Sunday, November 29, 2009

At peace in their village

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After years of waging war, the ex-communist guerrillas finally found a place to call home where they have quietly built new lives for themselves and their families.

ONE of the most powerful and ultimately destructive forces of the 20th century was the ideology of communism. Purportedly based on the ideals of equality and justice, virtually every communist regime became a dictatorial police state in which people suffered even more than they had done before.

Our nation’s “flirtation” with communism came towards the end of World War II, a time when the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) had been at the forefront of resistance against the Japanese. Fired by revolutionary independence movements in Indonesia and Vietnam, Malaysia’s communists were a major presence in the immediate post-War scenario but were eventually outmanoeuvred by the returning British.

The CPM was banned, and a bloody conflict (known euphemistically as the Emergency) that claimed the lives of an estimated 13,000 Malayans from both sides (and the civilian population) raged from 1948 to 1960. Despite some renewed activity in the mid 1970s, however, the CPM was essentially a spent force by the time its guerrillas agreed to lay down their arms on Dec 2, 1989.

Now, 20 years after the historic Peace Accord signed in Hatyai, Thailand, many of the principal actors in Malaysia’s communist story have passed on. Those remaining are elderly and largely in declining health.

Abdullah CD third from left in a group photo with Chin Peng (centre) and members of the CPM’s 10th Regiment (from left) his wife Suriani, Rashid Maidin, Abu Samah Mohd Kassim, Ibrahim Chik and Abdullah Sudin.

While much of the spotlight has been on the legal battle waged by former CPM secretary-general Chin Peng for the right to come home to Malaysia to die, hundreds of his former comrades are seeing out their twilight years in a handful of “Peace Villages” located in the south of Thailand.

With that in mind, we set out for Kampung Chulabhorn 12, an hour away from the town of Sukhirin in Thailand’s southernmost of province of Narathiwat. The village is home to Abdullah CD, former CPM chairman, and his veteran cadres from the 10th regiment that he once led. Our brief was to gather as many of their testimonies as we could.

The journey itself proved a tricky one – the Sungai Golok border was flooded, both before and after we crossed. At the border we were met by Abdullah’s assistant, Yaakob Ibrahim, 47, himself a former CPM cadre. A two-hour drive through approximately a dozen military checkpoints (the south of Thailand has fallen prey to separatist violence over the last decade) led us to an isolated but idyllic village deep in the heart of the jungle.

Joining the struggle (1945-1948)

Waiting to greet us was Abdullah, 86. He is in good physical shape and is very jovial, but, sadly, his memory is slipping and he frequently retells the same story in answer to different questions. Abdullah’s wife, Suriani Abdullah (formerly Eng Ming Ching), was one of the CPM’s most prominent leaders, but is now wheelchair-bound and barely able to speak.

Fortunately, other veterans were able to fill us in on the initial period of activity. Former company chief Awang Ismail (also known as Shukor), 81, took up the story:

Abdullah CD, today at 86.

“I was born in Temerloh, Pahang, which was famous as a stronghold of Malay nationalism. At first, I was just a farmer but after the British came back after the war, I resented it. After all, we were the ones who had endured Japanese rule.”

Awang was introduced to the nationalist youth movement, Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API), by the late Kamarulzaman Teh, a one-time CPM operative who served 15 years in prison and returned to party politics through Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia in the 1970s and 1980s.

“I was fired up by the spirit of independence but it was tough. API was banned, many members were killed or thrown in prison, so, partly because we felt we had no other choice, we decided to go into the jungle to fight for our cause.”

Indeed, in the period after World War II, many left-leaning organisations rallied together to push for the establishment of an independent republic.

Abdullah was one of the leaders of the Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM) in the 1940s and he found himself working with the CPM.

The PKMM, a largely leftist Malay nationalist movement, and its affiliated youth and women’s wings (API and Awas – Angkatan Wanita Sedar – respectively) were breeding grounds of leaders who eventually became prominent figures in Umno (Tun Ghafar Baba, Tun Sardon Jubir and Tan Sri Dr Aishah Ghani), PAS (Dr Burhanuddin Helmi and Asri Muda), Parti Rakyat Malaysia (Ahmad Boestamam), the Labour Party of Malaya (Ishak Haji Muhammad) and, of course, the CPM (in the form of Abdullah, Shamsiah Fakeh, Rashid Maidin, etc). As Abdullah put it, “nationalism came first for me, and only then did Marxism follow.”

Yaakob Ibrahim, 47

It is the same story for Liau Chin Sun @ Mamat Abdullah, 79, a native of Triang, Pahang, who followed his older brother into the CPM.

“During the Japanese Occupation, my brother joined the Malayan Peoples Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA). When the British came back, we joined in the struggle to liberate our country. When I finished school in the late 1940s, I was punished with a 40-day jail term for my involvement in the unofficial tentera tani (farmers’ militia). My parents bribed local officials and I fled to the jungle, joining ambush patrols on the armed forces and police, whom, we felt, had chosen to side with the British.”

Liau eventually joined the CPM’s 6th Regiment under Chin Nam. He was shot twice by security forces and was treated by a Japanese doctor, as the CPM actually absorbed some Japanese military personnel who wished to continue their fight against the British!

“I eventually joined the 10th regiment (which largely comprised Malays) when a cadre mistakenly dropped me off there! I served as a bodyguard to leaders during special meetings and I also became a field medic,” said Liau, who choked up when asked what happened to his older brother, who is believed to have been killed.

Still, despite the horrors of war, certain aspects of “normal” life went on. Liau, for example, met and married an older woman of a different race.

“I met Siti Mariam Idris in 1963 and asked her to marry me. There was no need to ask for permission. If you liked someone you approached her, if she wanted to accept you, then you were a couple.”

Siti Mariam, 83

Siti Mariam, 83, was a pioneer feminist who also hailed from Temerloh.

“I was 20 when I entered the jungle. I left two children behind but I was proud and happy to fight for my race, religion and my land. We were a poor family, I married at 12 and had my first child at 14. My mother encouraged me to fight for my beliefs and I left my children with her. When my mother was herself detained by the authorities, other relatives looked after my children.”

While life in the jungle may seem unimaginably tough to us modern city slickers (I found a trek to the 10th regiment’s abandoned jungle camp to be downright traumatic), young Siti Mariam had the time of her life.

“Of course the struggle was difficult, but our spirits were high, and I was not afraid, not of people nor animals. Abdullah CD was a great leader, like a father. He had to worry about food, safety, so many other things, yet he led us well.

“I enjoyed learning about other cultures and my political training. I learnt to read and write the Jawi script. I even found it fun to climb Cameron Highlands when we relocated there en route to Thailand!”

Siti Mariam recalled that the initial mood among the population was very supportive. “The village people helped us. Most of them supported our fight for independence.”

The losing battle (1948-1955)

By the end of the war, the CPM was at its strongest. However, as fate would have it, the communists failed to seize power because they were betrayed by their own members in the form of “triple agent” Lai Tek, who worked for both the British and the Japanese while serving as CPM secretary-general. Former chairman Musa Ahmad is also now viewed as a traitor to the communist cause.

Liau Chin Sun, 79

While most of its members made many sacrifices, the sheer bloodiness of the conflict meant that the CPM was gradually losing its appeal among the population, and when British Director of Operations in Malaya Sir Harold Briggs came up with an anti-CPM strategy in 1950, it resulted in many CPM supporters being herded into controlled areas known as New Villages.

This seriously affected CPM supply lines. Eventually, the party found itself being defeated militarily and being literally driven out of many areas in Peninsular Malaysia.

Under Abdullah, the 10th Regiment made the difficult decision to flee Pahang for southern Thailand.

Ironically, the CPM (or at least its Malay-majority 10th Regiment) found more support among the people of southern Thailand than the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) did. The latter concentrated on their base in the north-east of Thailand, leaving the CPM to build in southern Thailand!

“The CPT was very strong once, but they had to give up their struggle eventually,” Liau recalled. “They were our brothers, our comrades. This place used to belong to them, but they weren’t as popular with the local people, because the CPM, especially the 10th Regiment, was closer to the local people. The CPT supplied us with manpower, equipment and even gave us children to look after.”

Ramasamy Letchumanan, 69, a native of Sungai Siput, Perak, was a child when he joined the party in 1952.

“I was just 12. I joined a pasukan India (Indian company) that was operating in the Tambun area in Perak. Back then, the estate Indians strongly supported the CPM. The company chief saw how small I was and took me as an adopted son. In the late 1950s, I moved with the party to Thailand.”

Ramasamy Letchumanan, 69

Post-Baling (1955-1968)

By 1955, Malaya had held its first federal elections and the communist threat had vastly receded. Still, the government under Tunku Abdul Rahman decided to hold high-profile peace talks with Chin Peng. The talks ended fruitlessly with neither side prepared to budge.

Awang Yaakob (better known as Hatta), 70, is another one of the Termerloh gang.

“After the failed Baling Talks (in Kedah) in 1955, we knew we couldn’t win militarily. We didn’t want to fight but we didn’t want to surrender– we had sacrificed a lot for our struggle – so we were at an impasse.”

In 1960, three years after Malaya was granted its independence, the Emergency was officially declared over.

A religious man, Awang said he never saw a conflict between his faith and Marxist doctrine.

“I was strongly motivated to join because of the anti-British factor. The CPM never went against religion. We could always practise our religion, according to our personal choice. No religious view was ever forced on us.”

Internal turmoil (1968-1974)

It is not widely known that the CPM itself underwent a number of splits. Inspired in part by events in China where the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) saw the condemnation and death of major figures such as President Liu Shiaqui, who was accused of being a counter-revolutionary, the CPM turned on itself.

Awang Ismail, 81

“At some point the CPM central committee ordered the killing of certain leaders, alleging that they were spies. Some regiments resisted this,” said Liau.

This resulted in the 8th Regiment splitting in 1970 and becoming the CPM (Revolutionary Faction) under E Chiang (also known as Huang Yijang) while the 12th Regiment became the CPM (Marxist-Leninist) under Chang Chung Minh. These two factions eventually merged in 1983 and laid down their arms in April 1987, before the “main” CPM did.

Ironically, while the CPM was experiencing a downturn, the rest of South-East Asia was falling like dominoes to communist insurgents. As such, Chin Peng was ordered by his backers in China’s Communist Party to renew efforts at an armed struggle, which led to the assassination of then Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim on June 7, 1974. However, by this point, the CPM had long lost the battle for the hearts and minds of most Malaysian civilians.

Still, Abdullah’s assistant, Yaakob, was one who chose to join the party during this time.

“I originally came from a village in the Pasir Puteh district of Kelantan. The people there were very poor, and they are still poor. At first I was just curious about these people fighting in the jungle for a better life. The Malaysian Government’s anti-communist propaganda was very strong but I wasn’t that happy with what I learnt in school. Then when I joined them, I found that I could accept their ideas and their way of life.”

“I was trained to survive in the jungle, to use arms and certain martial arts tactics. Sometimes we fought for self-defence, sometimes we had to create trouble to maintain a presence in the area.”

There was no room for sentiment in those days, he added. “There were hantu (spies) who informed on us and led many cadres to their death. If we found out who they were, we killed them.”

Winding down (1974-1989)

Eventually the CPM struggle came to a long drawn-out halt, as the foreign policy of China changed and its regime became more friendly with the Malaysian Government.

“By the last few years, we were at an impasse with the Thai army and we stopped shooting at each other. Whereas once we had to disguise ourselves to move about in the local towns, we were practically out in the open before the ceasefire,” explained Yaakob.

“Eventually even though most of us were Malaysian, we had been residing in Thailand for so long that it was the Thai Government and army who were keen to see our situation resolved once and for all. To that end, they were prepared to furnish us with houses and land.”

Current village headman Droman Binza, 52, is a Thai who chose to join the CPM in the 1970s. Instead of fighting, however, he found himself involved in peace negotiations and eventually played a part in the Hatyai peace accord.

“I felt that this was my struggle too, to improve the lives of the common people. I had three brothers who joined before me. I have stayed with Abdullah CD most of my life. He is a very intelligent, fair and honest leader and I try to emulate him.”

The people who live in idylic Kampung Chulabhorn 12 used to fight a war when they were members of the Communist Party of Malaya.

Building new lives (1989-2009)

Now in their twilight years, most of the guerrillas are philosophical about their once violent lives.

“I feel satisfied in playing a role in bringing more independence into women’s lives. My granddaugther told me that it is because of our fight that modern women can work in office jobs and rise to great heights,” said Siti Mariam.

Said Liau: “The Chinese say if you drink water, you must remember where its source is from. Today, the Malaysian Government says they achieved independence through peaceful means. I think that’s wrong. Our people held strikes, we rioted and we spilt blood.”

Awang (Ismail) was a little more sanguine: “I think of it like this ... during the difficult times we were on the frontlines, but now there is peace and prosperity, it is my turn to be at the back. When you enter a war, you expect to die, but I didn’t die. Instead I will die from old age.”

Ramasamy, who now spends his days tending to his rubber and fruits trees, is proud of the progress of modern Malaysia.

“We wanted to fight the British to set up a democratic republic, but even though we failed, Malaysia has done well. In the last 20 years I have travelled to many countries in South-East Asia and I believe Malaysia is the most developed. I am proud of that.”

He is aware that the present generation may not understand what prompted him to choose the path he did.

“Things evolve, ideas evolve. Karl Marx, Chairman Mao – they all lived a long time ago. Some of their ideas can work, some not. Communist regimes did evil things despite having an original good intention of creating a society where all are equal. But I don’t regret the struggle.”

Looking ahead (2009- )

In the two decades since the Peace Accord was signed, most guerrillas have chosen to stay in Thailand and accept the favourable terms there. Their beautiful village appears to be run like a harmonious community that provides them with livelihoods.

Indeed, the village appears to be prospering under Droman’s stewardship. It has its own primary school, Sekolah Rendah Chulabhorn 12, which has about 100 pupils and six teachers. On weekends, the children attend classes on Islam and the Malay language and culture. The village clinic is currently being expanded into a regional medical centre.

“My job is to solve the problems of daily life and co-ordinate with various government agencies. I also head the village committee of 15 people. But, actually, we have had no major problems in the last 20 years. Nobody comes to disturb us,” said Droman.

He is optimistic about the future.

“We are not just a village of old fighters. We have around 200 young children here. Once they are old enough, say 15, we tell them about the struggle that led to the establishment of this village.

“Many like to stay here, but there are some who go and study elsewhere. People seek jobs in the towns, but even those who go, help the village so I believe we will survive and prosper.”

The warriors of Kampung Chulabhorn may not have succeeded in creating a Marxist paradise in Malaysia, but they have built a life and even a future from the ashes of their broken dream.

Icing on the cake

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A cake designer talks about her new book and the inspiration behind her beautiful creations.

THANK you so much for making our wedding day so stunning ... Your cakes were truly amazing!” gush fashion designer Stella McCartney and her husband, Alasdhair Willis, on www.peggyporschen.com.

The site belongs to none other than cake designer extrodinaire Peggy Porschen, who is in person a little shy, unassuming and soft-spoken. The German lass is London-based, and counts superstars Elton John, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna among her heavyweight celebrity clients.

Peggy Porschen with her delectable creations.

She was in Kuala Lumpure earlier in the year to promote her latest book, Cake Chic, and also to run a three-day course on cake decorating at the International Centre of Cake Artistry (ICCA) in Kota Damansara, Selangor.

Porschen, 33, is a qualified Cordon Blue pastry chef and has 10 years of experience under her belt. After leaving home for an apprenticeship at Le Cordon Bleu London, the renowned patisserie and culinary school, she stayed put in the city and worked as a pastry chef for Lanesborough Hotel and caterers Rhubarb Food Design. She was also a cake decorator for Konditor & Cook, a bakery with a cult following amongst London’s cake lovers.

After honing her skills, she set up her own cake business in 2003, working from her flat and specialising in special occasion cakes.

Her first major order was from Fortnum & Mason, a renowned luxury food store in London, which remains a customer to this day. As orders became bigger, Porschen found herself unable to cope as a “home” baker.

In 2005, she set up her studio in Battersea, London, and was joined by her friend and partner Bryn Morrow, a successful chef. In the same year, she published her first book Pretty Party Cakes, which caused a sensation in the baking world.

“In 2003, I participated in a Christmas fair in London and was spotted by a publisher, who liked my work. So we started working on a book.

“All my books reflect who I am at that moment in time. For my first book, I was 28, young and carefree, and you will see that my cake designs reflect that,” says Porschen.

The success of her book drove even more people to her shop, inundating her with orders.

She worked on her second book, Romantic Cakes, whilst she was preparing for her wedding to her business partner and sweetheart Morrow (they got married last year). That book, needless to say, was another runaway hit.

She refers to their partnership as a “dream team’’.

“Both of us understand the importance of quality and service,” she says. “Also, I tend to get a little stressed and nervous and he keeps me grounded.”

As her books reflect the stages in her life, could we be expecting a children’s cake decorating book next?

Porschen laughs and says it could be a possibility. For now, though, her attention is on her current book, Cake Chic. The photography is superb (as always) and there is great step-by-step photography to guide the reader through the seemingly tedious process.

Porschen tries to accommodate the beginner, but she says that about 15% of the book involves intricate designs that are more suited for the advanced decorator.

“I have built my reputation on design work, so I want the book to reflect that. But like any craft, cake decorating requires a lot of practice and patience, so if people are new to this, even those who have never baked before, they can start with the easier items in the book, and work their way to the more difficult,” says Porschen.

She also emphasises the flavour of her cakes. She says it is important that the cake tastes as good as they look. For that, she provides the recipes for a variety of cake flavours at the back of her book.

A look through Cake Chic yields an amazing array of designs. Porschen draws inspiration from many things – fashion, lifestyle, wallpaper, fabric.

As her business grows, she is thinking of taking that big step into television.

“There is interest from television companies,” she says. “The challenge is to create a show that will appeal to the masses. What I do is not considered mass enough, yet I do not want to dilute my brand and put out a show just for the sake of putting out a show. So we’re working on it.”

While she mulls over fame on the silver screen, she is planning a line of products and accessories.

“Again, we’re looking to produce mainstream products like crockery and stationery, and not necessarily just baking utensils,” she says.

For now, fans will have their hands full trying to emulate the beautiful creations in her latest book. This talented baker has certainly come a long way since she baked her first cake at 14.

‘Cake Chic’ is priced at RM110 and is available at all major bookstores.

Normal paranormal

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THIS is what happens when you become a ghost: At first, you are little more than vapour. You rise and fall with temperature, which is all you want to do anyway because you tire easily. Over the months, your particles coalesce.

Then one day, you look down and you see your feet. The rest of you follows until you are returned to the form of the body you died in. You assume you have a face but you will never see it again because you have no reflection. And this will be more disturbing than you know.

Despite the dreadful title and all the ghost story elements – single sisters move into a haunted flat next to London’s Highgate Cemetery – Her Fearful Symmetry is more like a beach holiday; a warm, easy-paced getaway from reality.

Just before reaching adulthood, Julia and Valentina find they have inherited a flat from aunt Elsbeth, whom they had never met. Like the girls, their mother and their aunt had been identical twins. Julia and Valentina are so much a part of each others’ lives they cannot imagine what caused their mother to break ties with her own twin sister, nor why one of Elsbeth’s conditions on their inheritance is that their mother never set foot in the flat. Their mother refuses to discuss it and they can hardly ask their dead aunt for an explanation. Or can they? When they turn 21, the twins leave America and move into the flat – which Elsbeth has not quite vacated, it seems.

Audrey Niffenegger is the best-selling author of The Time Traveller’s Wife, which was also a movie recently released in local cinemas. Part of the charm of Niffenegger’s stories is that she does not delve into technicalities. Ghosts, like time travel, are treated as a given, something that is what it is and so is accepted by those who know. For instance, unlike your typical superhero who keeps his or her powers secret, The Time Traveller’s Wife’s Henry DeTamble’s friends and family know and are understanding of the genetic disorder that can cause Henry to disappear at any moment, leaving only a pile of crumpled clothes where he stood. His time travelling is treated as little more than a disability; inconvenient, but something Henry and those around him have adapted to.

Likewise in Her Fearful Symmetry, Niffenegger writes about the paranormal as if it were normal. Her description of becoming a ghost is so natural and confident that the reader takes it as fact. If anything it is the twins who are more unsettling than the ghost – pale, waif-like creatures who dress identically and walk around arm-in-arm.

Julia and Valentina are mirror twins, which means that they are identical not side by side but face to face. If one has a birthmark on her left shoulder, the other has it on her right.

Julia believes they also share the same interests and dreams. That the one difference between them is that Valentina is weaker and needs her sister’s protection. This deafens her to Valentina’s true wish for some individualism, to wear her own clothes and make her own decisions. And Julia is unaware of her resentment.

There is something of the eccentric in all of Niffenegger’s characters. Like the two tenants that the twins share their inherited property with: Robert is Elsbeth’s much younger ex-lover who would be quite ordinary if he wasn’t half mad with grief. And if he didn’t like sneaking into the cemetery in the middle of the night.

The other tenant is Martin, who would be pointless to the story if he were not so interesting. His wife leaves him shortly after Elsbeth’s funeral because Martin is obsessive compulsive and she could no longer tolerate windows taped over to keep out the light, having to enter rooms right foot first, or belongings worn down from being scrubbed too much.

Martin’s job is creating crossword puzzles. He is a nice guy, but his illness prevents him from leaving his flat, which makes him as much a prisoner within his walls as any ghost. Like Elsbeth, he depends on a tiny group of friends visiting him.

As Valentina draws further away from Julia, Julia’s need to care for the wounded turns her attention to Martin and they too become friends.

With time, Elsbeth gains enough strength to move light objects and unexpectedly finds one person, and only one, who can see her. Though confined to the flat, Elsbeth’s inquiring mind keeps her experimenting with her new form. She finds that though there are many things she cannot do as a ghost, there are things she can do now that she could not as a human.

And one of those things is quite macabre – a request for her to use her ghostly powers suddenly turns the book quite chilling. And there’s a book-dropping surprise at the end worthy of Roald Dahl himself.

Triumphant talent

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PICTURE shows the victors of the national New Comics Talent Contest Malaysia 2009 organised by local comics publisher Gempak Starz.

Their winning efforts were among an impressive 2,802 entries received from all over the country between May and July.

The main winners took home cash prizes of RM3,500, RM1,800, RM1,500, RM1,000, RM800, RM500 and RM200 for their respective wins in four categories.

The presentation ceremony last Sunday was part of the three-day 100% Gempak Starz event at the Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur which began the day before.

Works of the 13 finalists in each category were also on display.

The crowd who turned up participated in various activities, including a cosplay competition and a lucky draw. Well-known local artists such as Ageha, Keith and Zint were present for autograph sessions.

Riverine frolic

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Birdwatching, wildlife photography, rubber tubing . . . just some of the fun activities to be had in Taman Negara Kuala Koh.

What are five ladies doing in a 130-million-year-old tropical rainforest, ensconced in big black rubber donuts? They are floating down Sg Lebir, enjoying the peace and tranquillity of their surroundings, while also screeching away and trying to avoid near collisions with rocks and overhanging branches.

Nomi, one of the participants explains, “Actually, we discovered this place by accident. While travelling along the Gua Musang-Kuala Karai road, we saw the Taman Negara Kuala Koh (TNKK) signboard. We turned in to explore and boy, are we glad we did!”

Rubber tubing in Taman Negara Kuala Koh.

Established in 1936, Taman Negara, formerly known as King George V National Park, has an area of about 4,343sq km, straddling Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. The most well-known, of the four entrances to this park is at Kuala Tahan in the south. The others are through Merapoh, Tanjong Mentong and Kuala Koh.

In the East Coast, Kuala Koh is the only entrance to Taman Negara Kelantan, which has an area of 1,013sq km of jungle, covering 24% of Taman Negara. TNKK is situated at the confluence of Sg Lebir and Sg Koh.

Facilities and activities

Opened in 1995, TNKK houses a park office, interpretive centre and museum, staff quarters, a café, a mosque and several large aquariums for the breeding of kelah.

Sg Lebir, the focal point of many water-related activities, is just a stone’s throw from park headquarters.

For visitors looking for accommodation, there is a choice of six chalets, with attached bathrooms, and a hostel with 86 beds. Three of the chalets are air-conditioned. The more adventurous can camp at a campsite with showers and toilets, a covered cooking area and even fluorescent lights at night. Be warned, though, because scavenging wild boars may pay you a visit. So keep those tent flaps zipped!

Holding up a kelah caught in Lubuk Kedah.

Meals, which are reasonably priced, are available at the prettily furnished D’Keloh Cafe. For lunch, there is rice and two or three cooked dishes while dinner is à la carte.

There is a mini combo set for sing-a-long oldies or some lively music if you feel like dancing. Visitors congregate here for endless chit-chat, nightcaps and to play board games.

Nature appreciation activities like bird watching and wildlife photography attract those inclined towards these interests. Visitors can also explore several of the jungle tracks, try out the canopy walkway, go fishing, feed the fish at the fish sanctuary or look for the Rafflesia in Lubuk Pertang.

Those who are not aquaphobic, can swim in the river or try rubber tubing.

River of fun

Nomi and her four friends sign up for riding down the river in rubber tubes, something they have never done before and are understandingly apprehensive about.

At about nine in the morning, they are taken by boat to Lubuk Jeram Sinar, the nearest fishing campsite.

After a short briefing by their nature guide, they go through a water confidence workout where they overcome their initial reluctance to get into the chilly water and learn how to control, and get in and out of the tubes.

The canopy walkway.

With a bit of scrambling and clumsy clambering, all manage to snugly wedge themselves into the rotund armchairs.

In no time at all, their giant black donuts are snatched away by the current and they are drifting downstream together with their river guide and an accompanying safety boat.

The girls have a hilarious one-hour experience trying to avoid getting beached on sandbanks and dunked in the river.

The current, at times, propels them forward much faster than they can control their “boats” and inevitable bumps and collisions result in many screams and much laughter.

The five friends are, however, safely protected by personal flotation devices and the inflated tubes they are sitting in also act as over-sized shock absorbers. So floating down the one kilometre stretch of Sg Lebir, even for a non-swimmer, can be loads of fun.

Another popular activity is fishing. TNKK is one of the few places in Malaysia where anglers have a chance to battle the mighty Malaysian Masheer or kelah.

After paying a licence fee, they have to hire a boat to take them to camp at one of the five designated fishing spots located at certain river bends of Sg Lebir, namely, Lubuk Jeram Sinar, Lubuk Kedah, Lubuk Kaloi Bawah, Lubuk Kaloi Atas and Lubuk Jengal.

Besides the kelah, the sebarau (Hampala barb), lampan (River barb) and baung (catfish) are also found in these fishing holes. Day trippers can opt to fish along the riverbank near the park HQ and resort.

A chalet in Taman Negara Kuala Koh.

Jungle trekking and canopy walkway

A suspension bridge across the Sg Lebir leads hikers to the start of several well-marked and sign-posted jungle trails. Among them are the Fig Tree Trail (Bulatan Ara), Rafflesia Trail and the Pallas Trail.

The Ara Trail is developed as an interpretive trail and it takes about two hours to complete the circuit. The Pallas trail is much longer and goes all the way to Lubok Pertang where the fish sanctuary is.

The terrain is hilly and rugged and the trails are replete with leeches, confirming the high density of wildlife in the park.

Large mammals like the elephant, sambar deer, tapir, wild boar and sun bear have been sighted here and indeed tracks of the first four mammals are often encountered on the walking trails.

These mammals are nocturnal, so the chances of seeing them may be better if one spends a night at the Bumbun Impian elevated hide, about 30 minutes hike from the suspension bridge. This well-constructed and comfortable hide overlooks a salt lick in a valley

About 100m after crossing Sg Lebir is the start of the Canopy Walkway. A 300m-long steel-cabled suspension bridge links five platforms attached to giant tualang and meranti tembaga trees.

Waiting for dinner at the D’Keloh Cafe.

The highest platform is about 50m off the jungle floor, giving visitors a unique opportunity to view flora and fauna living in the roof of the forest. Bird watchers can now see the canopy dwellers eye to eye!

Birdwatching

Over 350 bird species entice birdwatchers to TNKK. Star birds include several kinds of hornbills, crested fire back, bamboo woodpecker, pittas, frogmouths and owls.

In May 2008, in just over a two-day visit, Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) members recorded more than half this number of species. A fig tree in the car park was fruiting then and there were waves of birds flying in to feed on the fruits.

“We didn’t even have to walk the trails because there were so many birds here,” says Chan Kai Soon, an MNS birder.

The area in front of the park hostel is brightly lit at night and attracts a lot of insects that become delicious breakfast the next morning for hordes of birds that fly in to feast.

At night, a resident pair of Buffy fish owls patrols the resort and often calls for long periods of time, competing with the Brown hawk owl and Javan frogmouth.

Getting there

Taman Negara Kuala Koh is about 90km from Gua Musang, a one-and-a-half-hour drive. From Gua Musang, head towards Kuala Krai and after 45km turn right at the Sg Aring Felda Scheme. The road is tarred and goes through the Felda oil palm plantations. Follow signages to Kuala Koh.

o Resort Taman Negara Kelantan, Nik Nora Hiryani (manager), Tel: +6012-965 4788.

A huge surprise on Air Asia

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Who said flying first class had to be expensive?

You’re flying on a budget airline for a 13-hour flight? Are you sure you want to do that? I heard their seats are cramped and uncomfortable and service is terrible. Why don’t you travel on a traditional airline instead?

The premium seats fold out to a flat bed position and offer lots of leg room.

This was the feedback I received from friends and acquaintances when I told them that I was planning to fly AirAsiaX to London. The irony of it was that these comments were from people who have only flown on short-haul AirAsia flights.

“But I have a tight budget,” I lamented. “How bad can it be?”

After checking out the rates of other airlines, I discovered that the flight tickets were quite reasonable compared to what they were a few years before. Competition is certainly healthy and we customers are the ones who benefit the most.

To my surprise, the Premium seats on AirAsiaX were just a couple of hundred ringgit more than the economy seats on traditional airlines so I thought why not? I’d rather pay a little extra if I can travel in comfort. And the flight is direct too. There would be no time wasted in transit.

The only drawback of flying on a budget airline is that nothing is given free. You have to pay for your check-in luggage, meals and entertainment.

Let’s talk about the seats. There are 30 Premium seats spaced out nicely in three rows. The seats are wide and spacious, especially for a small person like me. There are buttons at the side that allow you to raise the leg rest, activate the lumbar support and recline the chair.

I was amazed at how much the seat could recline. It goes to almost a flat bed position. I was a bit concerned that it would disturb the passenger behind me but there was ample space.

Like meals and entertainment, you have to pay extra for the Comfort Kit which is RM25.

The flight attendant said that the management would be changing their current seats to a flatbed type in January next year for the Airbus A330s and in June for the A340s.

“Changing it to flatbeds means reducing the number of seats available, but increasing the comfort space for the passengers,’’ she added.

Can’t wait to try that out.

It’s very important to keep yourself hydrated during a flight. But what if you dread waking the person next to you just to go to the toilet?

Can‘t fly without entertainment? Movies on the ePlayer — a portable entertainment unit available on the Airbus A340 — cost RM30.

I didn’t have any problems at all because there was so much leg space I could just walk around the person next to me.

Meals are served twice during the flight, once just slightly after take off and the next, two hours before landing. You can choose to have a Malaysian, international or vegetarian meal and there’s up to 20% discount if you pre-book your meals online.

You have to pay for your Comfort Kit (RM25) as well, which includes an inflatable neck pillow, a blanket and suede eyeshades. I didn’t find the neck pillow comfortable but the blanket was cosy and the eyeshades did its job blocking out the light.

I was getting bored after three hours of flying so I decided to check out their entertainment. There are two types available, the Xcite, a built-in screen on the back of the headrest which is available on the new A330s and the ePlayer, a portable unit available on the A340s. Both cost RM30 to operate.

Seat buttons that ease your transition to slumberland.

As I was flying in an A340, only the portable unit was available. It had international and local movies, TV series, music and games. Selection was limited with the latest movies being Angels & Demons, Indiana Jones IV and The Proposal.

Jeffrey Hu, 22, an accountant flying back to London for work, said that it was his first time flying in XL seats.

“I’ve always flown economy but since the Premium seats were more or less the same price as the economy seats on traditional airlines, I decided to try it instead. The seats here are really comfortable and there is plenty of leg space,” says Hu.

He was also fascinated with the entertainment unit as he had much lower expectations.

“You would expect a budget airline not to have the latest facilities because of the price we pay but I was pleasantly surprised. I think it’s quite innovative and smart. They have limited units but they can work on that in the future.

British businessman Peter Lewis, 45, says that he chooses to fly in Premium seats as he needs to be fresh for his meetings when he lands.

“I have business in Malaysia and I travel frequently to Kuala Lumpur for meetings. My meetings are scheduled very tightly, sometimes, just a few hours after I land. Therefore, it is very important that I am well-rested before,” says Lewis.

Lewis flies with a budget airline because he runs his own company and does not want to spend excessively on business class seats.

“I have to watch my company’s expenses so flying AirAsiaX is a smart choice for me. The only drawback is that you have to pay for additional comfort,’’ he says.

It was certainly a good flight for me as I arrived in London fresh and well-rested too. I didn’t have jetlag at all because I slept most of the way. It’s definitely a worthwhile investment if you value comfort.

Now who said you can’t fly luxury on a budget?

MPV, the Alza

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Perodua Alza launched

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Perodua has introduced its newest offering, the Alza, into the market. The little MPV, which wears the catchphrase “car one moment, MPV the next,” was launched earlier this evening by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, at the KL Convention Centre.


The seven-seater is based largely on the Toyota Passo Sette (and Daihatsu Boon Luminas), though the Alza is somewhat longer than the latter, about 50mm more. The vehicle, which weighs in at 1,120-1,150kg, depending on variant, does share some commonality with the Myvi, less than 30% in terms of componentry. Primarily, the largest single area is with the front end of the cabin platform, but this has of course seen a fair amount of adaptation come about for the new vehicle. Elsewhere, it’s all new.

A 1.5l twin-cam pot powers the Alza (the name is derived from a Spanish word meaning “rise”), and the 3SZ-VE puts out 103bhp at 6,000rpm and 136Nm at 4,400rpm of torque. Both five-speed manual and four-speed auto transmissions are available, and at point of launch four variant types will go on sale.

Features include items like steering wheel audio control switches (on the premium version), a four-speaker, CD/MP3/WMA audio system with Bluetooth capability (again, on the premium version only), power windows for all four doors, tilt adjustable steering wheel, a centre mounted meter panel, a foot pedal parking brake, and for the auto version, a gear shifter located on the instrument panel.


There’s plenty to like in the car, especially inside. Granted, the two-tone plastics in the interior still look a little hard to the sight, but the presentation is clean. The 2,520 x 1,415 x 1,310mm (l/w/h) cabin is decently spacious, and the second row seats have separate sliding mechanisms, which allow the seats to be adjusted 150mm. The third row seat is a fold bench, and in all, there’s no shortage of seating arrangements and options.

Six colours are available, and these are Ivory White, the only solid colour in the shade line-up, Glittering Silver, Ebony Black, Medallion Grey, as well as a Pearl White special metallic and a new shade called Classy Purple, which is available only for the Premium variants.

At its current entry point, four variants of the Alza will go on sale, these being the Standard manual (SX) and auto (EZ) and Premium manual (SXi) and auto (EZi). The SX goes for RM55,490 (solid), RM55,990 (metallic) and RM56,190 (special metallic), while the EZ goes for RM58,490 (solid), RM58,990 (metallic) and RM59,190 (special metallic).

As for the SXi, the pricing is RM60,490 (solid), RM60,990 (metallic) and RM61,190 (special metallic), and the EZi is priced at RM63,490 (solid), RM63,990 (metallic) and RM64,190 (special metallic). All these prices are on-the-road, with insurance.

In the first quarter next year, a sportier variant, the Advanced Version, in both manual and auto form, will go on sale. This one will come with a full bodykit made up of front, rear and side skirts as well as a rear spoiler, leather seats, windscreen-mounted 5-inch GPS unit and a 150-degree wide angle reverse camera and special tint film.


This one will be available in three colours, namely Classy Purple, Ebony Black and Ivory White, and pricing for the Advanced Version is RM66,490 (solid) and RM66,990 (metallic) for the manual, while the auto version goes for RM69,490 (solid) and RM69,990 (metallic).

Perodua is hoping to sell about 3,500-4,000 units a month of the Alza, targeted at young families and singles looking to own a ‘big car,’ and given the product’s features and price scope, that target should be easily met.

The rise of a MPV

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How strange it might seem, that while - according to Perodua - the "Malaysian family dynamic has changed significantly over the past decade, with the number of family members shrinking from an average of six to four," the need to be able to carry more people in a car has increased.

Well, that’s what you’d believe, if the ever-increasing number of multi-purpose vehicles that dot the roads is anything to go by. With the allusion to the figure above, one has to wonder why there would be a need for more, to carry less.

Never mind that then. The important thing is that MPVs are an ever growing trend, a lifestyle statement, if you will, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t have enough people to carry them in - the point is that you can carry them when the situation demands it, and in relative comfort and luxury as opposed to a rather limiting sedan.

Versatility, in this case, is the buzzword - and it’s exactly what the new Perodua Alza promises, ‘versatile as you’ being the attached tagline for the compact, seven-seater P5. ‘Car one moment, MPV the next’ is another catchphrase.

And it really is, given its size and kit list, as well as the price point at which it enters the fray. It should suffice for many in terms of town use, offering the right balance of load-carrying ability and natural bulk.

In terms of competition, the Alza goes up against a stablemate of sorts, the Toyota Avanza, which it should undoubtedly take more than a fair amount of sales from, though it will also do battle with something a little larger, in this case Proton’s Exora.

With an external measurement of 4,205 x 1,695 x 1,620mm (l/w/h), the Alza is very much an in-between, correctly tagged as a compact MPV and perfect for those looking for something slightly larger than a standard sedan but not as big as a full-fledged MPV.

It’s based largely on the Toyota Passo Sette (and Daihatsu Boon Luminas), though the Alza is somewhat longer than the latter by about 50mm. The Alza, which weighs in at 1,120-1,150kg, depending on variant, does share some commonality with the Myvi, less than 30% in terms of componentry. Primarily, the largest single area is with the front end of the cabin platform, but this has of course seen a fair amount of adaptation come about for the new vehicle. Elsewhere, it’s all new.

Styling-wise, the lines are clean, streamlined in a safe manner; granted, there’s only that much you can do with a MPV shape in terms of form and flow, so there’s nothing to take away from the vehicle here.

The Alza (the name is derived from a Spanish word meaning “rise”) is powered by a 3SZ-VE 1.5l twin-cam DVVT engine, which puts out 103bhp at 6,000rpm and 136Nm at 4,400rpm of torque. Both five-speed manual and four-speed auto transmissions are available, and at point of launch four variant types will go on sale.

Perodua has given the Alza a fair bit on the features front, and the kit includes items like projector headlamps, a four-speaker, CD/MP3/WMA audio system with Bluetooth capability (on the premium version), steering wheel audio control switches (again, on the premium version), power windows for all four doors, a tilt adjustable steering wheel, a centre mounted Optitron meter panel (with blue illumination for the premium variant, and amber for the standard), a foot pedal parking brake, and for the auto version, a gear shifter located on the instrument panel. The premium version also gets a rear spoiler and front fog lamps.

The Alza rides on MacPherson struts and coils in front and a torsion beam with stabiliser bar at the rear, and sits on eight-spoke 15-inch alloys and 185/55 series rubbers. Brakes are discs in front and drums at the back. On the premium version, you get dual SRS airbags, as well as ABS with EBD and brake assist.

There’s plenty to like inside. Granted, the two-tone plastics in the interior still look a little hard to the sight, but the presentation is clean enough on the whole, and ergonomics are decent. There is one small matter of the panel that houses the three air-conditioner rotary knobs - on the manual, with just these to dot the particular panel in a line, the surface looks strikingly bare, with the result that the light grey finish is exposed as somewhat cheap looking. The auto reduces this acuity and focus, since the knobs are repositioned and the gearshift becomes the primary focal point. Nothing a painted panel add-on can’t address, really.

The 2,520 x 1,415 x 1,310mm (l/w/h) cabin is decently spacious, and the second row seats have separate sliding mechanisms, which allow the seats to be adjusted 150mm. The third row seat is a fold bench, and in all, there’s no shortage of seating arrangements and options, offering 83l of luggage space with all seats up right up to 884l with row two and three folded flat.

As for the third row, it'd have been nice to have separate folding seats here, because while it may be more cost effective to manufacture and implement compared to the former, if you decide to sit six and carry a box, it’s going to be fun. Ditto the metal cabinet that the product shots used to highlight the three-passenger mode ability of the car. Want to seat four in such a case? Well, you can’t.

In use, as was shown during the media preview of the vehicle a couple of weeks ago, the configuration will seat seven easy, though there are some pinches to be had given the size of the vehicle. In terms of leg space, the third row clearance is more than acceptable, with due adjustment of the second row seats. Doing so, with say three tall-ish adults in a line from row one to three does show up one little hiccup, egress can get a little difficult, especially in terms of the getting your legs to clear the door opening. Nonetheless, the Alza does commendably well in its ability to hold seven at a go.

The ride comfort in the third row looks to be alright for short hauls, but can be considered a little bumpy. The take from the second row is good though, and on the whole the ride comfort of the vehicle is decent. Speaking of seats, the front row has what is effectively a seat bridge, a “joiner” of sorts, making the front seats look like a row. Technically, it’s not a seat, but you can imagine a fair number of kids plonking themselves on the ‘middle seat’; from a safety perspective, it could shape up to be less than pretty.

In terms of performance, the 3SZ-VE pot is adequate for hauling the Alza around in town. It isn’t a scorcher, but offers decent pace once the mass gets going. Here, the manual offers more spirit and poke, though the shifter is set a little too low in reach, completely rubbery in feel and the actuation, especially in first gear, is rather notchy. The auto offers a more refined take on things, to the point that you’ll happily let it go along at its own pace. Sprightliness aside, the auto is very much the preferable drivetrain choice.

As for consumption figures, the claimed figures are 12.7km/l for the auto and 15.5km/l for the manual, in mix mode, based on internal testing.

At its current entry point, four variants of the Alza will go on sale, these being the Standard manual (SX) and auto (EZ) and Premium manual (SXi) and auto (EZi). The SX goes for RM55,490 (solid), RM55,990 (metallic) and RM56,190 (special metallic), EZ goes for RM58,490 (solid), RM58,990 (metallic) and RM59,190 (special metallic).

As for the SXi, the pricing is RM60,490 (solid), RM60,990 (metallic) and RM61,190 (special metallic), and the EZi is priced at RM63,490 (solid), RM63,990 (metallic) and RM64,190 (special metallic). All these prices are on-the-road, with insurance.

In the first quarter next year, a sportier variant, the Advanced Version, in both manual and auto form, will go on sale. This one will come with a full bodykit made up of front, rear and side skirts as well as a rear spoiler, leather seats, windscreen-mounted 5-inch GPS unit and a 150-degree wide angle reverse camera and special tint film.

This one will be available in three colours, namely Classy Purple, Ebony Black and Ivory White, and pricing for the Advanced Version is RM66,490 (solid) and RM66,990 (metallic) for the manual, while the auto version will go for RM69,490 (solid) and RM69,990 (metallic). With the exception of the reverse camera, which is installed during the vehicle’s build process, you can go for say, the bodykit, as an option with the other variants, priced accordingly, of course.

Six colours are available for the Alza, and these are Ivory White, the only solid colour in the shade line-up, Glittering Silver, Ebony Black, Medallion Grey, as well as a Pearl White special metallic and a new shade called Classy Purple, which is available only for the Premium variants.

Perodua is hoping to sell about 3,500-4,000 units a month of the Alza, targeted at young families and singles looking to own a ‘big car,’ and given the product’s features and price scope, that target should be easily met. Versatile? Indeed, as much as you want it to be, really; car one moment, MPV the next. Sounds perfect, no?