Veteran journalist dies at 59

Rest in Peace Alo.

The Sun, 13 November 2016 

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PETALING JAYA: Former theSun journalist Aloysius Francis (pix) passed away today at the age of 59.

Aloysius had suffered a heart attack during Sunday mass at the Assumption Church here and was taken to the Assunta Hospital nearby.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit, but died shortly after.

He leaves wife Ann Khaw, and children Joseph, 15, Marie Claire, 14, and Ignatius, eight.

Aloysius, was a school teacher in Terengganu and a state cricketer before moving to journalism. He was a reporter for the New Straits Times in the 1980s before joining the Sports Desk at theSun.

He had also worked at The Star and Malay Mail as a sub-editor.

The wake will be held at the family home in Kajang, with the funeral service on Wednesday at the Holy Family Church in Kajang at 2pm.

Archbishop gave ok to demolish St Joseph’s Chapel

FMT

 | August 25, 2016

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur says the chapel in Kajang has not been in use since the 1980s after estate workers moved out.

PETALING JAYA: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur has given the Kajang Municipal Council the green light to demolish the remains of St Joseph’s Chapel in Brehma Estate, Kajang.

According to a statement by Clarence Dass, ecclesiastical assistant to Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Julian Leow, the decision was made after much discussion with church leaders and the authorities.

It took into account the fact that the chapel has not been in use since the 1980s.

“The chapel along Jalan Saujana was originally built in Brehma Estate to cater to the needs of the Catholic estate workers there.

“Following the estate’s closure and the massive developments that have taken place since then, the chapel has no longer been in use since,” Clarence explained.

“The remains are now deemed to be an illegal structure on a road reserve.”

Leow urged the Catholic community in Kajang to give the council their fullest cooperation.

Leow also addressed reports of people attempting to prevent the demolition work and stressed that the decision to demolish the chapel was made after due process was followed.

Society to hold run for good health and charity

The Star, Saturday, 9 July 2016

Run People Run marketing representatives Sam Yap Chun Yin (left) and Low (centre) showing the shirt design to Yong.

THE Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia (BMSM) Kajang is organising a charity event, Run People Run on Sept 25.

“Many people are not leading a healthy lifestyle as they are too busy with their careers.

“We wanted to do our part in encouraging people to be active by organising this run,” said organising chairman Daimler Yong, 26, during a press conference.

Besides Kajang residents, BMSM is hoping to attract participants from nearby universities and colleges as well as primary and secondary schools.

“Participants will be running around Stadium Kajang and nearby residential areas,” he said.

Funds raised will go towards renovation work at BMSM Kajang’s premises. The building, which used to house a cinema, has been attacked by termites

“We have completed Phase 1 of the renovation and will be embarking on Phase 2,” said the event’s marketing representative Low Xiet Yang, 21.

He added this would involve the construction of ten classrooms, a kitchen, toilets and activity area.

“We will also contribute part of the funds collected to Pusat Jagaan Saresu in Semenyih,” Yong said,

For enquiries, call Lai Kwong Yih at 012-290 8588 or visit www.bmsmkj.com/runpeoplerun.

The closing date for registration is Aug 31.

Kampung Baru Kwan Tung’s temple has Facebook page updated with information and activities

The Star, Tuesday, 5 July 2016

BY OH ING YEEN

Villagers who are Buddhists go to the Manju Suddhi Buddhist temple in the neighbouring Sungai Chua New Village.

It is believed that Kampung Baru Kwan Tung (Kwan Tung New Village) was named as such because of the influx of migrants from the Guangdong province in China, who came to Malaya to work in the tin-mining industry.

According to village head Lim Thian Ser, 60, the factory area in the village used to be a mining pool.

“We used to be part of the Sungai Chua New Village until it was divided into three, namely Sungai Chua, Kwan Tung and Bukit Angkat.

“We were also previously known as Kampung Kwan Tung Baru because villagers lived in the newer part of Kwan Tung. But the village has since been renamed Kampung Baru Kwan Tung,” he said.

Having lived here for more than 50 years, Lim has witnessed first-hand the changes and development over the years.

“Youths are moving away in search of greener pastures.

A bird’s eye view of Kwan Tung New Village in Kajang. Photos: OH ING YEEN/The Star 

“It used to be just Malaysians but now we see many foreign workers here too; they work at the nearby factories,” he said.

Most of the villagers are of Hakka and Hokkien descent.

Lim spoke both dialects to other villagers as we took a walk around the village located in Kajang.

At the entrance to the village is a britghtly painted tyre which bears the village’s name.

Next to it is the Kopitiam Lian Hing, where villagers are seen having breakfast.

A stone’s throw away is the Sungai Chua market, which attracts not just villagers living nearby but other Kajang folk, too, said Lim.

One thing visitors will notice fairly quickly is the raised ground or flood barriers at the front of houses.

This is because villagers have been suffering the effects of floods for years, forcing them to make the grounds higher to prevent flooding.

Thankfully the situation has improved following the drainage system upgrade a few years ago.

Villagers enjoying breakfast at Kopitiam Lian Hing. (My Village My Home: Kampung Baru Kwan Tung, Kajang)

Part of the village is an industrial area. And among the factories is a 22-year-old Chinese Temple called Shun Nam Gong.

Temple caretaker Khaw Tham Chye, who is also a medium, said the deity worshipped in the temple was known as Fa Zhu Gong.

“This is not a conducive place for a temple as it is very dusty because of the surrounding factories.

“We plan to relocate but are now faced with problems at the new site because of protests from residents living nearby,” he said.

Although the temple is currently in an obscure location, it is very much a part of the social media network.

“Every five years, we have a parade and this year it will be held in August.

“We have listed all the information as well as videos of our past activities on our Facebook page,” said Khaw, adding that visitors were welcome to watch the parade next month.

Villagers sometimes visit the Manju Suddhi Buddhist Temple at Sungai Chua New Village next door to pay homage to the same deity.

And yes, this Buddhist temple also has its own Facebook page and website.

Shun Nam Gong’s caretaker Khaw Tham Chye is a medium.

At lunch time, Lim and the other village committee members took me to Restoran Siaw Kah for spicy soup.

Restaurant owner Siaw Kek Kwee said the soup served at the restaurant was based on his grandfather’s recipe.

The soup gets its kick from ginger and pepper.

“It is a common dish among households here. Previously we used pepper powder, now we use peppercorn as it is more fragrant and spicy.

“In the old days, rubber tappers would have it for breakfast before they begin their day,” he said.

Before the village tour ended, Lim shared with me the committee’s plans to set up a weekend class for poor children.

“We plan to have art and calligraphy classes,” he said, adding that they were looking for volunteers.

Bonding over good food and entertainment

The Star, Friday, 27 May 2016

TROPICANA Corporation Bhd celebrated the success of Tropicana Heights, its thriving 80.53ha development in Kajang, last weekend with a fun event attended by more than 2,000 people.

Themed “Eat, Play & Bond”, it was held at the new 0.81ha property gallery at Tropicana Heights on Saturday and Sunday and featured a synthetic ice skating rink, a food fest in a market-style environment, 18-hole mini golf games, plaster painting and electronic bike tours around Tropicana’s Central Park.

“We want our guests to experience the splendour of living in this all-inclusive development,” said Tropicana Marketing and Sales senior general manager Ung Lay Ting.

“We have just launched the capacious Recreational Hub and the stunning West Lake, which is in the western section of the 6.47ha Central Park.

“This event allows us to engage with our customers, while at the same time promote the five wonders of Tropicana Heights,” she added.

Ung explained that the five outstanding features of the development were its quality homes, market square, green park, recreational attraction and its suitability for sporty outdoor activities.

Close to Kajang town, Tropicana Heights, which was launched in 2014, is set amid lush greenery. Some 6.47ha of its 80.53ha has been dedicated to the creation of a park that features a 750m linear lake. Pedestrian pathways, jogging tracks, and bicycle tracks make every corner of the park accessible.

Fairfield Residences, the first phase of development here, was launched in February 2014 and has recorded a 100% take-up rate. Spanning 10.12ha, it comprises 198 units of two-storey terrace homes and 91 units of three-storey homes.

Tropicana says construction is on track for handover this year.

Parkfield Residences, the second phase, was launched in March 2015, offering 327 units of two-storey terrace homes and 144 units of three-storey homes.

It occupies the highest terrain of the township and features its very own 1.94ha private community park.

Parkfield Residences, which recorded a 90% take-up rate, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018.

“This project has recorded good take-up so far and we are excited to unveil the highly anticipated Ridgefield Residences, the Phase 3 of development at Tropicana Heights soon.

“Interested purchasers who would like to be invited to a future Tropicana Heights special preview are encouraged to register at www.tropicanaheights.com,” Ung said.

Firemen come to the rescue of 100kg patient

The Star, Tuesday, 10 May 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: The Fire and Rescue Department succeeded in carrying a sick man weighing more than 100kg from the first floor of his double-storey terrace house in Taman Seri Cheras here Monday.

The patient, Zaharin Shah Sharif, 31, had to be rushed to hospital after experiencing unstable blood pressure and breathing difficulties.

Officer-in-charge of Kajang Fire and Rescue Station Faizad Amirul Abdul Razak said the station received the distress call at about 11.42am from Kajang Hospital ambulance after they faced a problem of bringing the man down from the house.

"The fire and rescue squad used a stretcher to carry the victim before putting him into the ambulance to the hospital for treatment.

"Eight firemen and five others comprising family members and neighbours were involved in the operation," he said.

He said the operation was over in about 15 minutes. – Bernama

Crematorium and columbarium not a risk to public, says temple management

The Star, Tue, 10 May 2016

BY FARAH FAZANNA ZULZAHA

THE Sri Subramaniya Swamy Temple management in Kajang is assuring residents that the proposed columbarium and crematorium project will not affect them.

The temple, which is managing the land located near Tiara Residence in Taman Damai Indah, had faced protests from nearby residents about the project.

Temple chairman Datuk K. Kirubakaran said they had no plans to privatise the land, as alleged by some residents.

“We are getting help from a private developer to modernise the crematorium and build a columbarium, which will benefit residents in the area,” he said.

He said the 4.09ha piece of land was given to the Kajang Hindu community to be used as a burial and cremation ground.

“In the 1980s, the management of the land was handed over to the temple,” he said, adding that the land use was converted to a non-Muslim graveyard and cremation site last year.

The Action Committee To Not Cremate Bodies Near Our Homes Campaign had protested against the project and sent a memorandum to the state government last month.

They alleged the project site was located on a steep slope which could pose a risk for landslides and that the project was unnecessary as there were similar facilities in Kajang.

Kirubakaran said the temple did not have the funds to construct modern facilities and thus had entered into a joint venture with Lotus Garden Memorial Park Sdn Bhd.

“The temple will still manage the crematorium and columbarium, not the developer,” he said.

He also said the money raised would go towards funding social programmes.

Underprivileged families would be subsidised if they use the crematorium, he added.

Kirubakaran also assured residents that the road leading to the proposed site would be a dual carriageway and funeral processions would not create traffic congestion.

He said the developer would ensure that steps were taken to prevent landslides and floods during and after construction and had hired a technical expert to look into the matter.

It was earlier reported that the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) had approved the temple’s planning submission to expand the graveyard.

The temple had also submitted its infrastructure and building plans but MPKj had yet to approve it as the matter would decided by the state government.

Shell Helix helps welfare centre in Kajang

The Sun, 24 March 2016 

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The Shell Helix team with PKIK residents.

SHELL Helix teamed up with one of its key distributors, Sin Leong Seng Motor Sdn Bhd, to lend a helping hand to Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang Selangor (PKIK).

Together, they are sponsoring free oil change services for PKIK’s three vans; a 1997 Mazda E1400, a 2006 Toyota Hiace and a 2012 Foton View; for one year using Shell Helix lubricants that are designed to clean, rejuvenate and protect engines.

The Shell Helix team, led by Leslie Ng, general manager of Shell Lubricants (Malaysia and Singapore) and Kong Kin Lay, managing director of Sin Leong Seng Motor, recently paid a visit to PKIK to bring the good news to the staff and clients who comprised children and adults with learning disabilities.

“We are delighted to step up to help ease the financial burden of maintaining the three vehicles, which needed to be always in tip-top condition to ferry staff and clients. PKIK can now have total peace of mind by sending their vehicles to an authorised Shell Helix-branded workshop in Kajang for their regular maintenance services. The costs will be borne by Sin Leong Seng Motor and us,” said Ng.

The sponsorship was made possible with cash contributions and also funds from the sale of used bottle caps accumulated from 4-litre Shell Helix packs in recent marketing campaigns, including the Malaysia Book of Records-breaking Shell Love My Ride Festival in June 2015.

PKIK director, Kong Lan Lee said, “We are thankful for this initiative by Shell Helix as every sen counts, especially when we are raising funds for the construction of our own building. It is another weight off our shoulders.”

PKIK is currently operating from five separate rented shoplots and hopes to begin construction of their own building this year for which some RM3 million more is needed.

During the visit, the Shell Helix team was able to see first-hand how the care and guidance provided by the dedicated staff at PKIK, which was established more than 20 years ago, have helped some of the residents excel.

Among them were Darien Lum, 21, and Rosabel Sebastian, 30. Both did Malaysia proud at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles where 7,000 participants from around the world competed. Darien won gold medals in the 100-metre and long jump events while Rosabel brought home the silver medal in the 200-metre sprint.

“Our main focus is to equip every child or adult here with life skills. This can be very challenging as some are totally dependent and may have very testing behaviours that needed to be modified. Darien and Rosabel have shown that they can be successful when given the right guidance,” she added.

For the Shell Helix team, it was a priceless experience and privilege to be able to spend some time to interact and bring smiles to the PKIK clients with special needs. Aside from the sponsorship, they had brought along provisions and water bottles to be given out.

“We are glad to do our part in impacting and touching lives by a simple act of kindness. The smiles on their faces and the warm welcome made the visit all the more memorable,” said (Sin Leong Seng Motor’s) Kong.

Kong Lan Lee (middle) presenting a memento to Kong Kin Lay. On the right is Ng.

Cops widen search for abandoned baby’s parents

The Star, Tuesday, 12 January 2016

KAJANG: Police are expanding the search area to track down the parents of the abandoned baby found on a slab over a drain here.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Willey Richard said police have decided to check all schools, clinics, hospitals and women’s quarters in the district to identify the child’s parents.

“We’ve checked three schools and a women’s quarters nearby but did not find anything.

“Apart from speaking to teachers and supervisors, we have also checked the attendance sheets. We need to know if anyone took sick leave on the day, or several days prior to the discovery, as the baby was found with the umbilical cord still intact.

“Because we couldn’t find anything we are expanding the search area,” he said.

Asked on the condition of the baby boy, ACP Willey said the infant was healthy.

“He was discharged from Kajang Hospital and handed over to the Welfare Department,” he said.

On Saturday, Section 7 residents in Bandar Baru Bangi returning from evening prayers were shocked to find the baby, covered in his own faeces and wrapped in a grey shirt and a plastic bag, by the drain along Jalan 7/5G here.

At first, residents thought they heard the sounds of a kitten before a man spotted something moving inside a white plastic bag on top of a concrete slab by the drain.

The man then opened the plastic bag and saw the baby inside.

‘Crying kitten’ turns out to be a baby

The Star, Monday, 11 January 2016

by nicholas cheng

Safe and sound: The newborn baby boy found in Bandar Baru Bangi has been sent to the Kajang Hospital.

KAJANG: What some Bandar Baru Bangi residents thought were the cries of a helpless kitten in a drain turned out to be that of an abandoned newborn baby boy.

Section 7 residents returning from Saturday evening prayers were shocked to find the boy, covered in his own faeces and wrapped in a grey shirt and a plastic bag, by the drain along Jalan 7/5G here.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Willey Richard said a witness was cycling home from the Section 7 surau when he heard what he thought were the sounds of a kitten coming from the drain.

The man got off the bicycle and checked the drain near a house but did not see anything.

However, while returning to his bicycle, he spotted something moving inside a white plastic bag on top of a concrete slab by the drain.

“He opened the plastic bag and saw a baby inside.

“He cycled back to the surau to inform the people there of what he had found,” said ACP Willey.

The man’s father and a family doctor friend returned to the drain to inspect the child.

The baby still had the umbilical cord attached and was wrapped only in a shirt.

The doctor borrowed a pair of scissors from a neighbour and snipped the umbilical cord off the infant.

A police patrol team arrived shortly after and took him to the Kajang Hospital.

ACP Willey said the boy is healthy and police are calling on the public to help identify and locate the child’s parents.

A walk down Hill Street

The Star, Sunday November 22, 2015 

A real challenge: With her perseverance and determination, Yook Chin was able to raise the standards of the Hill Street school and was later asked to helm SMK Convent Kajang.

SHE was the pride of our once-little town where everyone knew each other.

Nicknamed Ah Lek Goo (which in Hakka means “clever girl”), she was one of the 26 children of Chai Loy,a wealthy local merchant. 

She was a gifted soprano and would render the legendary Chinese actress and singer Chow Suen’s songs to the delight of the neighbourhood. 

Many expected Ah Lek Goo to finish school with a Cambridge Certificate (equivalent to SPM), get a job and be married. That was the sum total of the ambition of a girl during the 1950s. But Ah Lek Goo had other plans.

Returning to Kajang after completing her Teacher’s Training, she taught for several years in Yu Hua School and Kajang High School. She found teaching dull and longed for something more challenging. But nothing was available for an ambitious young woman in that era.

Then, it happened – a new school was about to open on Hill Street (now known as Jalan Bukit). The Selangor Education Department ( was looking for candidates for the position of headmaster. It was to be a co-educational school and the vacancy was for a male.

With no prior experience in school administration and at an age too young to be a headmistress, the slender, cheongsam-clad Ah Lek Goo put in her application. And to her surprise, she was given the job. Ah Lek Goo or Miss Chai Yook Chin, as she became known, was the youngest, female school head in Kajang town.

Running the Hill Street school was a challenge. Unlike the premier schools at that time – Kajang High School and Kajang Convent (now SMK Convent Kajang), the Hill Street School did not attract the best brains in town because it was still new. 

Funding was also a problem. It was a small school and the parent-teacher association did not have much money or influence. 

It was difficult also to get good, experienced teachers to come to Hill Street.

Yook Chin made it a point to religiously visit the Selangor Education Department every Saturday to ask for advice and learn the job. She was stymied by the pay sheet because Mathematics was not her favourite subject.

Humbly, she begged the finance clerk in charge of her school to teach her. She learnt the pay sheet and made a good friend who later became her husband.

Being young and inexperienced, Yook Chin learnt early the art of pestering. She found that if she were to go every Saturday and ask the officer in charge of say, furniture for the staffroom, again and again persistently, she would normally get what she requested in the end. 

Thus, her Saturdays were sacrificed “haunting” the officers in charge of various facilities for her fledging school.

She was a natural leader and soon won the respect and co-operation of the teachers. They worked hard under her leadership and she made sure that she took care of their welfare. 

She knew instinctively not to micro-manage. She was easy-going and respected her teachers. They repaid her trust with good teaching.

With adequate facilities and a good staff, the Hill Street school began to attract good students. Slowly but surely, it began to produce students with 5As for the Standard Five Examinations (which is equivalent to our UPSR). From a small school, Hill Street was upgraded to a B school.

In 1980, I enrolled in Standard One in Hill Street. I was proud to have such a good headmistress because she was my mother. Everywhere we went, people recognised my mother and they spoke highly of her. The townsfolk were proud that a local girl had made good and become a headmistress.

Yook Chin would have been content to be Hill Street’s headmistress until her retirement.

However, in 1986, the premier school, Kajang Convent School, did not have a headmistress. The Selangor Education Department urged her to take on the post. She was reluctant because the school was an A school and naturally, the position came with bigger and more responsibilities. But with more coaxing, she took on the challenge with a heavy heart.

She worked in Convent until her retirement. She made sure that the teachers got new facilities and staffed the teaching team with many more able teachers. However, I believe in her heart of hearts, she still missed her baby, Hill Street (which is now called SRJK Jalan Bukit 1).

As Hill Street and Convent grew, so did the town. The influx of many outsiders especially in the time after her retirement made the relationship among the residents of Kajang distant. As the years went by, no one remembered Mrs. Mah Peng Wai and her contributions to Convent Kajang School. Her beloved Hill Street remembers her name no more. Many of the townsfolk who heard her sing had passed on or moved away.

When she died at the age of 65 in the year 2000, she was only mourned by her family and church friends.

Yet she left a legacy - not only in Hill Street or Convent but also in me, her only child. Although I had witnessed how the job of a headmistress had taken a toll on my mother’s health and the sacrifices she had to make for her schools, I still ventured into the education line. 

No, I am not a headmistress – I do not have her capabilities but I share her passion in providing quality education. 

As an English teacher, I am doing my bit for education in Malaysia. 

FLORENCE MAH SAU FONG

Kajang, Selangor