Reading this made me hungry for some smoked salmon cream cheese bagel...yummy.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Monday July 30, 2012

No business without smoke

Tucked somewhere in the industrial area of Sungai Chua in Kajang is a gem of a find for any culinary enthusiast.

It is a smokehouse that produces a variety of smoked fish for the local and export market. The smokehouse’s location is not easily discoverable — unless with GPS — as it is situated along a row of car workshops.

For the past 10 years, Albatross Exim (M) Sdn Bhd has been providing its regular customers with a variety of quality smoked fish, both local and imported, such as Norwegian salmon, mackerel, sea bass, tuna, squid and red snapper.

According to its director Roelof Schoemaker, the company has captured nearly 20% of the local fine-food market with its terrine, raw fish, and pasta offerings and hopes to increase its market share in the region. However, in the smoked-fish business, Albatross Exim is a rather big player with 35 % share of the market and also exports to the Middle East.

Get hooked: Some of the imported whole fish found at Albatross Exim.

 

Schoemaker still considers his production, which rolls out a few hundred kilos of smoked fish in each cycle, as fairly small.

He describes the business as very capital-intensive and where artisanal know-how is needed to ensure the products are as good as those imported from Europe.

Schoemaker worked as a food technologist for the United Nations before venturing into this business.

Unless a buyer reads the fine print behind the packaging, it is not immediately obvious that the products are produced locally.

At his factory in Kajang, huge whole fish are filleted, deboned and skinned before they are salted and smoked, cold or hot, with a mixture of imported oak and beech wood chips. The temperature and mixture determines the flavour and intensity of the finished product.

As Schoemaker walked us through the process, it becomes clear that it is definitely labour intensive and has a firm focus on quality. After the fish are filleted and skinned, the workers meticulously pick out tiny bones from the fillets with small pliers.

The fillets are salted with a mixture of salt and sugar for half a day before they are slotted into the smoker.

“Hot smoked fish is basically (to smoke until) the fish is cooked,” explained Schoemaker, adding that the smoking process gives products a nice golden shine and a delicate smoky flavour.

In the cold smoking process, ice is placed at the bottom of the smoker to regulate the temperature of the smoke.

He said it is important to use certified wood to ensure there was no pollution in the product. In another corner of the smokehouse, two women could be seen slowly removing the remaining bits of flesh from the just-filleted fish to make sure nothing goes to waste.

More than just a meal: Fillets of salmon getting ready to be salted before ending up as the perfect appetiser, snack or ingredient in other recipes.

 

The scraps are sold to Japanese restaurants to be used in the preparation of lunch boxes.

After the fillets are smoked, they are gently slipped into a slicing machine, which Schoemaker said is the most important piece of equipment in the smokehouse. It is vital to slice the fish without breaking it.

The company’s products, certified halal by the Islamic Development Department, are supplied mainly to local supermarkets and five-star hotels.

Schoemaker said the company’s strength lies in being able to customise production according to the client’s specifications in terms of preparation and amount required.

“Being based here allows me to be in close contact with my clients and to cater to their needs,” said Schoemaker.

The company’s products are sold under the Bonfishken Norwegian brand and includes salmon terrines, gravad lax, smoked salmon tartars, smoked trout and smoked salmon sushi cuts.

■ Visit http://SwitchUp.TV to watch Harvest Chef Tan Kel Vin’s visit to Albatross Exim’s factory

Well done, boys and girls. I am proud to read of what you do. Keep it up!

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Monday July 30, 2012

Teens unite to fight Aedes

KAJANG: They have had doors slammed in their faces. They have been rudely brushed aside. They were yelled at. And yet, they persevered in their mission to spread awareness on the dangers of Aedes mosquitoes.

Instead of hanging out with friends at mamak shops like other teenagers, 20 students from SMK Jalan Bukit spend their weekends visiting about 100 homes in Kajang and Bangi in groups of two or three to educate owners on how best to eradicate Aedes mosquitoes.

Wearing bright red vests and caps and armed only with smiles, enthusiasm and anti-dengue pamphlets, the teenagers are part of their school’s Anti-Aedes Rangers squad.

Eliminating threats: Members of the Anti-Aedes Rangers squad conducting checks around a garden to ensure the area is not a breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes.

 

During the school holidays, they would spread their message to families in their hometowns during their balik kampung trips.

Since the squad was set up in February, it had visited 16,337 homes until last month.

The youngsters’ hard work was rewarded when the squad won the grand prize at an Inter School Anti-Aedes Rangers competition organised by SC Johnson. The school got RM10,000, a trophy and a hamper.

Squad leader Yusnani Haumar, 16, said having an aunt who was struck with dengue two years ago opened her eyes to the dangers posed by the Aedes mosquitoes.

Though tiring and at times frustrating, the experience was rewarding, she said.

“Some people slammed their doors at us while some thought we were trying to sell them something,” she said. “However, we also met some nice people.”

Muhammad Khairul Fahmi Abd Aziz, 16, said the rude encounters only served to toughen him up.

“I always tell our members to be patient and not give up,” he said.

Teacher adviser Loh Mei Lan was proud of her students. “They are dedicated and hardworking, sacrificing their weekends and holidays for a noble cause,” she said.

Though the competition is over, the squad still remains committed to their fight.

The Star, Saturday July 28, 2012

Water relief for residents

The Selangor State Government will be delivering water to areas facing water supply disruptions in Seri Kembangan and Balakong.

The first tanker made its way to Taman Bukit Belimbing in Balakong on Thursday and residents queued up to collect the water.

Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah said the costs would be shared by the state government and the local councils involved, which are the Subang Jaya Municipal Council and Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj).

“The rental of the tanker with a capacity of 22,000l is RM1,500 per trip, while the water is taken for free from the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant in Putrajaya.

“The plant is operated by Konsortium Abass Sdn Bhd,” he said.

Collection point: Residents queueing up to collect water from the tanker in Taman Bukit Belimbing.

 

Among the areas affected include Taman Bukit Belimbing, Taman Seri Belimbing, Taman Sungai Besi Indah, Taman Puncak Utama, Taman Putra Budiman and Taman Juara Jaya.

Ean Yong said the local councils would draw up a distribution schedule.

“We will continue this effort until the water supply returns to normal,” he said.

Taman Bukit Belimbing resident Lim Sai Huwe, 45, said the water supply in her neighbourhood had been disrupted for four days in a row.

Her family had to shower and wash their clothes at her sister’s place in Seri Petaling.

“This is my first time experiencing such a problem since moving in four or five years ago,” the housewife said.

Taman Juara Jaya Residents Association chairman Chin Wai Hong said the neighbourhood had been facing problems with its water supply for about two months.

“Some residents resorted to taking water from their factories and then pumping it into the tanks in their houses,” he said.

He added that water pressure in his area used to be so strong that the pipes burst several years ago.

Zulkipli Abu Bakar, 53, said the water supply was inconsistent, causing inconveniences to the Muslim residents.

“The water supply stopped at 4pm until the next morning. We could not cook or wash.

“This shouldn’t happen during the fasting month,” the Taman Bukit Belimbing Residents Association secretary said.

Another Taman Bukit Belimbing resident S. Selvan, 55, said Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) did send its water tankers to the area, but they should come after working hours when most residents are at home.

“They came in the afternoon and did not alert the residents,” he said.

Residents residing within the Kajang municipality and facing problem in water supply can contact MPKj at 1800-88-6755.

The public can also contact the state hotline at 1800-88-2824 for complaints on garbage collection and water supply disruption.

It seems thugs are getting braver nowadays and that money is more important and proper governance. I wonder why we are deteriorating this way. It seems we cannot do  the right thing without so many problems or interference.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Friday July 27, 2012

Discussion over Ramadan carnival location turns awry

A DISCUSSION between Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) officers and a Ramadan bazaar organiser turned awry when thugs threatened the officers and shoved MPKj deputy president and secretary Zulkifli Khalid.

At a recent press conference at Menara MPKj, Zulkifli claimed he was shoved during the discussion to relocate the carnival.

In heated argument: A discussion between MPKj officers and a Ramadan bazaar organiser turned awry when thugs threatened the officers and shoved Zulkifli.

 

“There were 30 enforcement officers but we were outnumbered. I will lodge a police report about this incident.

“One of our officers who was threatened has lodged a police report,” he said.

The council has received applications from three organisers to organise Ramadan carnivals and Ramadan markets at Reko Sentral and Jalan Reko.

The carnival operates 24 hours offering both food and Ramadan items while hawkers at Ramadan markets operate from 4pm to 8pm selling only food.

According to a press statement by MPKj, a survey was carried out to get the opinion of 22 business owners near the site and 13 disagreed to having the carnival there.

Among the reasons are: having the carnival will obstruct the access to their premises, it decreases parking space, creates traffic congestion and obstructs access to nearby clinics in the case of an emergency.

According to MPKj licensing department officer Wahid Berbtti, the location is not suitable as it is a busy area and public parking space is limited.

“The Reko Sentral Night Bazaar site was also the site for last year’s Ramadan market and the council has received many complaints from nearby premise owners when it was approved last year,” he said.

MPKj licensing department officer Zalinda Zainudin said the council has rejected the application for the carnival but approved the one for a Ramadan market on the condition that it is relocated to the site behind the Petronas petrol station in Jalan Reko.

“However, we have received complaints from vendors who claimed that they were required to pay RM3,500 for each bazaar lot.

“If that is true, the organiser is at fault for collecting rent from vendors before getting approval from the council,” she said.

Press members were then showed a print-out version of an online announcement, asking interested vendors to contact the organiser.

MPKj council president Datuk Hassan Nawawi Abdul Rahman said he will inform the Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and let him decide on the matter.

“The bazaar organiser claimed he has support letters from local assemblymen.

“While the council has the authority to handle such matters, we will hand it to the Menteri Besar as the issue now involves political elements,” he said.

There are three approved Ramadan carnivals and 38 locations for Ramadan markets in the municipal.

Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, one of the assemblyman who signed the support letter, said the reason she signed it was because the bazaar organiser showed her a survey carried out that showed nearby business owners supporting the bazaar.

“Councillors have also complained that during the licensing meeting, the council president vetoed for the rejection of the application for the Ramadan bazaar.

“What is the use of having a meeting when the councillors were not needed to vote on an issue?” she said.

When asked about the contradiction between the survey and the one by the council that states 13 out of 22 rejected having the bazaar in the area, Teo said the press can check with councillors who have a copy of the survey from the the organiser.

Former engineer and remisier finds his true calling managing farms

I wrote about Casey's ostrich farm some time ago (http://kajangtownblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/ostrich-farm-in-sungai-lallang-semenyih.html) and also tasted his guinea fowl. It was good (not much fat) for those who like their meat lean. Interesting day trip, enjoy the fresh air and some good food along the way.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Wednesday, 25 July 2012

Former engineer and remisier finds his true calling managing farms

Former engineer certainly did not ‘fowl’ up when he left his job to start a farming operation in Negri Sembilan. Casey Teh can still clearly remember a painful part of his childhood. His father would wake him up at dawn to tend to the small farm near their house. He spent countless sleepy mornings feeding chickens, chasing geese and planting vegetables.

Simplicity: Coops (left) in Teh’s guinea fowl farm in lenggeng. The coops have to be airy and roofed. They are sanitised weekly.

  Little did he realise the memories of “a poor man’s son” would eventually become the contentment he had searched for in life. 

He had been an engineer for 10 years and a remisier for another 10, but only found his true calling of running a farm after experiencing many highs and lows. 

As it turned out, he is good at farming, including the business aspects of it. He was among the firsts to open an ostrich farm in Semenyih, Selangor, in 1997. 

He started out with 97 ostriches bought from South Africa, which grew to become a whopping 400 ostriches at its peak, before selling them to other farms. His farm now keeps 120 ostriches and a host of other petting animals that never fail to delight visitors. 

In recent years, Teh, 49, ventured into the business of another fowl and it has caught the attention of many. 

He is introducing guinea fowl, a bird native to Africa and raised in many parts of the world for food, as an alternative to chicken. Sprawled over 2ha of land in Lenggeng, Negri Sembilan, not far away from his ostrich farm, is an unassuming farm now keeping about 10,000 adult Guinea fowl and 2,000 breeder fowl. 

Unlike most farms that serve a singular purpose, his is a combination of broiler and breeder farm all under one roof. 

“According to the old-timers, this fowl could be found occasionally in Malay villages 20 to 30 years ago. 

“They were called Ayam ApiApi but were usually raised as pets because of their nice black feathers and white speckles. The birds were not slaughtered until they turned very old, so that was why not many knew about their good taste and nutritional benefits,” said Teh. 

Teh had kept guinea fowl at his ostrich farm for years, but did not know of their nutritional benefits until an officer from the Nigerian embassy came for a visit. He was ecstatic at the sight of the fowl and bought them weekly for their meat. He told Teh that the bird was consumed widely in his home country and it tasted great. 

Curious, Teh tried the meat and was pleasantly surprised by its firm texture, which he said is better than that of free-range chicken. 

The meat is smooth and flavourful, too. He did some research and discovered that the fowl offered a higher protein content and amino acids, and were low in fat. The species is also hardy and needs no antibiotics and supplements. 

“At that moment, I thought, such a good thing should be made known to as many people as possible,” he recalled. That prompted him to invest about RM1.1mil on a new farm with modern equipment and infrastructure that cost him more than RM300,000. 

The business, Agro World Incubator and Chicks Distribution, began in 2010 with 40 guinea fowl bought at RM40 each from Malay villagers. From 40 birds, the farm grew to its current size, proving the birds’ high fertility and resistance to illness. 

He also gave the fowl a local name, Ayam Mutiara, as it is known as “Pearl Chicken” among the Chinese. 

“I think it’s just my nature to run a farm. I suppose I talk to the animals more than I do to humans,” Teh said with a laugh. 

“I do not feel tired tending to things at the farm, I can work till 11pm and still feel content at the end of the day,” he added. 

The two farms require RM30,000 for animal feed, and RM20,000 for other montly expenditures such as salaries and electricity. 

He needs a staff of eight to manage the place, which includes cleaning and sanitising it once a week. Several guard dogs keep pests at bay. 

The fowl lay about 2,500 eggs a week, with 75% of them fertilised. Teh has achieved a hatchability rate of up to 75% using the incubator cum hatching machines he bought overseas. That means about 2,000 chicks are produced every week. 

The fowl are slaughtered when they are 90 to 100 days old and weigh slightly more than 1kg. 

The birds are deep frozen and vacuum packed before they are sent to wholesalers. Some restaurants and customers buy the birds directly from his farm at RM26 each. 

“The farm is running well. The main challenge we face is the marketing of the product because the fowl is still new to Malaysians, a lot of promotion and education is required to grow the marker,” he added. 

About 1,500 birds are sold monthly at the moment but in three months’ time, the farm’s output is set to reach 8,000. 

He is working on expanding the sales outlets for his products. 

Teh says farm makes about RM15,000 in revenue every month, but most of the amount is re-invested into the farm.

This is the level of our politicians, blame the other side. As far as I am concerned, none of them actually tried to resolve the issue. Do you think any of them will suffer from the rationing?

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Sunday July 15, 2012

Be pragmatic over water issue, DPM tells Selangor

JOHOR BARU: The Federal Government hopes that the Selangor Government will be practical and pragmatic in resolving the state’s water issues.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Selangor Government should not turn the crisis into a political issue.

“This is not a concern for Selangor and the Federal Territory only, but involves a large section of the population and consumers besides the industrial and commercial sectors.

“Don’t turn the problem into a political issue or make nonsensical threats,” he said when commenting on the statement by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibra­­him, who reportedly gave an ultimatum to the Federal Government as a condition to continue the Sungai Langat Water Treatment Plant 2 (Langat 2).

In MIRI, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said water rationing might be necessary in the Klang Valley.

“The demand is very high but the capacity to produce water has not improved.

“Water rationing may have to be imposed where the treatment plants do not have enough capacity,” he said.

In PUCHONG, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the people should not be punished over the incompetence of the Pakatan Rakyat state government in solving crisis.

He added that the state should go back to the water concessionaire and the Federal Government to resolve the issue.

“In order to cut losses from non-revenue water by just 10% and increase water production to 500 million litres a day (MLD), it is estimated that it would cost RM6bil to RM7bil.

“On the other hand, it will just cost RM8.9bil to construct the Langat 2 treatment plant and it can produce 1,130 MLD.

“Which do you think is more feasible?” he said in response to the Selangor Governm­ent’s stance over the Langat 2 plant.

In KLANG, Selangor Barisan Nas­ional co­ordi­­­nator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohammed urged the Selangor Government not to “play games” and take action to resolve the issue.

He said the state government should lift the freeze on the capital expenditure (capex) against all water concessionaires so that upgrading works could be carried out.

Selangor Plantation Workers, Poverty and Compassionate Govern­ment Committee chairman Dr Xavier Jayakumar said there was more than enough raw water in the state and it was just a matter of treating the water.

This is ridiculous. We live in a country with heavy rainfall and yet, due to our stupid politician, the people have to have water ration. This is utter madness and such a shame. It reflects are level of problem solving. Don't you think so?

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Sunday July 15, 2012

Syabas wants to start water rationing

PETALING JAYA: Water concessionaire Syabas will seek permission to start rationing immediately in Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Langat and Klang because of the worsening water supply shortage.

Syabas chief executive officer Datuk Ruslan Hassan said Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya were now facing a water crisis with reserve levels at 34 treatment plants down to an average of 2% way below the “safe mark” of at least 20%.

The company asking for rationing approval from the National Water Services Commission listed 112 areas in Klang, Petaling, Hulu Langat and Kuala Lumpur as the worst hit by intermittent disruptions since April, affecting 209,678 premises and some one million residents.

“We can no longer supply adequate water to Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Langat and Klang because we do not have the needed reserves,” Ruslan said, adding that the situation could worsen because of the dry spell.

He was speaking to reporters during the distribution of water to residents of Taman Sungai Besi Indah in Seri Kembangan, one of the areas in Selangor hit by supply disruption.

The housing estate and its surrounding areas have been without water since Friday evening.

Ruslan said the company was preparing a list of neighbourhoods that would be affected by the rationing, with supply to be cut off either for several hours daily or on alternate days.

He said Syabas had received thousands of telephone calls from angry residents complaining of supply disruptions.

The company's 42 water tankers, 6,700 static water tanks and 3,000 employees could only cope with a disruption affecting a maximum of 250,000 premises at any one time, he added.

“If the situation worsens, up to 7.1 million residents in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor will be affected. This will be beyond our ability to handle on our own,” Ruslan said.

On the unwillingness of the Selangor Government to agree to the federal proposal for a Langat 2 treatment plant and a Pahang-Selangor transfer of raw water, Ruslan urged the two sides to negotiate.

“We ask the state and federal governments to settle whatever differences they have to resolve this issue to ensure adequate water supply,” he said.

Ruslan said the Federal Government had approved about RM650mil worth of mitigation projects to cope with demand while waiting for the Langat 2 project impasse to be resolved.

These include the Sungai Labu water treatment project to meet the needs of Sepang and Nilai and Phase 3 of the Sungai Selangor water scheme to serve southern Selangor.

Ruslan said all the projects were scheduled to be completed by 2015.

The Star, Sunday July 15, 2012

MCA sacrifices new building to make way for MRT project

KAJANG: The MCA has “sacrificed” a nearly completed four-storey building for the party here for the Sungai Buloh-Kajang line of the mass rapid transit (MRT) project.

This follows strong protest by residents and property owners to the initial alignment which would have led to the demolition of 28 shoplots along Jalan Besar in the town centre.

The protests came after the plan was put up by developers MRT Corp for public display last year.

In the re-alignment, MCA had agreed to demolish its RM1.5mil building, which would have housed the party's Hulu Langat division headquarters.

Work on the building started in 2010 and was said to be about 90% completed.

“It was not an easy decision to make but sacrifices need to be done for the sake of development,” said Selangor MCA chief Datuk Donald Lim at a public briefing by MRT Corp here yesterday.

MRT Corp is a government-linked company set up for the purpose of carrying out Malaysia's first integrated mass rapid transit railway.

Lim, who is Deputy Finance Minister, thanked the Hulu Langat MCA, saying if not for their sacrifice the 28 shoplots would have to be demolished.

He said the amount of compensation was still under discussion.

Division chairman Lee Ban Seng said construction stalled a few months ago after MRT Corp informed them the building had to go.

He said the division had yet to decide on a new location for its headquarters, adding that they were currently housed in a rented shoplot.

MRT Corp director of Stakeholders and Land Haris Fadzilah Hassan said MRT Corp had another re-alignment plan that would not affect the MCA building.

He added that, however, it would affect a housing area and at least 13 terrace houses would have to be acquired for the purpose.

“Traffic impact during construction would be less with this new alignment as it will avoid the town's main thoroughfare,” he said.

Under the MRT plan for the town there would be three stations, with “park and ride” facilities serving between here and Saujana Impian Kajang.

The Kajang town station will share the Kajang KTM Komuter station and passengers will be able to switch lines.

The 51km Sungai Buloh-Kajang line, which is the first under the MRT project, is expected to be fully operational by 2017.

It will have 31 stations and an estimated 88-minute end-to-end journey time.

The Star, Friday July 13, 2012

Learning to give back

IT WAS a fun day for the children of Rumah Keluarga Kami in Taman Bukit, Kajang when legal firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co (Zico) employees and interns visited them as part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme called Step Up.

About 50 employees, trainee associates and interns spent time with the children by playing various games including musical chair and football.

Christina Tey of Rumah Keluarga Kami enjoyed the games and interaction with the interns from Zico.

“I hope to see them again,” the 16-year-old said.

Fun time: Zico interns and employees playing with the children.

 

Zico managing partner Chew Seng Kok said the firm has adopted two homes, the other one is in Puchong.

“Instead of merely giving money, we want to interact with the children,” he said.

According to the firm’s Knowledge Management & Training partner Paul Subramaniam, the firm focuses on children’s organisation for its CSR programmes.

“We want our training lawyers to learn about social responsibility and know that it is not just about work but it is important to give back to the community.

“We visit the home at least once a year but some of them (from Zico) have returned to visit the children on their own,” he said.

Also participating in the CSR programme was Shunsuke Koyama, who hails from Kanagawa, Japan. He and two other lawyers from Vietnam are on secondment to Zico.

“This is the first time I am taking part in a CSR programme, I hope to bring this idea back when I return to Japan and propose it to the company management,” he said.

According to the home matron Caroline Pillai, there are 38 kids in the home, aged between five and 18, who are abandoned or from single-parent families.

She added that the home needs funds as they are expanding.

“We have doctors who volunteer and look into the children’s health,” she said.

To know more about Rumah Keluarga Kami, visit www.ssvprkk.org or call 03-8736 7877.

Read the article below and note that Kajang has the highest number of spas. I didn't know we are the capital of spas in Selangor. Wow.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Thursday July 12, 2012

Proliferation of spas and massage parlours due to lack of enforcement

SELANGOR has not issued any new licences for spas or massage parlours since 2006 but the lack of enforcement has enabled more centres to mushroom, said Local Government, Study and Research committee chairman Ronnie Liu.

He said operators wanting to open these centres had to apply for licences from the respective local councils, get approval from the Fire and Rescue Department, District Health Department and the police.

“Only then will the council consider the application.

“In fact, we have been closing down massage centres and spas and not issuing licences for new ones to be set up,” he said at the Selangor state assembly recently.

Liu said there are 557 spas/massage centres and 760 entertainment outlets in the state.

Makeshift premises: A filepic of Subang Jaya Municipal Council enforcement officers tearing down the blinds that divide an illegal massage parlour. Liu says they have not been issuing licences for new massage centres.

 

The breakdown is as follows:

·Shah Alam City Council (32 spas and 39 entertainment outlets)

·Petaling Jaya City Council (77 spas and 218 entertainment outlets),

·Klang Municipal Council (83 spas and 89 entertainment outlets,

·Ampang Jaya City Council (54 spas and 96 entertainment outlets,

·Subang Jaya City Council (69 spas and and 154 entertainment outlets,

·Selayang Municipal Council (80 spas and 61 entertainment outlets,

·Kajang Municipal Council (118 spas and 35 entertainment centres),

·Kuala Selangor District Council (eight spas and 13 entertainment outlets),

·Hulu Selangor District Council (12 spas and 11 entertainment outlets,

·Kuala Langat District Council (13 spas and 23 entertainment outlets,

·Sabak Bernam District Council (11 spas and 21 entertainment outlets.

Liu said this in response to a question posed by Datuk Warno Dogol (BN-Sabak) on foreigners from China, Thailand and Indo-nesia using massages centres for prostitution.

Liu said the state was doing its best to ensure enforcement and checks on massage centres were carried out, together with the police and Immigration Department.

Datuk Mohd Shamsudin Lias (BN-Sungai Burong) wanted to know why there were many budget hotels when many reports linked these to illegal activities.

Liu said budget hotels in small towns were a necessity to draw tourists with a low budget.

“Not all budget hotels are sites for illegal activities,” he said.

Missing - From a tweet by Khairy Jamaluddin

From a tweet by Khairy Jamaluddin. Please help if possible.

The Star, Thursday July 5, 2012

Withdraw claim, Dong Zong told

HULU LANGAT: The Hulu Langat MCA division has passed a resolution calling on the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) to withdraw allegations made against the party pertaining to Chinese education.

The division passed the resolution calling on Dong Zong deputy president Chow Siew Hong to withdraw this statement, at its AGM on Tuesday which was attended by 274 members.

Chow had earlier accused MCA of limiting the number of Chinese independent schools in the Education Act 1996, but the party has refuted this.

The division also condemned the state government for not fulfilling its promise to reduce quit rent by 20% in the state.

It also passed a resolution urging the Selangor government to immediately allocate land for Chinese schools and temples.

In his opening speech, division chief Lee Ban Seng called on members to serve and help the people.

“I believe we will regain power in Selangor and take back the Kajang state seat in the coming general election,” said Lee.

He said the MCA had done well in education-related issues and fought for two new Chinese schools in Sungai Long and Kajang.

“This will be an election full of challenges it is do or die for MCA. For the sake of Malaysia, your descendants and the Chinese community, please vote for Barisan Nasional,” he said.

Meanwhile, MCA central committee member Loh Seng Kok said the 1MCA Medical Foundation, launched in December last year, had given out RM6.77mil to help 1,730 patients.

He said Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, established by MCA, had produced 26,789 graduates in 10 years.