Cops after ninja-like Country Heights Resort robbers

The Star, Thursday September 25, 2014

by natasha joibi

The two ninja-like robbers caught on CCTV.

KAJANG: Police are hot on the heels of two ‘ninjas’ who allegedly robbed an elderly married couple in a bungalow at Country Heights Resort here.

A closed circuit television (CCTV) footage revealed that the two suspects, believed to be Indonesians, were clad in ninja-like outfits when they broke into the bungalow between 5.45am and 6am Thursday.

The recording showed them moving around the bungalow in a stealthy manner.

District OCPD Asst Comm Ab Rashid Ab Wahab said the two men had snuck into the house through a back window located on the first storey.

“They used a foldable steel ladder to climb into the window. The ladder was left behind after the robbery.

“The duo knocked on the couple’s bedroom door and brandished a parang at the dazed pair.

“The men tied the couple with a clothes line before ransacking through their belongings,” he explained.

ACP Ab Rashid said the suspects made off with RM100,000 worth of stolen money and valuables.

“The couple, in their 60s, alerted police of the incident at about 6.15am after breaking free from the ropes.

“They were unharmed,” he added, saying that the pair were business owners. 

The case is being investigated under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code for armed robbery.

Orang asli woman a robbery gang queenpin in Kajang

The Star, Thursday September 18, 2014

by nadirah h. rodzi

PETALING JAYA: An orang asli woman allegedly masterminded recent robberies in Kajang using teenagers.

The 24-year-old woman purportedly recruited three school dropouts aged 13, 14 and 16 and became their “mentor”.

It is learnt that the group had been active for the past several months.

In the latest incident last Thursday, the four robbed a Nepalese man, in his 40s, at Plaza Metro Kajang.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Ab Rashid Ab Wahab said the man was forced to give up his handphone and RM140 after being threatened with a knife.

“At first, the foreigner refused to hand over his belongings but the woman passed a knife to her 16-year-old accomplice to threaten him,” he said.

ACP Ab Rashid added that a patrol car was nearby and the four were nabbed at the scene.

Checks are continuing and police have thus far identified one other case involving the group in Kajang.

“The teenagers would randomly approach victims and rob them. The youngest is from Negri Sembilan while the other two are from Kajang,” he said.

The four have been in remand since Thursday to help in investigations.

The case is being investigated under 395/397 of the Penal Code for armed gang robbery.

In an unrelated case, five masked men armed with parang escaped with jewellery and cash amounting to RM120,000 from a doctor’s house in Section 16, Bandar Baru Bangi, last Thursday.

ACP Ab Rashid said the men broke into the house through the main door at about 10pm.

“They told the doctor’s wife and their nine-year-old daughter to follow them upstairs where they forced the woman to open two safes. The jewellery and cash were in one of them,” he added.

The doctor was not at home.

ACP Ab Rashid said two men, aged 27 and 30, were arrested in Kajang at about 11pm the following day.

“We are still tracking down the other suspects,” he said.

Hj Samuri satay in PJ as good as the Kajang original

The Star, Wednesday September 10, 2014 

by s. puspadevi

Isabel helping the restaurant staff to grill satay.

Radio DJ visits famous chain's outlet in Damansara Utama to taste a recommendation for The Star People's Food Awards.

SATAY remains a local favourite among fellow Malaysians and provides a wholesome and well-balanced meal for most of us.

Nothing beats the smell of chicken and beef satay grilled to perfection accompanied with a bowl of peanut sauce, nasi impit, cucumber and onion.

For the month of September, satay has been selected as the theme for The Star People’s Food Awards. 

Sate Kajang Hj Samuri kitchen staff busy preparing the orders for lunch.

This time around, Capital FM announcer Isabel Taye had the privilege of visiting Sate Kajang Hj Samuri in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya.

Isabel was immediately greeted by operations officer Muhammad Hafidz Hassan when she walked into the restaurant.

The friendly Muhammad Hafidz led her to the table and requested for Isabel’s order, showing what was available in the menu.

As it was Isabel’s first visit to Sate Kajang, she asked Muhammad Hafidz if she could visit the kitchen and try her hand at grilling satay.

“I brought my very own satay fan,” said the excited Isable, requesting an apron and a cap from Muhammad Hafidz so that she could wear the same attire as the kitchen staff.

However, much to her surprise, Sate Kajang Hj Samuri does not use the traditional fanning method, as the kitchen is equipped with a hood and exhaust fan.

The only traditional concept here is the grilling of the satay — using charcoal.

“It felt like being in a sauna in there, but it was fun,” she laughed.

Isabel ordered chicken, beef, mutton, rabbit and fish satay, but skipped the beef tripe and chicken liver.

“The beef satay is absolutely delicious and the fish is also fresh and tasty. 

“The combination of the slightly salty beef satay and peanut sauce is simply extraordinary. I love it,” Isabel said, adding that the peanut sauce is served with dried chilli paste for additional heat. 

Capital FM announcer Isabel Taye enjoying the  variety of satay.

 

On the ambience, Isabel said the restaurant had a rustic theme because of the wooden panels and tables, and it was clean.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Hafidz said the restaurant was opened in 2002 and was founded by Datuk Samuri Juraimi.

“Everything is prepared in our centralised kitchen in Bangi.

“This outlet has a seating capacity of 160 people and measures about 92.9sq m,” he said, adding that it was usually busy during lunch and dinner.

He said the restaurant sold a maximum of 10,000 to 12,000 satay sticks a day and this can go up to 15,000 sticks, especially during weekends. 

The chicken, beef, fish and beef tripe satay are sold at 80sen per stick, while mutton satay is available at RM1.80, rabbit (RM2) and chicken liver (70sen) per stick respectively.

Sate Kajang Hj Samuri is located at No 79, Jalan 21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya. 

Nominations for this series are from Sept 1 to 10, while voting will begin on Sept 15 and end at midnight on Sept 30.

The prize winners of the month will be announced on the first week of the following month.

Those who nominate, vote or successfully share a link, stand to win attractive prizes such as hotel stays and dining vouchers in five-star establishments.

The public can submit photos and stories via Metro Online Broadcast (mob.com.my) to nominate deserving restaurants and vote for the ones they feel are most deserving of the title.

Cops in process of removing World War II bomb in Cheras

The Star, Monday September 8, 2014 

by nadirah h. rodzi

Police in the process of removing the World War II bomb.

KAJANG: Police are in the process of removing a bomb, believed to be from World War II, at a jungle-hiking track at Bukit Putih, Batu 9, Cheras.

OCPD Asst Comm Ab Rashid Ab Rashid said a team of bomb experts from Bukit Aman and from various police contingents are involved in the disposal of the explosive.

"We have been on standby since we were first alerted on Saturday at about 7pm.

"The team, comprising 30 bomb experts, moved in at about 10am.

"They have reached the site, which is on the top of the hill, after one and a half hours of hiking," he said.

ACP Ab Rashid added the bomb, weighing over 200kg, has been identified as a Mark 1-952 type.

"It is 47cm in length and 43cm in diameter.

"We are still determining whether it is necessary to dispose the explosive at the site or elsewhere," he said.

On Saturday, police were alerted of the discovery of the bomb by a group of about four hikers.

Police immediately sealed off all entrances and advised the public to stay at least 1.5km radius away from the area.

KL-S'pore high speed rail will create slew of new industries

The Star, Monday September 1, 2014 

by thean lee cheng

Chen:’Perception and reality do not match, but perception is playing an important role.’ (File pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The different sectors of the economy must leverage on the high speed rail (HSR) project currently being planned between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, said MKH Bhd managing director Tan Sri Eddy Chen. 

He said long-term planning was crucial and highlighted the Japanese example of how its shinkansen (high speed rail) opened up new integrated townships along its route. 

Speaking at the “Invest and succeed in mixed use development” seminar organised by Malaysia Property Inc last Thursday, Chen, who is also Malaysia Shopping Malls Association president, said the connectivity would help to create a slew of new industries. 

Sungai Buloh-Kajang Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) has changed the real estate scene in Kajang, the HSR is expected to be an even greater game changer, he said.

Land prices around Kajang has increased from RM7-RM8 per sq ft to RM17 per sq ft as a result of the MRT.

Chen said: “It does not seem to matter to them that the MRT is scheduled for completion only in 2017. The MRT has helped to close the gap between the city and Kajang. We are seeing Kajang apartments now selling between RM400 and RM500 per sq ft. These are prices at Mont’Kiara and Seri Hartamas.

“Perception and reality do not match, but perception is playing an important role,” he said.

He said every town that the HSR would be passing through has the potential to be turned into an integrated city. 

Chen advocated working towards marketing Seremban as an enterprise or tech valley or regional headquarters for biotechnology because it is near research and training centres. Malacca’s tourism potential can be strengthened as visitors need not drive once the HSR is operational.

He identified car rental and clipper buses services that offer several hop on-hop off stops. 

Visitors may continue their journey to Singapore after that.

The HSR would make such day trips spontaneous. There would be a need for malls, new hotels and other forms of rental arrangements and location logistics services, he said.

On whether the HSR would benefit Singapore or Malaysia more, Chen said Singapore would benefit from any development around it.

Another speaker, CB Richard Ellis executive chairman Chris Boyd characterised the Klang Valley’s office market as “an abundance of choice at low prices”, resulting in a flight to quality.

While the office glut has been brought up time and again, a new feature in the sub-segment is the five million sq ft of small offices, home offices (SoHos) entering the market. He said Greater Kuala Lumpur would see office space totalling 100 million sq ft this year with total supply at 95.5 million sq ft as at the second quarter. 

This figure excludes office blocks with less than 100,000 sq ft and those less than 10 storeys high. It also excludes Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. A total of 23 million sq ft will be entering the market by 2017, of which a quarter of them will be in the city centre. National Property Information Centre latest figures have it at more than 111 million sq ft.

Boyd said the SoHo market came in different names SoFos (small offices, flexible offices) and SoVos (small offices, versatile offices) and can be used as either offices or residentials. 

“They will compete with the upper floors of shop houses which are becoming dinosaurs,” Boyd said.

In the retail scene, Boyd said Malaysia has 50 million sq ft of retail space, which was ahead of Singapore and 18 malls with 10 million sq ft entering the market.

“Second and third generation malls are struggling,” he said, adding that Malaysia had three of the largest malls in the world and 70% of the world’s top brands.

“Our attraction is the number and the variety,” he said, adding that retailers find it “easier to come here” as they need only to negotiate with five major landlords compared with “hundreds” if they aspire to enter London’s High Street market.