CUTTING DOWN ON CRIME IN KAJANG, THE STAR, TUE 12 JAN 2010

Tuesday January 12, 2010

Cutting down on crime for Taman Sri Reko and Taman Hijau

By CHARLES FERNANDEZ

RESIDENTS of Taman Sri Reko and neighbouring Taman Hijau have been keeping their doors locked at all times due to a spate of break-ins recently. However, they can afford to let their guard down a bit now.

Kajang district OCPD ACP Mohd Sakaruddin Che Mood has given his personal assurance that all would be well and that the police would send patrol teams to the area.

Taman Sri Reko is home to many senior citizens who are often left alone in the morning, caring for their grandchildren and they have been keeping their doors locked at all times.

During a meeting attended by more than 30 residents from both the housing areas, the residents related how their peace of mind had been compromised since many of them had become targets of snatch thieves, robbers or even car thieves.

Taman Sri Reko and Taman Hijau

Anne Freeman, 47, from Taman Sri Reko said thieves were now employing a new method to break into the houses.

“They would first survey the area, study the movements of the residents and only break-in during a downpour.

“They know that cries for help are easily muffled by the sound of the rain,” Freeman said.

During the meeting, many of the residents told ACP Mohd Sakaruddin that they felt the police had been slow to act on their complaints.

One resident known only as Veni wanted to know if the police were supposed to get back to the complainants on the progress of an investigation.

Mohd Sakaruddin said by right, the investigating officer should get back to the complainant and inform them on the status of the case.

“They should get back to the complainants two weeks after the reports were filed and advise them on the status of their investigations,” Mohd Sakaruddin.

He also pointed out that while the residents had brought up many complaints at the meeting, the nearby police station had only received three reports last year.

“We hope in future the residents will work closely with the police. There are 1,2 million residents under the Kajang police district and the ratio is one policeman to 1,200 residents.

“We need your help to combat crime in the district before the statistics shoots up further,” he added.

Mohd Sakaruddin said residents could contact the police district headquarters at 03-8736 2222 or call him personally at 019-955 3555/019-600 0801.

NEW SRAITS TIMES TUE, 5 JAN 2010

Town that satay built

PHILIP LIM

Everyone knows Kajang is famous for satay but foodies seldom make their way here as Kajang satay is now available in big towns and cities. PHILIP LIM makes an impromptu visit to uncover its other secrets

Haji Samuri Kajang Satay Restaurant is in an impressive building

WHENEVER the name Kajang is brought up, the immediate response is always “satay!” That was probably true about 20 years ago. However, according to a long-time resident of Kajang, the best Kajang satay today is found in Kuala Lumpur.

Apparently, enterprising satay sellers have “migrated” to the big city because the high-income earners there don’t frown too much when they find out the price of a stick of satay.

That’s not to say, though that there are no good satay sellers left in Kajang. After all, the entire town’s reputation is built on this particular delicacy of grilled skewered meat with slices of cucumber and ketupat, served an aromatic peanut gravy.

Delicious Pit Stop

If you’re on a leisurely drive, returning to KL or Petaling Jaya from a short visit to Putrajaya, and want to take a break that will go eminently well with at least two tall glasses of hot teh tarik, Kajang is the town for such an unscheduled pit-stop.

According to 2006 statistics, Kajang has a population of 230,000. In recent years, the township has expanded but the town proper is still its charming old self, with narrow streets and the occasional traffic jam that reminds KLites of their own turf.

If not for a wrong turn on the highway, I would have bypassed the satay town because my planned destination was actually Dengkil. Dengkil probably lost carloads of premier visitors due to the poor positioning of highway signs.

Mother Of Satay Houses

At 4pm, the utmost thought on anyone’s mind is a quick bite of what makes Kajang famous. Naturally, it is the one and only Haji Samuri Satay Restaurant. This “mother of all satay houses” never ceases to impress, even for first-time customers.

A double-storey building with a huge compound for a car park, Haji Samuri Satay Restaurant even has several big dining halls to cater to private parties. There’s an air-conditioned hall on the ground floor.

Housed in Bangunan Dato Nazir, Haji Samuri Satay Restaurant is well organised and splendidly positioned. From the number of chairs and tables, it is estimated that the total number of seated customers is 1,000 or more at any one time.

Inside, numerous home-grown artefacts are strategically placed all over the building. Old motorcycles that look very much like the half-forgotten Vespa of yesteryears are positioned around the staircase that leads to an open veranda where customers can enjoy the views from various perspectives.

At the entrance, an ancient buggy-like vehicle, probably horse-drawn, lends that flavour of a bygone era to the establishment.

For KL folks who are not that keen on making the trip to Kajang, just go to Selayang Baru where you’ll find a Samuri Satay outlet located just outside the Selayang Mall. It’s just as good as that in Kajang. In fact, someone claims that the satay at this outlet is even better.

Chicken, Beef, Rabbit, Deer

The satay menu is handsomely displayed on the wall, offering chicken and beef satay as well as other choices of meat. This is one restaurant where the culinary adventurer can also have rabbit, deer, sheep or fish. Add to that the liver, heart and other edible parts.

Perhaps it’s the time of day, but we’re told that rabbit satay is sold out, so we settle for chicken and beef. The only complaint is that the beef has probably been sitting on the fire for too long as it’s a bit too tough.

It would also have been better if the sticks of satay are served piping hot, straight from the grill to the dining table as that’s the way most Malaysians like it.

More Than Satay

Yes, satay may be the town’s biggest billboard attraction but Kajang has more to it than just sticks of meat. There are other facets to its character just waiting to be discovered.

The pace, albeit slower than what city folks are accustomed to, is just perfect for a walking tour. Adjacent to the satay house is a charming but quaint post office that calls for a closer inspection.

The next time, you are in Kajang and drinking coffee, bear in mind that the town owes its early development to the coffee estates that once dotted the land.

Kajang has its historical roots in 1709 when traces of settlement were discovered. Then its foundation was laid in 1807 after the dust from the Battle of Kajang had settled.

Since then, it has taken Kajang two centuries to scale up the ladder of development. Today, the town is officially recognised as the district capital of Hulu Langat and plays host to several institutions of higher learning.

Among these are Universiti Tenaga Nasional, University of Nottingham in nearby Semenyih, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in close-by town of Bangi, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in Bandar Baru Sungai Long and Universiti Putra Malaysia’s New Era College located opposite the town railway station.

For most residents of KL and PJ, Kajang is “where other people sometimes go”. But really, Kajang is worthy of a close-up, personal view by outsiders who usually give this place a miss as they head for other more publicised tourist destinations.

Pictures by PHILIP LIM

Until next time, cheers.

RUBBISH PROBLEMS ON NEW YEAR'S DAY

Friday January 1, 2010

Closure of RDF plant puts council in a bind

CHARLES FERNANDEZ AT THE MPKj FULL BOARD MEETING

THE Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) technology plant in Kampung Pasir Baru, Semenyih, which has temporarily ceased operations since Dec 26, has put the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) in a bind.

The board has urged the council to look into reviewing its contract with the RDF since the latter had only given a short notice, citing maintenance procedures, for the plant closure. This has made it necessary for the MPKj to look for alternatives for its waste disposal.

The RDF said it would restart operations after Jan 1 but the board was told that if the plant was closed for maintenance work, operations would not restart any time earlier than three months.

“Since it has put us in a difficult situation, we urge the council to review its contract with the RDF, including looking at its past performance,” said Lee Kee Hiong, who is also a member of the infrastructure committee.

Closed for maintenance: An excavator is seen working on the garbage dumped in the premises of the RDF plant in Kampung Pasir Baru Pasir. Semenyih.

The RDF facility has proven to be successful in producing energy and reducing municipal solid waste at the same time, and the sudden turn of events has forced the MPKj to dump garbage at the Sungei Kembong landfill.

RDF, a private company, has a 30-year concession with the MPKj and it is leasing the land in Semenyih where it has built Malaysia’s first RDF research centre and waste management plant.

“The Sungei Kembong landfill is not a feasible alternative to coping with the solid waste management in the Kajang municipality as it is both far and not easily accessible,’’ Lee said.

The board was told that the landfill in Bukit Mahkota, near Beranang, was not an ideal alternative as it was located close to two rivers.

The landfill was closed after a bund built to absorb leachate gave way during a storm, resulting in leachate flowing into Sungai Beranang and Sungai Semenyih.

Council president Datuk Hassan Nawawi Abdul Rahman told the councillors that he would request for a meeting with the RDF board to look into the problem.

PARKING ISSUES AT KTM KOMUTER

This appeared in The Star today, Tuesday, 29 dec 2009. They really have to resolve the parking issue there which is also causing a traffic headache.

Tuesday December 29, 2009

Taxing time for cabbies

Story and photo by OH ING YEEN

TAXI drivers operating around the Kajang KTM station along Jalan Bukit, Kajang, have complained about the parking fee charged whenever they enter the station to pick up customers.

They said the RM1 per hour fee was a burden to them as they have to fork out RM300 to RM500 per month for that purpose.

Too cramped: Taxi driver So Ah Meng says the station’s compound is too small, which makes it difficult for them to manoeuvre their taxis after picking up customers.

They are hoping to purchase a monthly pass, which costs RM52.50. But, their applications to buy the passes from Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) have yet to be approved.

Taxi driver Hui Yau Wah said, “We have written to KTMB but there’s been no reply.”

P. Gunasekaran said the parking fee was just 40 sen per hour seven years ago. However, it increased to RM1 per hour more than four years ago (the first five minutes is free).

“We enter the station around 15 times a day, hence it’s RM15 per day. Even if we do not get any customers, we still have to pay once we enter.

“If we earn around RM120 a day, about 10% of our income is used to pay for parking.

“We tried to talk to the station supervisor but there was no reply and we’re told that ‘the person in charge is not in’,” he said, adding that other stations like the one in Serdang does not impose such charges.

The taxi drivers approached former Serdang MP Datuk Yap Pian Hon for help in applying for a monthly pass.

“It’s not fair to them, the taxi drivers are providing a public service and their welfare should be looked into,” Yap said, adding that only 150 parking bays are provided at the station that caters to 8,000 commuters.

Taxi driver So Ah Meng pointed out that the station’s compound was too small which makes it difficult for them to manoeuvre their taxis after picking up customers.

“It is quite dangerous for the commuters as well when we reverse the car. I hope that the compound can be expanded or restructured.

“I’ve submitted three plans to KTMB about four years ago but there was no reply,” he said.

When Yap brought up the matter of congestion and lack of parking space at the station to KTMB in 2007, the reply they got then was, “As the land reserve for KTMB is limited, an entrance next to Jalan Reko can’t be made as it will involve acquiring private land.

“We hope the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) can consider building an alternative entrance, a bus stop near the entrance or to widen the road. Maybe the congestion along Jalan Bukit can be solved with an alternative route.”

KTMB has yet provide a reply on the parking issue at press time.

A CHINESE MUHIBBAH SCHOOL IN BANGI? READ ON

The following blog was written by YB Dr Shafie Abu Bakar, the ADUN for Bangi. Please do visit his blog here as it is very informative of his work. YB, well done and keep it up. We need dedicated YBs to help make our city and country better.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

ADUN Bangi Bekalkan Kamus Kepada Murid-Murid Sekolah Cina

Pekan Bangi, 25 Syawal = 14 Oktober (Rabu):(Perkarangan sekolah)

(Majlis penyerahan Kamus kepada YDP PIBG, Encik Lau Jart Chin)

10.00 pagi: ADUN Bangi berkunjung ke Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina, Yoke Min, Pekan Bangi disambut YDP PIBG Encik Lau Jart Chin dan beberapa AJK. Turut mengiringi ADUN Ahli MPKj En. Mazwan, Ketua JKKB Pekan Bangi Encik Marzuki dan Puan Jannet Ketua Kelab Penyokong Pas Tionghua Pekan Bangi. Tujuan ADUN dan rombongan datang bagi menyampaikan sejumlah 160 buah Kamus Bahasa Cina untuk diagih-agihkan kepada murid-murid di Sekolah tersebut.

Pada upacara ringkas itu Encik Lau berucap berterima kasih di atas kesudian ADUN buat pertama kali berkunjung ke sekolah tersebut untuk menyampaikan kamus kepada murid-murid melalui PIBG. Menurut En. Lau Sekolah Yoke Min yang terdiri dari dua bangunan di atas tanah 2 ekar adalah sepenuhnya hasil dari derma penduduk yang diusahakan oleh Lembaga Pengelola Sekolah, tiada sebarang peruntukan kerajaan ! Kos bangunan ialah RM800,000/= . Sekolah ini baru berpindah dari sekolah lama beberapa tahun lepas dan masih kekurangan dari segi peralatan,

Sekolah ini yang Guru Besarnya (Pn. Tan Siew Hock) tak dapat hadir, kerana ada tugas mengejut di Kuala Lumpur), menurut En. Lau mempunyai 193 murid dengan 17 orang guru. Hanya ada satu kelas bagi setiap tahun satu hingga lima. Apa yang menarik sungguhpun sekolah Cina. Murid-muridnya adalah multirasial. Daripada 193 orang murid itu 35% daripadanya adalah murid-murid Melayu dan 10% adalah murid-murid dari keturunan India. Ini bererti hanya sedikit lebih dari separuh sahaja (55%) murid-murid Cina. AJK PIBG sekolah ini juga antaranya dua dari mereka adalah Melayu, di samping AJK India. Di sekolah ini terdapat seorang guru agama Islam.

Sekolah ini adalah sekolah kedua terbaik selepas Sekolah Yu Hwa Kajang di Hulu Langat. Ini bererti sekolah ini menjadi sekolah rebutan bagi ibu bapa sama ada Cina, Melayu dan India untuk menghantar anak-anak mereka belajar di sini. Walau macam mana, untuk masuk ke sekolah ini, murid-murid disyaratkan mesti belajar melalui Tadika Cina di sini yang paling minimum hendaklah mendapat didikan Tadika Cina selama setahun.

Di dalam ucapannya ADUN Bangi, mengucapkan terima kasih kepada pihak PIBG sekolah yang memberi peluang ADUN dan rombongan hadir ke sekolah bagi menyempaikan Kamus atau Chinese Dictionary dan berpeluang bertemu AJK PIBG. Menurut ADUN beliau memilih untuk menyampaikan Kamus ke Sekolah Yoke Min, kerana kamus ialah kandungan ilmu dan arkib budaya bangsa. Perkataan-perkataan dan istilah-istilah di dalam kamus ialah himpunan maklumat orang Cina, ilmu, budaya, seni dan jiwa bangsa Cina yang tercipta dan terhimpun sejak dahulu kala hingga kini. Pemberian kamus secara simbolik ialah penyerahan alat dan sumber ilmu dan berbagai lagi yang boleh diteroka oleh murid-murid. Adalah diharapkan melalui kamus dapat membantu meningkatkan pembelajaran murid-murid.

ADUN bergembira mendapat tahu sekolah Yoke Min adalah antara sekolah terbaik di Hulu Langat. Sudah tentu ramai daripada murid-murid keluaran sekolah ini merupakan orang-orang yang berjaya di dalam lapangan masing-masing. ADUN sukacita bekerjasama dengan pihak sekolah. Sebarang keperluan harap dapat dimaklum atau dipohon dari pihak ADUN. Sebagaimana dimaklum, oleh kerana sekolah baru berpindah dan masih kurang dari segi peralatan, contoh perpustakaan masih kurang dari buku-buku. Ini boleh dibincangkan bagi kita berusaha untuk menambahkan koleksi buku di sekolah ini. Adalah diharapkan hubungan baik ini berterusan dan berharap ADUN akan berpeluang datang lagi ke sekolah ini pada masa akan datang.

(Gambar ; AJK PIBG dan AJK JKKB bersama ADUN Bangi)

Sekian. Terima kasih.


Until the next time, cheers.

ST JOHN'S AMBULANCE FUND RAISING DINNER

The St John Ambulance will be having their fund raising dinner at the XI Lai Ton Restaurant in Sungai Chua (formerly Kajang Restaurant) this Saturday, 24 October at 7 pm. They are collecting funds to further improve the voluntary ambulance services provided for many years already.

Banners of this dinner can be seen at a few locations around town. Even if you are unable to attend the dinner, you may wish to contribute something to their cause.

Until the next time, cheers.

THE STAR (MON, 5 OCT 2009) - ENDING FLOODS IN KAJANG?

Below is an excerpt from The Star today. If we can end flooding in Kajang......wow think about it.

The Star, Monday October 5, 2009

Kajang council out to end floods

KAJANG assemblyman Lee Kim Sin recently announced that the state government had allocated RM8.7mil to upgrade Sungai Jelok and Sungai Ramal.

“The rivers will be widened and deepened and the river banks reinforced. Sungai Jelok, which flows through Kajang town, is the cause of frequent floods and the upgrading works there are already 70% complete.

“There will be two phases for the upgrading works at Sungai Ramal and Phase 1 has been completed,” he said.

More capacity: The new drains in Taman Setia can hold more water

He added that more than RM48,000 had also been allocated to upgrade the drainage system in 24 zones in Kajang. Work on the project began this year and will continue until next year.

“The state government has allocated funds to the Kajang Municipal council (MPKj) for the upgrade,” he said, adding that he has also contributed RM40,000 for the upgrading works.

Currently upgrading works are being carried out at Taman Setia, Kajang.

According to muinicipal councillor P. Narayanan, Taman Setia had been experiencing floods because of narrow drains.

“The water from Kampung Sungai Chua flows through Taman Setia. Whenever it rains, a backflow happens when two drains merge.

“Now, a U-shaped drain has been built to replace the previous V-shaped drain to enable the drains to sustain more water,” he said.

According to Kampung Baru Sungai Chua Village Safety and Development Committee (JKKK) chairman Yong Swan Khong, there are 200 houses in Taman Setia and the three rows consisting of around 100 units are affected whenever there are floods.

Lee pointed out that there was vacant land near Taman Setia that would be developed.

Yong hopes that the proper infrastructure will be in place before the development begins as he is afraid the project may worsen the floods in the area.

“We will carry out gotong-royong with the residents associations to clean the drains. The villagers in the Kwan Tung Baru New Vilage have been having monthly gotong-royong for the past three months,” Yong said.

Until next time, cheers.