Parking woe in Jalan Midah 5

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THE two-way traffic in Jalan Midah 5, Taman Midah, Cheras, may be converted into a one-way street. However, the matter is still pending approval from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

The conversion is to resolve the shortage of parking space in the area.

Highly inconvenient: Jalan Midah 5 is a two-way road, and motorists often find it hard to negotiate through due to cars parked illegally along the road.

Due to the shortage, most motorists resort to parking illegally on one side of the road, resulting in a narrow space for motorists from two opposite directions to negotiate through.

Are have been many cases, when motorists do not want to give way to the other, causing friction and tempers to flare.

Taman Midah A Rukun Tetangga president Raymond Ng said he had already seen two fights between drivers along the road.

“One incident was when a lorry and a car wanted to pass through at the same time.

“Because both did not want to give way, the lorry just barged through and hit the car causing a commotion,” said Ng during a site visit to the area.

Present was the DBKL urban transportation department officials together with Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai.

Tan said the DBKL had proposed to turn the street into a one-way street three years ago but the plan was met with objections from shop operators who were worried their businesses would be affected.

“Now we have no choice but to go ahead with the plan. A one-way street will resolve all the problems,” said Tan.

He also asked DBKL to do a comprehensive overall traffic review from Jalan 1 to Jalan 5, adding that there were a lot of banks along these roads, hence the parking problem.

Meanwhile, at a small lane fronting Jalan Midah Besar, the DBKL had already repainted parking bay lines immediately after the site visit.

The lines had earlier faded and became less visible over the years resulting in officers issuing parking summonses to motorists thinking they had parked illegally.

Tan said hopefully the one-way road could be implemented soon provided they were no objections from people in the area.

He also spoke on the need for a police station in Taman Midah, which he claimed was the biggest housing estate in Cheras.

“With a 50,000 population, there is still no police station,” said Tan, adding that the area was listed as a top crime spot.

“In fact, the police had asked the residents to look for a place to house the station, and they found a corner house in Jalan Midah Besar, which the police was supposed to have moved into four months ago,” said Ng.

He added that since the police did moved in, the owner who had initially agreed to rent it out to them was unable to hold on any longer.

When contacted, Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim said what was important to him was the participation of residents in helping to curb crime and also to feed information to the police.

As for the station, Ahmad Amir said they were still waiting for approval from Bukit Aman and asked the residents to be patient.

“Even without the station, I have my men going on their rounds, as well as a 24-hour mobile beat base to serve Taman Midah,” said Ahmad Amir.

RM100 a person to offset carbon emission

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FOR just RM100, one can plant a tree to make a difference in offsetting 20.3kg of carbon emission per annum.

Hence, the call of the Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP) to all planners and communities to do their part in its Pledge and Plant a Tree Programme on Nov 8, which is World Town Planning Day.

Do your part: Norliza showing the registration form for the Pledge and Plant A Tree Programme.

The event is co-organised with the Sepang Municipal Council and the site selected for planting the trees is in Cyberjaya.

According to MIP president Norliza Hashim, tree-planting is one way of making lifestyle changes in the wake of climate change that has become a real issue.

“Cities are between one and two degrees hotter than villages, as the buildings, cars and road surfaces all generate heat,” Norliza said during an interview at the MIP office in Petaling Jaya recently.

“In the case of planning and urbanisation, which relates to our scope of work, people don’t usually see the impact of lack of planning until many years later.

“One challenge faced in planning today is that 75% of Malaysia will become urbanised by 2020.”

She said while it was all about maximisation of land previously, it was now the optimisation of development, which is what sustainability is about.

“MIP promotes the two key terms — sustainability and liveability — which makes a liveable city.

“We started our Sustainable Neighbourhood Index in 2002 to measure how sustainable neighbourhoods are throughout the lifecycle of the community.

“The Green Building Index is only about the building design and what makes it green; at the end of the day, it is the people with their green practices who matter,” Norliza said.

She added that while a particular building could be declared green, the construction procedures might not be so, citing as an example, if earth removed from the site was dumped elsewhere that was not within a certain radius of the site.

The Plant a Tree programme was started last year and MIP is targeting 500 trees to be planted this year.

She said Putrajaya used to be an urban heat island, whereby more area than needed was opened for development, but the heat was gradually decreasing now with 40% of the area comprising parks and water bodies.

“Hopefully, the trees, when they mature, will bring the temperature down even more,” she said.

On what liveability entailed, she said following a roundtable conference with the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and the community last year, she found out that people were only asking for reasonable rights to live in a comfortable and secure environment.

“For example, a barrier-free, universal design for facilities and walkways for both the disabled and able-bodied, which has been successfully implemented in Singapore but has not taken off in Malaysia.

Rising to the challenge

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I WAS never a very athletic boy although I tried to play as many sports as possible when I was younger.

My family, short of my oldest sister, tai che, were pretty sports-centric. Mum and dad were avid sports people and my second sister, ee che, was part of the women’s hockey national backup squad and a field athlete.

One for the album: Cheong (second from right) with fellow Nike+ Human Race 10k Ambassador Challenge personality Rudy from Hitz.fm (in blue), Nike Malaysia staff and other runners after the race in Singapore.

I’m not sure if it was because of this “lineage” that I got a lot of support from my family whenever I wanted to participate in sports. Either that or perhaps, with my obsession with computer and console games, my parents agreed to anything that took me away from the screen and outside of the house.

I remember when I wanted to take up basketball, my parents took me shopping for a basketball hoop. We couldn’t afford that proper set, so dad screwed just the hoop (sans the net) onto one of the old backboards from a shelf at home and fixed it to our roof.

When I wanted to play badminton at a nearby playground, dad allowed me to buy some nice shuttlecocks and even a badminton net for the court there. I even took tennis lessons at one point.

I didn’t stick to those games, though.

The one sport that I really took on for a long period (in secondary school and later in Australia, where I completing my degree) was hockey. Even me getting into it was accidental, in that it was more ego than the actual sport that got me excited.

You see, ee che was one of the top players in the Kuala Lumpur team at that time, and the local print media had written a couple of articles mentioning her. Kuala Lumpur, then, was the team to beat.

I have never actually told anyone this but let’s just say that I wanted a taste of her “fame” so I took the game up.

I wasn’t great at the game but I was decent. Not all my teammates agreed but they envied me because I had all the right equipment - nice hockey sticks, proper shin pads and turf shoes among others. This led to one of my coaches actually commenting (probably trying to save me from taunts), “Mutu tak de takpe, asalkan ada gaya” (Doesn’t matter if you don’t have the skills, as long as you have the style).

In retrospect, I am not sure that was a compliment.

Naturally, I didn’t get my name printed in the papers for being a brilliant athlete. In fact, the only thing I had to show for with my interest in sports was the top 16th medal I received one year in La Salle PJ, where I studied, for the school’s compulsory cross-country event.

That is, until I started running last year. Sure, I am not an elite runner and I would never imagine myself being in contention for one of the top spots. However, because most of the runs I’ve participated in - usually 10km - provide medals to all finishers within a stipulated time, I now hold four medals for running.

Sure, hundreds of others also have the such medals but I think that is the beauty of it. Unfortunately, we live in a country where participating in sports isn’t a big part of our culture.

When I was in school, some of my teachers’ idea of physical education is to throw us a half-pumped football and get us to run around the field.

Dad, who was a physical education teacher in his younger days, would always be mortified when I tell him this because for him, there are so many lessons to be learnt from sports; not just techniques but social skills like teamwork, discipline and mental strength.

By giving out medals to finishers, the organisers of these runs are in a way encouraging more people to engage in the activity. Imagine hundreds or thousands of people running just for the three top prizes, one is basically setting the rest up to lose. But with finisher’s medals, everyone is not only competing with others but also with themselves. This also means that everyone can be a winner.

I was in Singapore last weekend to participate in the Nike+ Human Race 10K. I was also one of the personalities roped in for the Malaysian edition of the race’s Ambassador’s Challenge to encourage people out there to put their shoes on and start running.

There was also a charity element to the run - the team I was part of - the Rojak Runners - won the challenge and Nike has pledged to donate RM2 for each kilometre we completed to the World Wildlife Foundation.

When people tell me I am crazy for running such long distances (hey, at least I’m not doing a marathon!), I tell them that it is not really that tough if only they would try it. Besides that, I find that running allows me to challenge myself constantly and it is great therapy for me to help clear my mind. Not to mention that it helps keep the beer belly at bay.

The Human Race last week marked one year of me taking part in races. Last year’s edition was my first ever race.

I didn’t beat my personal best time but I did get a finisher’s medal. Most importantly, I tried my best, enjoyed myself and had a good time with friends.

Broadband big deal

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CELCOM (Malaysia) Berhad kicks off yet another exclusive mobile broadband discount event named The broadband big deal!

This promotional event will be taking place for three days, until tomorrow, at Boulevard Strip, Plaza Low Yat, Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur from 10am until 11pm.

Good deals: Azlan with vicepresident, Corporate Communications, Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad, Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah.

“There is no better time to run a third installation of one of the biggest mobile broadband discount promotions in town. The biggest challenge among the industry players is how to make broadband affordable for everyone. In line with that, Celcom is responding to the needs of customers through this limited broadband offer.

“We would like to reach out and bring only the best in broadband to them through our network, packages and services.

“Ultimately, Celcom Broadband is giving them the best mobile broadband experience and allowing them to stay connected at an attractive price.” said vice-president for Central Region, Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad Azlan Ismail.

He also added that this year, Celcom Broadband had continued to grow with tremendous improvement and continued to stake its claim as the absolute preferred broadband service provider in Malaysia with an increase in the number of subscribers that would close this quarter at its highest for the region.

Among the many exclusive offerings customers can expect during the Celcom Broadband Big Deal is having the Celcom Broadband service for only RM88 that comes with a Celcom-Vodafone USB Stick upon signing up for the Broadband Basic package at RM89/month or customers can opt for the Broadband Advance Package at RM119/month.

Other Celcom Broadband products are starter packs sold at RM25 with RM20 pre-loaded airtime and credit validity for seven days.

Customers who are looking to own a Blackberry device will be delighted to know that Blackberry bundle packages are available during the three-day promotion. With the recent launch of Blackberry Prepaid, new and existing prepaid customers can buy the new Blackberry curve 8250 for only RM998 with a reload of RM50.

During the promotion period, customers also stand a chance to win lucky draw prizes worth thousands of ringgit upon signing up with any Celcom Broadband package.

Celcom has lined up some attractive prizes for the draw, including a Kriss Modenas motorbike worth RM3,500, a branded laptop with USB stick modem and a LCD television set. Every new broadband subscriber will be entitled to a lucky dip prize for the thre-day promotion.

Sizzling start for a spicy portal

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EVERYTHING at the official launch of The Daily Chilli, The Star’s latest online news portal, reinforced its “spicy” role of providing a different kind of news than the usual.

Listen up: Hii speaking to the guests during the event.

From the entertainment to the 300-strong guests comprising bigwigs from the corporate, media and entertainment industry, all were facets of the word hot.

“As the name indicates, the portal is all about what’s hot and current.

“The portal gives access to information in a package that’s different from what other portals provide,” Star Publications (M) Bhd deputy executive chairman Datuk Clement Hii said.

He added that the portal fulfilled visitors need to know and see more than what was usually reported.

The portal was launched to capture a younger audience with human interest stories and hot-off-the-press gossip that they prefer.

Since the portal went online about a month ago, stories like a polygamy club wooing Indonesians to the teary episode in Amber Chia’s life to local and foreign celebrity gossip have helped the portal gain 1.5 million pageviews.

The launch held at The Star’s multimedia hub Studio V at 1 Utama also featured some pole and belly dancing.

Great night: (From left) Singer-songwriter and television host Hannah Tan, Star Publications chief executive officer and group managing director Datin Linda Ngiam and actor Tony Eusoff were all smiles at the launch.

Performances were also given by One-In-A-Million season 2 first runner-up Shila and artiste Reshmonu.

Celebrity guests like Amber Chia, Miss Malaysia Universe 2004 Andrea Fonsenka, Jaclyn Victor, Tony Eusoff and others were also put in the hot seat onstage by RedFM deejays JD and Dilly who interviewed them about the portal.

As the guests left, they were handed a goodie bag that contained a few fresh red chillies and a bottle of chilli sauce, among others.

Relaxed: The Star’s group chief editor Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai (left) and Nestle communications director Khoo Kar Khoon sharing a light moment during the event.

Club treats 120 children to Deeparaya feast and goodies

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IT WAS an afternoon of fun and food for some 120 children who attended the Deeparaya Open House 2009 hosted by Tropicana Golf & Country Resort Berhad (TGCR) at its clubhouse.

The children and orphans came from three homes, namely Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti (PDK) Selayang, Association of Social Services and Community Development of Gombak District and Rumah Anak Yatim Darul Kifayah, Gombak.

Happy fans: The children from Rumah Anak Yatim Darul Kifayah, Gombak with Aishah of Akademi Fantasia 7 (seated, centre).

Personnel and administration manager N. Muthu Muniyaandy said TGCR had been hosting such functions for underprivileged children for more than 10 years.

“We host an open house every year during Hari Raya and Deepavali. It’s our way of extending festive cheer to the less fortunate,” he said.

The children were treated to a delicious high tea buffet treat by TGCR that featured a spread of lemang, rendang, ketupat, satay, fried rice and noodles, as well as ABC for dessert.

Muthu and TGCR security manager Ismail Saleh also handed out duit raya and goodie bags comprising stationery items, chocolates, drinks and cereal to the children.

The highlight of the event was the performance by three artistes - Farah Asyikin of Malaysian Idol, Aishah of Akademi Fantasia 7 and Ika of Akademi Fantasia 6.

The children had a great time as they sang along to their favourite tunes, while the braver ones even went onstage to dance with the singers.

Jaw-dropping experience for audience at Pole Idol 2009

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WHEN you think of pole dance, lean and trim women come to mind but it was evident at Pole Idol 2009 that even men and those above 50 can take to the pole as well.

In fact, the grand finals of the competition opened with an atypical performance courtesty of The Hanging Garden and Jitterbugs Swingapore featuring a male pole artiste.

Confident dancer: Pole Idol 2009 grand champion Naoko Enomoto was graceful and ever so flexible on the pole.

The curtain raiser proved a point, breaking the stereotype notion that the dance is limited to women, hopefully to change the negative perception of pole dance, from sleaze to art.

Out of the 11 participants were two guys, 18-year-old Adam Tan and Loh Wei Jun, 30.

To showcase her students in the above 50 category, The Hanging Garden owner/ operator Maple Loo invited her Singaporean students from Jitterbugs Swingapore who performed with ease before an amazed audience.

During the intermission, The Ladybirds comprising Tan Li Leng, Ong Mei Yin and Annie performed beautifully to a Latin number with a decent amount of inverted tricks in the routine.

Needless to say, the participation of guys in the competition was welcomed by cheering women while female participants naturally attracted a horde of male admirers.

Pole dancing as a form of exercise is certainly catching on with city folks judging from the number of dance schools offering the artform previously linked to striptease acts.

One for the guys: Adam Tan showing that guys can do it too.

And the inception of Pole Idol this year gives pole dancers the chance to look forward to a platform where they can showcase their mastery of the danceform.

With four poles stuck firmly in the middle of NEO Global Tapas Restaurant and Luxe Lounge in Jalan Sultan Ismail, the audience marvelled at how participants slid up and down the pole, twirled and held to a position high above the ground doing splits, 90 and 180 degree poses and showed off their flexibility.

While the ladies took to the pole dressed in two pieced sequined and bejwelled outfits, second runner-up Adam Tan, 18, in his laid back hiphop style looked comfortable swinging on the pole with shoes to match.

Ironically, Tan was the top Malaysian pole dancer, winning RM1,000 and a hamper from Tripo-X plus a voucher from A Cut Above.

Chin Jin Jin, 26, was recognised for her masquerade type costume attaining the Best Costume prize of RM300.

Chia Wei Hong, 49, blew minds and inspired many with her Big Spender routine which was executed with such strength, grace and enjoyment.

Well-toned: Almost all the Pole Idol participants were welltoned and lean.

She bagged the Best Performance prize of RM500.

Petite Japanese contestant Naoko Enomoto, 29, an IT engineer from Singapore whose grace and agility was well noted, was named Pole Idol 2009 grand champion.

Her big win came with RM3,000 cash, a vacation at the boutique property JapaMala Resort in Tioman Island, a complimentary workshop package conducted by Bobbi from the Bobbi Pole Studio, Australia, at the upcoming Asian Pole Summit in Singapore and a hamper by Tripo-X and a voucher from A Cut Above.

Interestingly, Enomoto’s foray into pole dance is fairly recent but she attributes her 15 years as a ballet dancer that helped her steal the show.

“I also learn contemporary dance and I decided to take up pole dance after watching a video of World Pole Dance Champion 2009 Felix Cane in action,” said Enomoto.

Loo who was awestruck by Enomoto’s audition video had waited with anticipation to see her perform.

“She’s a fantastic and beautiful pole dancer, her execution style was so clean and effortless, strong yet soft and she understands grace.

“It’s phenomenal that she’s been learning for only six months!

“It takes incredible talent and discipline to be good in such a short time, she’s a real star,” Loo said with admiration.

Australian Samantha Lee, 27, who is a dance instructor teaching jazz, hip hop and salsa in Singapore was the first runner-up.

Lee went home with RM1,500 and a hamper from Tripo-X plus a voucher from A Cut Above.

Both Samantha and Adam have been pole dancers for one and half years.

Naoko will be the Malaysian representative to the Asian Pole Summit in April 2010.

Pole Idol 2009 was fully sponsored by NEO Global Tapas Restaurant & Luxe Lounge in collaboration with Tamarind restaurants, JapaMala Resort Tioman Island, A Cut Above Hair Salon, Mireica Nutri-Peau and Tripo-X.

Grandmama’s serves old favourites in a cosy and traditional ambience

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GRANDMAMA’S is the latest addition to the 6th Floor of Pavillion. The restaurant offers cozy boots outside and chic retro fittings inside, with an overall homely feel and it also boasts a large open space inside the mall.

This is a place that embraces tradition and thrives on the family ties, and it certainly shows in the food.

Good to the last bite: The irresistable Sang Har Hor Fun.

At Grandmama’s, what you get is “Cooking with more loving”.

The family tree is not complicated, and what we see here is the result of three generations of experience in the restaurant business, filtering down from the original Grandmama, Madam Kwan.

Independent of Madam Kwan’s but offering similar dishes, Grandmama’s ambassador is a well-known face in the music industry; the grandson, Lau Hoe Yin aka DJ Blink.

We had the pleasure of being looked after by younger sister Faye Lau, who returned a few months ago from Britain to join in the family business.

Together with her Hong Kong-born father Lau Wah Chim and mother Shirley Lou, co-owner who oversees the restaurant, they strive to offer excellent service, affordable prices and most importantly, scrumptious food, all under one roof.

Let’s talk about Grandmama’s signature dishes.

The Sang Har Hor Fun was a great start to the meal, setting the bar high with large, succulent freshwater prawns atop a generous portion of homemade flat rice noodles.

What makes this dish so special and sought after is the flavour of the rich gravy, creamy peach in colour from the roe in the prawn head.

It will set you back RM19, and you can also try the more familiar Sang Har Meen with crispy fried noodles at RM29.

Next was Grandmama’s Signature Beef Kueh Teow.

This was impossible to resist. Served piping hot with a heady scent of ginger and scallions, laden with tender slices of beef coated in a thick, egg based sauce the dish comes at a reasonable price of RM14.90.

A speciality that is recommended for groups of four or more is the Curry or Assam Garoupa Fish Head.

A sizeable portion of fresh, meaty garoupa fish head lurks among a mix of ladies fingers, tomatoes, onions, long beans, brinjal and beancurd.

What I liked about this dish was that you can opt for the curry or the assam gravy, or you could mix both for a robust coconut gravy that’s balanced with a hint of sourness.

If you love fish head but are dining alone, try the Fish Head Noodles with deep fried fish in a blend of tomato and salted vegetable soup, topped with fried shallots and scallions.

Grandmama’s also offers Malaysian favourites like the succulent Chicken and Beef Satay with a spicy peanut sauce dip, ketupat, chunky cucumber and onion.

You could team steamed rice with dishes like Black Pepper sliced Beef, Chicken Curry, Beef Rendang and even Sambal Petai Prawns.

I particularly enjoyed a dish called ‘4 Beauties’, based on a legendary tale from ancient China, showcasing the Long Bean, Ladies Finger, Brinjal and Petai in a spicy sauce.

Other local favourites like Kai Lan with Salted Fish and Braised Beancurd with Minced Meat are also featured in Grandmama’s menu.

Curious when I spotted Escargot (snails) on the menu, I asked Faye the significance of the Grandmama’s Looks West section on the menu.

It offers classics like Prawn Cocktail, Grilled Chicken and Spaghetti Bolognese.

“This is the food that we know. It’s the food we eat, cook, and sharing it with you,” she said.

Well, I’m glad they did share it with us, because the Escargot baked in butter sauce and fresh herb puree was simply divine. One of the best I’ve tried, and this was the last place I would have expected to find it.

For a sweet and cooling dessert, I recommend the Coconut Pudding. Savour a creamy coconut jelly served in the coconut shell, and scoop out the sweet young flesh once you get to the bottom. Don’t miss the light and fluffy Banana Fritters and the thick and creamy Cendol with sticky Gula Melaka, which JD opted to have as an appetizer instead of dessert!

You will feel right at home at Grandmama’s. No rules, just hearty, quality food cooked with love.

Eating out

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Still Waters at Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur will feature an all time favourite with Japanese food connoisseurs, the salmon trout in November. Salmon trout has a mild, delicate taste. Its shape is a bit leaner than salmon but tastes similar. Japanese chef Alex will dish out variations of the salmon trout preparing sushi, salmon and avocado salad, salmon motoyaki (oven baked salmon with morels and yogurt) to salmon teppanyaki. The masu a la carte dishes will be available during lunch and dinner, priced from RM18 to RM48. For reservations.

Highly-prized turbot fish delicacy

November’s catch of the month at West Lake Garden Chinese Restaurant, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, is the intensely flavourful Turbot Fish. Indulge in Chinese master chef Chan’s Turbot Fish specialities from Nov 3 to 12 for lunch and dinner. Touted as a highly valued sea fish, the scaleless turbot is characterised by an asymmetrical, flattened body with both eyes on the upper side of the body. It swims on one side only and is found primarily in sandy shallow waters throughout the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the North Atlantic. With lean, firm and flavourful flesh, this exquisite flatfish retains its appearance when cooked. Steaming is the perennial favourite way to enjoy fish dishes, chef Chan recommends Steamed Turbot Fish with Superior Soy Sauce or Steamed Turbot Fish with Preserved Vegetables. There’s also Steamed Turbot Fish topped with Crispy Ginger. For a slight tinge of piquancy, the Steamed Turbot Fish with Chopped Chilli is certain to stimulate your appetite or even Steamed Turbot Fish in Thai Style. The slightly spicy and sour Steamed Turbot Fish in Korean Style is yet another excellent pick. Prices for the whole fish range from RM10++ per 100gm while a la carte servings of fillet dishes are priced at RM45++ per portion.

Irresistible hairy crabs

The once a year delicacy, hairy crabs from Shanghai will be on the menu at Imperial Rama, Genting Palace, Elite Palace and Happy Valley Seafood Restaurant from Nov 1 to 15. Plan a trip up to Genting to enjoy this irresistible fresh hairy crab gastronomy experience where diners can look forward to a variety of delicious hairy crab dishes. Hairy crabs earned its name from its hairy appearance and are available for two months in a year during winter. The best hairy crabs from Yang Cheng Lake, near Shanghai province will be directly flown for the promotion. Try the Hairy Crabs Steamed in “Zi Su Ye” which brings out the sweet and succulent hairy crab meat taste. Taste the sweetest crab meat with abundance of creamy roe that will slowly melt in your mouth. Other must-try dishes are Steamed Hairy Crab Meat and Roe Served with Chicken Meat and Beancurd, Steamed Hairy Crab Meat and Roe accompanied with Duo Vegetables. The promotion is available for lunch and dinner.

Bank helps to refurbish playground for home

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THE children at Rumah Kanak-Kanak Tengku Budriah now have a refurbished playground, thanks to Maybank and its employees’ contribution.

The playground was jointly launched by Maybank president and CEO Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar and Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) Malaysia director-general Datuk Meme Zainal Rashid at a ceremony held at the home recently.

A good deed: Meme (second from right) and Abdul Wahid (right) with some of the JKM and Maybank representatives at the refurbished playground.

Also present were senior management and employees of JKM and Maybank and residents of the home.

The cost of refurbishment, which was RM17,000, was raised through a donation drive by Maybank as well as through charity sales organised by the Basel II Division of the bank.

The home is one of the seven homes adopted by Maybank under its “Cahaya Kasih” Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

Under this programme, employees of Maybank Group spend time with the children each month to help them in personal development as well as support them through various activities such as tuition, sports and recreation to guide and inspire them to achieve their highest potential.

In his speech, Abdul Wahid said the event was part of the bank’s efforts to bring festive cheer to the residents of the home.

“Our CSR programme involves volunteerism among our employees who want to make a change in the lives of the less fortunate,” he said.

At the event, the bank also hosted a Hari Raya party for the children and presented them with goodies.

Later the bank’s in-house band, Maystripes put up a good performance for the visitors.

Cookies & Cream in your glass of milk

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DRINKING milk became an exciting and yummy experience a couple of years back with the introduction of Sipahh milk-flavouring straws.

And, it has become even more fun now that Sipahh has launched its fifth flavour — Cookies & Cream.

Adding to the milk-drinking experience: Sazzy holding packs of the new Cookies & Cream milk-flavouring straws at the launch at Camp5 in 1 Utama Shopping Centre. With her is Melssen.

Distributed exclusively in Malaysia by MunchWorld Marketing Sdn Bhd, the straws turn plain white milk into a fun-filled and flavourful beverage that combines deliciousness and healthy goodness.

“Most people are already aware of the benefits of Sipahh straws that include converting non-milk lovers into ardent fans of one of the healthiest drinks ever,” said Bas Melssen, commercial director of Unistraw International Ltd, the Australian inventor of the straw.

“And, with our latest addition to Sipahh’s current delectable line-up, we hope to encourage kids and adults alike to enjoy the wholesomeness of milk even more.”

Sipahh’s Cookies & Cream straw adds to the existing four great flavours — Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana and Caramel.

“Globally, we have a total of 11 flavours and we hope to introduce Sipahh’s full range to Malaysia in the near future,” Melssen added.

The Cookies & Cream flavour was launched recently at Asia’s largest indoor rock-climbing facility, Camp5 in 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya, with local celebrity and avid rock climber Sazzy Falak kicking off the event.

“This innovation promotes healthy living by giving you that push to consume more of the goodness milk offers,” Melssen said.

“This in turn will result in more Malaysians improving their level of well-being, making them strong and fit enough to enjoy extreme sports like rock-climbing.”

Containing only natural colours with no artificial flavours, no preservatives, no gluten and low sugar content, each straw flavours 200-250ml of cold milk. With its patented design, the special filters at both ends of the straw and extraordinary UniBeads allow Sipahh to “wake up” milk in ways never known before.

Moreover, Sipahh can be used by those who are lactose-intolerant as the straws are suitable for use with all types of cow milk alternatives, including soy drinks and rice milk.

All you have to do is ‘Rip’ off the wrapper, ‘Dip’ your Sipahh straw into a glass of cold milk, ‘Sip’ away to your heart’s content and let Sipahh “wake up” your milk as you sit back and say, “Ahh, I never knew milk could taste so good!”

Sipahh straws are available at all Giant, Cold Storage, Carrefour, Jaya Jusco, Econsave and The Store outlets. They come in two pack sizes – in fives that retail at RM3.50, and 10s at RM6.50.

Sipahh is an Australian innovation that was launched four years ago and is currently enjoyed in over 65 countries. It has been in the Malaysian market for the last two years.

Comedy duo blend entertainment and community service

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Comedy Court once again brought cheer far and wide as they channelled part of the proceeds from their latest production, the 1Kind Show to Grace Community Services.

The non-profit charitable organisation cares for orphans, the elderly, destitute, homeless, and unwed mothers.

The all-new 1Kind Show, which ran for 15 performances at Auditorium Tan Sri Dato’ KR Soma in Wisma Tun Sambanthan, collected a total of RM74,000 for the charity.

Of this amount, the funds consisted of part proceeds from 13 performances and total proceeds of two special charity performances of the show.

Allan Perera, half of the Comedy Court duo said, “We make it a practice to tie-up with charities for our public performances as it is important to give back to society using the skills we have, in this case, raising funds by making people laugh.”

Indi Nadarajah, the other half of the comedic pair, added: “We were moved by Grace Community Services’ tireless outreach work, especially the centre’s ‘Foodbank’ which feeds close to 2,000 people a day, so we were inspired to raise funds in support of their cause.”

Rev. Dr Henry K. Pillai, founder of Grace Community Services, who accepted the donation, said: “We are touched by the support shown by Allan and Indi for our work and for their contribution.

“They are special people, who warm the hearts of audiences with laughter and help bring hope to the marginalised with their constant support of charity.”

To contribute to Grace Community Services or to find out about volunteering, information and contact details visit their website at http://www.gracecommunityservices.my/gracecommunity/default.asp

People who were unable to get tickets for the 1Kind Show can look forward to a re-run in the near future.

Just look out for announcements in the media or keep an eye on Comedy Court’s website at http://www.comedycourt.com.my/index_00.html

Kiwanis members gather for installation night

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THE Kiwanis Club of Petaling Jaya held its 26th Installation of Board of Directors Night at a restaurant in Petaling Jaya recently.

It was graced by Kiwanis Malaysia Governor Doris Choo, Lt Governor Datin Jennifer Fernandez, club president Yap Yun Fatt, secretary Eugene Leow and members.

Yap thanked his committee members for electing him as the president of the 2009 to 2010 term.

“The Kiwanis Club of Petaling Jaya has this tradition of having a board of directors to work for a two-term office. Almost all the previous board of directors have continued to serve for the current term,” said Yap.

He added that last year, the club embarked on many meaningful projects like the fourth charity bazaar last December which raised RM50,000 and was channelled to the National Autism Society of Malaysia (Nasom) and Thalassemia Society of University Hospital (Thasuh), and a small Chinese New Year party at Angels House in January this year, in which RM1,000 was donated to the home.

“Then on July 11 this year, we organised our charity golf tournament, of which the proceeds raised will be presented to both Nasom and Thasuh,” said Yap.

A mock cheque for RM30,000 was then presented to the NGOs. Nasom chairman Teh Beng Choon and Thasuh representative Yong Yuen Fatt received the cheque.

As guests tucked into Chinese courses, the club also took the opportunity to present a Braille typewriter to a blind girl.

“This is the second Braille typewriter we are donating. The first was to Lim Pei Yim, 12.

He added that for the upcoming term, the projects include continuing the partnership with Nasom and Thasuh, small projects like visiting and rendering help to orphanages, recruitment drive and sponsoring a new club.

Yap said the club had also started its own blog at: http://kiwanispj.blogspot.com.

A boost for blood bank

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HOTEL Equatorial Kuala Lumpur organised a blood donation campaign and free health checks at its premises recently.

The drive was made possible with the cooperation of National Blood Bank. The campaign received overwhelming response from the hotel’s employees and management.

Caring lot: Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur employees donating blood.

They consider it a community service and donated blood voluntarily.

“Not only does this help to replenish the blood bank, this is also an opportunity to increase awareness on the need for blood to save lives,” said Hotel Equatorial’s Training & Development Manager Kemmy Tan.

In addition to the campaign, health checks like Body Mass Index test, Biological Age/Pre-diabetes screening and blood pressure readings were carried out by Abbott Laboratories (M) Sdn Bhd.

A health booth was also set-up with health information to create awareness on living a healthy lifestyle.

To top it all, a health talk on “Health Risks of Overweight & Obesity” and “Diabetics Disease and its prevention” was conducted by Dr Mohd Ramzan Abdul Gafoor Khan.

Better comfort for women

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INTIMATE apparel brand Triumph introduced its latest edition called the Triumph Fusion range.

Aimed at looking good and feeling better, the new range offers comfort with seamless bonding technology where different parts of the bra can be joined without sewing.

Wide range: Some of the media representatives getting a feel of the new Triumph Fusion collection.

The material is soft and stretchable, featuring microfibre with elegant satin finish and smooth cup.

It comes in various cuts and colours ranging from romantic pastel hues of pink, green, blue and yellow to black.

Women can even opt for the Maximiser cut for a push-up effect or the butterfly cup that not only minimises side bulges but creates a more centralised cleavage.

During the launch, media representatives went through a fitting session to get a personal experience of the new range.

The range feels soft and lighter on the skin while giving a good shape and contour to the body.

Body Fashion Malaysia head of brand management Evelyn Foo said the personalised session would allow the media people to experience the products themselves

Sweet shades: Triumph’s latest range called Triumph Fusion.

“The new range is about rediscovering intimate apparel.

“We have created Triumph Fusion to allow women to relive the ease of being in their own skin without having to sacrifice support and shape.

“We have different cups to suit different bodies,” she said.

The Triumph Fusion will be available at major department stores soon.

Cobra 10s on a smaller scale

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COMBINED Old Boys Rugby Association (Cobra), despite the prevailing economic situation, have decided to organise the HSBC- Cobra 10s at the Jalan Utara ground in Petaling Jaya on Nov 14 and 15.

Cobra president Datuk Krishnan Tan said the economic situation had affected sponsorship contributions.

Firm support: (From left): Carlsberg Malaysia’s representative Dunstan Cheng, Krishnan Tan, Cobra president Datuk Azmi Khalid, McAllister and IJM Corporation Bhd’s Teh Kean Ming at the sponsorship ceremony.

“But we are committed towards continuing the tradition started about 40 years ago.

“Considering that the event is a highlight of the Malaysian rugby calendar, Cobra decided to go ahead and organise the 10s.

“We are grateful to HSBC for joining us as the main sponsor for the fifth consecutive year. We are confident that the 10s will be an exciting and interesting affair,’’ said Krishnan at the sponsorship presentation ceremony.

The other sponsors are IJM Corporation and Carlsberg.

HSBC Bank Malaysia Global Banking managing director Malachy McAllister said their support was in line with the financial institution’s initiatives for sports development programmes.

“I was able to witness the 10s last year and it was an interesting atmosphere,’’ said McAllister.

A total of 16 teams, including six foreign teams, will be battling for the coveted Hui Weng Choon Trophy.

After the preliminary rounds, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals for the Cup competition while the third and fourth placed teams will contest in the Plate category.

Cobra are the defending champions. In the final last year, Cobra defeated New Zealand’s North Harbour 12-5.

The grouping

Group A: Penguins International, Sabah Eagles, ASAS, KRFC

Group B: NS Wanderers, NNK, RSC, Terengganu

Group C: Borneo Eagles, Swanbourne Nomads, Indian RU, JLJ

Group D: Cobra, Royal Thai Navy, FARS, Kedah RU

Veteran shuttler wins a gold, silver and bronze in World Masters Games

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VETERAN shuttler Loong Chee Meng emerged as the best achiever in the competitive (Grade-B) category individual events for the Kelab Century Paradise (KCP) side at the World Masters Games at Sydney in Australia recently.

Besides forging a winning partnership with Debbie Lorenzo from the United States to capture the gold medal in the 55 to 59 years mixed doubles, the 59-year-old businessman added another silver and bronze medal to his collection.

Fruitful outing: Loong (left) sharing a light moment with his team mates (from second left) Perez, G. Subramaniam, Woo, Lim and Ang.

Loong teamed up with Chua Kok Keong to settle for the second spot in the 55 to 59 years men’s doubles category as well as finishing third in the men’s singles of the similar age-group.

Loong admitted that Lady Luck was on their side in the tussle for supremacy in the mixed doubles encounter.

“We lost to the pair (Jenniffer Simms-John Morrish) and finished second in the group to advance to the semi-finals. Although we took the first game against them in the final, they fought back to force the match down to the wire. We knew that we should dominate the front court because the male opponent (Morrish) on the other side had better reach in dictating the attacking pace from the back court. We were glad that our plan in opting to place the shots away from him paid dividends,” he said.

It was also a taxing experience for Loong to feature in all three individual events for five consecutive days.

“The climate was cooler compared with the hot and humid tropical weather here. I did not encounter any major muscle pull. But, I felt the fatigue and it affected my movement on the court as the tournament progressed,” he added.

In their debut at the Games, other players in the KCP line-up based at the KKlub in Taman Malawati also delivered a gold medal, a silver and two bronze medals in the B-Grade categories.

Chua was part of the victorious team in the mixed team competition of the Grade-B section in the 40 to 44 years age group and also combined with Jane Woo for the bronze medal in the 55 to 59 years mixed doubles.

Woo picked up another bronze medal (55 to 59 years) in the women’s singles contest.

In addition, the combination Allan Ang-J.R. Khoo finished second in the 45 to 49 years men’s doubles.

It was an upsetting climax for the KCP45 side when they failed in their bid to overcome Fitness 4 Life, Victoria for the third spot in the B-Grade mixed team event.

In the tie decided over nine matches (three men’s doubles, three women’s doubles and three mixed doubles), both team were levelled at 4-4 before the encounter ended in an abrupt fashion. They were only given three hours to complete the playoff.

In the final match of the tie, KCP’s mixed doubles partnership of Ang-Adeline Ong came back from a poor start losing 8-15 in the first game to take the lead in the second game 14-13. But, the tie was decided on countback in their opponents’ favour.

Among the players in the KCP45 line-up were Khoo, Yap Kim Chung, Alphonso Perez, Lim Poh Lee, Lisa Ochs and Laurie Chow.

For the next Games scheduled in Italy in 2013, they are aiming to field a stronger team for a more impressive campaign.

Team captain Allan Ang said they needed to strengthen their team with more competent women’s representatives.

“We still fancy our chances in doing well in the mixed team event. We could have done better with a more thorough preparation towards the Games,” he added.

UPM Sports Complex gets the nod

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THE UPM Sports Complex in Seri Kembangan is expected to be the home for the Mizuno Wave Run.

The organisers, World of Sport, are happy with the positive feedback from the participants for this year’s event held at the complex recently.

Proud day: Sieh (centre) with the winners in the women’s Open category.

World of Sports sales and marketing manager Glenny Da Costa said the venue was ideal for the run which had attracted about 4,500 participants.

“The previous runs were held at Padang Merbok but we found the place not conducive with the increasing number of participants. We would like to thank UPM for playing an important part in making the run a big success. They had given us excellent support,’’ said Glenny.

However, Glenny admitted that there were some shortcomings but was confident of overcoming them during next year’s event.

Veteran runner Yee Sze Mun, who had taken part in the Ironman in Hawaii, said he enjoyed the run and the route was quite interesting.

Another participant Uu Ban Leong said there was lack of parking facilities at the complex.

“Many had to park quite far away to get to the starting point.

“But the starting and finishing centre were appropriate and not confusing.

Time to eat: The participants having watermelon after completing the run.

“I would certainly return for next year’s run,’’ said Uu.

Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, who makes it a point to be part of the run every year, said the event was well organised.

“There is no cash prize but the run managed to get a big number. The OCM will continue to support the run,’’ said Sieh.

RM38,000 for two heart patients

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TWO patients from the National Heart Institute (IJN) received a contribution of RM38,000 for their heart surgeries from the GPL Group.

The group, who helped raise funds for the IJN Foundation, presented the contribution to Nur Aeinshah Kamarudin, two, and Siow Chee Siong, 16, at the Melor ward recently.

The two are set to undergo operations on Nov 16 (Nur Aeinshah) and Nov 21 (Siow) at IJN. They will receive RM20,000 and RM18,000 respectively.

Siow’s mother Took Pee Leng, 41, from Seremban, said the money would help ease the family’s burden.

“We are very happy with the contribution. My husband has a small business with no steady income and I no longer work,” she said.

GPL group director Datuk Douglas Cheng said that they were pleased to support more people.

“We have supported one person previously and now we have two. We hope to support three the next time,” he said.

Cheng also hoped that with their contribution, the children would be able to lead a normal life.

IJN foundation fundraising chairman Datin Julini Mohd Ali thanked GPL for the help.

“The money will be used for the two patients who both have holes in the heart,” she said

Julini also said that the foundation needs more than RM1.5mil to help poor and needy heart patients receive treatment at IJN.

“This year, we have spent RM1.3mil for 52 patients and 22 are children.

“We hope more organisations and corporate bodies will come forward to help us,” she said.

After the event, the children at the ward received gifts and were treated to a magic show.

Sharifah Zuriah brings to life a unique combination of Khat and calligraphy

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THE Pelita House of Art is hosting the In Search of Harmony exhibition by visual artist Sharifah Zuriah Aljeffri.

Sharifah Zuriah, who is known for using the Chinese painting technique in producing artworks, brings a unique combination of Khat and calligraphy to life in the exhibition.

The fusion of colours and image symbolises how unity can bring peace and harmony in life.

Official opening: Marina launching the exhibition as Sharifah Zuriah looks on.

The solo exhibition was opened by Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir recently.

The exhibition showcases 27 pieces featuring Chinese ink on paper.

Taking inspiration from the Holy Quran, Sharifah Zuriah lets her brush soar and dance in a motion that responds to the meaning of the words depicted in the piece.

According to the artist, she started painting the pieces in January but then left it aside before resuming her work in August.

“I am not a calligrapher; what I do is paint. It is free flow and does not follow calligraphy rules,” she stressed.

Sharifah Zuriah said that when she was doing the paintings, she started thinking about how God had created mankind

“Yet mankind goes against what God has created, like the environment, causing climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer.

Free flow: The piece titled ‘In Search of Harmony 26’.

“Another aspect was the recent cow head incident, which was very disrespectful to the Hindus.

“We should embrace culture and other people’s differences,” she said.

Sharifah Zuriah hoped that those who saw her works would respond to how she had painted them.

“I hope it makes them start to think about harmony and co-existing with people from different cultures,” she said.

Time and the green message

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THIS year’s A Journey Through Time III will be of everything luxurious, glistening and green.

Famed as Asia’s largest deluxe watch and jewellery showcase, the retail-focused exhibition by Starhill Gallery and Tourism Malaysia is going to be held from Dec 3 to 13 at Starhill Gallery.

It is specially themed Time & the Environment to spread the green message.

All smiles: Dr Ng (left) and Yeoh signing the plaque at the press conference for ‘A Journey Through Time 2009.’

“Time and elements of the environment are fundamentally intertwined. But the environment is showing signs of buckling under the strain of sustaining mankind because nothing but time is infinite.

“We felt it is timely that we should use this event to help generate more awareness on climate change,” YTL Corporation group managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh said.

There will be a special talk titled Time & the Environment Insights on Dec 9 where horological experts and champions of the environments will present a series of topics relating to the environment and the luxury acquisition industry.

Describing the luxury items as heirlooms to be passed down for generations, Yeoh highlighted the fact that the automatic watches (and bicycles) are the only machines that do not require fossil or fuels to power them.

To name a few, brands like Breguet, Bedat & Co, Romain Jerome, Richard Mille, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Mouawad will be dazzling the visitors with their finest and most innovative creations.

Adding glitz and glamour to the 11-day showcase are the world-class entertainments from Datin Seri Tiara Jacequelina, Stephen Rahman-Hughes, Maria Cordero, Dennis Lau, Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, Ning Baizura and Katherine Jenkins.

Cordero, who was present at the press conference alongside Ning and Lau, delighted the guests with her impromptu rendition of a short snippet of Paul Anka’s Times of Your Life.

She cheekily altered the lyrics to include words like Malaysia, Truly Asia and A Journey Through Time, drawing applause and smiles from the crowd.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, in her speech, said the fair was in line with the ministry’s continuous efforts in promoting the rich flora and fauna in our 150 million year old forests.

“Our national eco-tourism policy is that no more than 50% of the country’s landscape will be developed in order to retain the nature. The duty to protect the earth is on every one of us,” she said.

Store pays tribute to senior citizens

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IN conjunction with the International Senior Citizens Day celebrated in October, Guardian organised a fair themed “Wellness For All” at the Giant Hypermarket in Bukit Tinggi, Klang.

It paid tribute to senior citizens and members of the Guardian Golden Privilege card.

The annual event aims to create greater awareness on how senior citizens can pursue an active and fun-filled life even during their golden years by taking responsibility for their own health.

A light moment: A team from the National Kidney Foundation conducting health checks for the seniors

At the launching ceremony, Guardian’s chief operating officer Loi Liang Tok presented a RM8,000 cheque to Persatuan Kebajikan Rumah Grace Klang vice-chairman Roy Tan.

It is a home for homeless and destitute women, namely elderly widows.

Guardian advocates giving back to the community and every year it contributes to an organisation that is dedicated to the care of the less fortunate and elderly.

“We will continue to raise funds for worthy causes while promoting a healthy lifestyle among our customers.

“We believe that we must help spread public awareness towards sustaining a healthy living and making it an integral part of our daily lives through our wellness campaigns. We strive to inculcate the importance of attaining a better quality of life for all Malaysians irregardless of age and gender,” Loi said.

Green day fun with kampung games

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A SIMPLE game like dragging someone along the track on an upih (dried palm leaf) sent every one into fits of laughter.

As its supporters cheered the winning team enthusiastically, the other team, whose passenger had fallen off the upih, could not stop laughing out loud.

The coconut bowling game was equally popular; the participants were seen throwing the coconuts with all their might to knock down the make-shift pins at the other end of the lane.

Putting market waste to good use: An IOI employee explaining the usage of garbage enzyme to an interested participant.

Teng teng, on the other hand, had children hopping within the frames on one leg to retrieve their rubber seeds.

These games, among others, were a refreshing change from the computer games to which most children are addicted nowadays.

They were part of the activities held at the Go Green event at Puteri 10 of Bandar Puteri Puchong on Sunday morning, inviting the participants to reminisce the kampung games of yesteryear.

Organic way: House of Joy showcased its Misai Kucing planted with worm castings as fertiliser

Organised by IOI Properties concurrently at three IOI townships, the event was initiated in conjunction with the World Habitat Day.

IOI Group legal and general operations general manager Lee Yoke Har said IOI intended to educate the communities through the green event that was spiced up with fun elements.

“Everyone can contribute in a small way, and collectively, the effect will be impactful,” she said.

Recycling for a good cause: Residents contributed recyclable items to the charitable organisations.

A corner of the playground was turned into a Nature Walk trail, with landscape architect Mawar Othman on hand to explain the ways to take care of the trees and shrubs.

There were also booths spreading the green message, such as the garbage enzyme counter that distributed samples of the brownish liquid made from waste obtained from the Puteri Mart wet market.

House of Joy also explained vermicomposting and the usage of the worm castings as fertiliser in growing Misai Kucing, a medicinal herb.

Participants also carried stacks of newspapers and other recycable items to be contributed to Buddhist Tzu-Chi Merits Society Malaysia and Eden Handicap Service Centre.

No petrol needed: The `Tarik Upih’ game put big smiles on the children’s faces.

A green campaign would not be complete without tree-planting activities, and during the event, 50 trees and 300 shrubs were planted by the participants around the playground.

Each of them also took home a Jasmine plant, along with the green tips they picked up from the event.

A meal with a view

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WE WERE out of luck that night as the skies were hazy, not the best to feast one’s eyes on the diamante of lights dotting the landscape from our vantage point at the border between Hulu Langat and Ampang.

Nevertheless, from far yonder at Look Out Point, we witnessed dusk creeping in as the sun bowed out, leaving streaks of red, orange and yellow against the clouds with the outline of the Petronas Twin Towers, Menara Kuala Lumpur and vastness of the city lines fading, replaced by the shimmer of lights.

The magnificent view and attraction of dining closer to the skies explains why dining here is popular.

Yummy mee: The Mamak Mee Special is truly a treat for those who cannot get enough of mee mamak!

Deeper into the night, more people headed up to Look Out Point, especially young couples, as the place appeals to romantics.

When we arrived, car jockeys were on hand to make sure we parked at a designated spot although there was ample parking.

When we left past 10pm, the car park was packed to the brim.

It takes a little know-how, especially if one is unfamiliar with the roads, to get to Look Out Point, which sits at the border between the Kajang and Ampang Jaya municipalities.

Although its location is roughly a 20-minute drive from the Petronas Twin Towers, newcomers to these parts might just get lost when venturing here for the first time.

Chicken delicious: If you dig spicy dishes, this meal of Spicy Chicken with Spicy Sauce is a real treat.

It is best to keep straight on Jalan Ampang towards Bukit Belachan, turn right to Jalan Taman Putra and then look out for the left turn to Jalan Hulu Langat.

The drive uphill on Jalan Hulu Langat is worth the while because the breathtaking panorama of Kuala Lumpur will surely calm your nerves.

We were dining at the Haven, an open dining outlet and among the elite few in the Klang Valley that can boast a location 280m above sea level.

Having been in operation since mid-March, the outlet serves up an array of comfort food ranging from local to Western specialities, with off-the-charts dishes like Mee Mamak Special, Tom Yam Fried Rice and Spicy Chicken with Spicy Cream Sauce.

Tasty soup: Tom Yam Gung for those who enjoy spicy Thai soup.

Not a fan of Mee Mamak of any sort, I found the Haven’s version truly enjoyable as the mix of black sauce, oyster sauce and tomato sauce stir-fried with meaty prawns, bean sprouts, egg, chicken and tofu and yellow mee was lipsmacking!

Even the spicy chicken offering was hard to resist as we kept digging into the chilli sauce which was a spicy wake-me-up blend of cili padi, garlic and fresh cream.

Pasta delight: Shrimp Alfredo Spaghetti is a cream-based dish that will definitely fill you.

The Tom Yam Fried Rice with its spicy savoury appeal is a staple for co-owner Yohani Yusof, and after eating several spoonfuls, I understood why she liked it so.

Yohani said although most of the outlet’s patrons were locals, there were also foreign diners, especially Middle Easterners, so sheesha is available should you enjoy puffing away after dinner.

“We have local and Western food, something for every one,” she said.

Indeed, they do! There are simple snacks like fries and Spicy Buffalo Wings, chicken nuggets, tempura items and even salads, to more serious stuff like Penang Char Kuey Teow, Kung Fu Chow, Mamak Mee Special, Mango Fried Rice, Nasi Lemak Rendang, Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine, Grilled Herb Lamb Chop, Haven Egg Sandwiches, Fish and Chips and Sirloin Steak with Mushroom Sauce, just to name a few.

“We took over the outlet in January this year and cleared up part of the jungle by the side, which was thick with undergrowth and shrubs, to reveal the majestic beauty of the age-old trees,” she said, pointing to the open area to the left of where we sat.

To maintain the rustic element, wood is the preferred choice, with wooden floors painted a striking green, dark green and white to add to the overall colour concept of the restaurant.

“I always think that Look Out Point has a magical element to it because of the many things that have happened to us along the way since we began operations here. In setting up the place, we’ve met so many people who have helped us in making all of this possible,” Yohani said.

Because of its unique location, the Haven is the preferred venue for birthday parties, anniversaries and other celebratory events.

“You’d be surprised how many people come here to propose to their girlfriends. It would be wonderful to be able to hold a wedding up here,” said pint-sized Yohani, showing off the romantic in her.

Yohani’s highlight each week is to place long-lasting fresh flowers on each table as she never tires of commuting from Subang, where she lives, to Ampang to relish in the ambience.

“I want people to experience the air, the sunset and the beauty of this place while dining here,” she said.

Teochew specials

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PREPARING octopus for cooking is no easy task and Teow Chew Meng restaurant owner Steven Seow knows exactly why.

“When I was younger, that was my assigned task. My uncle would come back with kilogrammes of octopus and I had to clean it. I would always cringe because it took a long time,” said Seow.

According to him, the process of cleaning the octopus to rid it of the fishy smell takes at least two hours.

The Boiled Octopus, served with a homemade sauce mixed with fried garlic and roasted peanuts.

“That’s what we do before we boil the octopus and the flesh ends up having a very nice crunch to it, without the smell,” he said, explaining one of the signature dishes at the restaurant.

His father-in-law started the restaurant in Penang 15 years ago and Seow expanded the business, bringing it to the Klang Valley six years ago.

The boiled octopus is served with a homemade spicy dip mixed with fried garlic and roasted peanuts.

Oyster delights: Teow Chew Meng restaurant prides itself on some of its unique dishes like the Three Taste Oyster (front) and Oyster Mee

He said the dish was common among the Teowchew people in Penang and many of his customers came back for it.

The signature dish at the outlet is the Mee Sua Tow, which consists of mee sua noodles in a thick broth, much like shark’s fin soup, and laden with seafood like prawns and crabstick.

“This is actually a Hokkien dish which my father-in-law rediscovered during a trip to China. He said it was similar to what he had had as a child and he modified the dish to include more seafood,” Seow said.

Single servings of the noodles come in a bowl at RM11 or customers can order a pot to share.

Another popular dish is the Oyster Mee (RM15), which is stir-fried with oysters and prawns in a thick dark gravy.

“We also have noodles in clear soup and tom yam and customers can also have normal noodles instead of mee sua,” said Seow.

A Teochew menu would not be complete without the traditional Teochew porridge, and the Seafood Porridge features the Teochew-style porridge (in which the rice grains are not broken down) served with seafood.

Those who want to indulge further can choose to add items like abalone, large prawns, fish maw, sea asparagus and fish fillet to the noodles or porridge, all at an additional charge.

The restaurant also offers a variety of side dishes to complement the main dishes.

Signature dish: The Mee Sua Tow is served in a thick broth similar to shark’s fin soup and is laden with seafood and topped with shark’s fin

“We don’t have an extensive menu, so it’s almost like fast food. Many of the dishes are unique to our restaurant. Customers usually order a pot of noodles with one or two side dishes to munch on. They can also have the dishes with white rice if they prefer,” said Seow.

One of the restaurant’s unique dishes is the Three Taste Oyster, which has a sweet, sour and spicy gravy.

“The typical Penang style is the oh jian, or oyster omelette, so ours is cooked in a different style,” Seow said.

He also recommended the Fried Prawn, which was made with a prawn paste and looked more like a pancake.

“We also have the Seafood Roll, which is like the Penang lobak but made with seafood. This and the Fried Prawn are served with a sauce that we made ourselves,” he said.

To keep it healthy, Seow said they did not add any MSG to the food made in the restaurant, and minimised the usage of oil.

“We serve blanched lettuce instead of stir-frying it. We blanch it with a bit of oil and serve it with a light sauce topped with glass prawns, a type of dried shrimps,” said Seow.

For something lighter, there is the Kerabu Mango, made with a special Thai sauce.

“The Apple Beancurd is almost similar but we use fresh apple and it is served with fried bean curd. The bean curd eaten by the Teochew people has a harder texture,” he said.

You would have no problems deciding on dessert at Teow Chew Meng because there is only one — the traditional Teow Chew Yam Paste, also known as or ni.

“This is a must-have at Teochew family gatherings and weddings. The traditional one is a lot sweeter and has more oil, so we have cut down on the sugar and oil to cater for our customers, who are more health-conscious,” said Seow.

New outlet also serves Alsatian and Swiss fare

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DUE TO its proximity to the German border, the cuisine of the Alsace region in France has German influence.

The Flammkuchen, a thin crust topped with sour cream, onions and bacon, is a typical Alsatian dish but the name is German.

“The restaurant has a modern concept and we serve a lot of typical German and Alsatian food and a bit of Swiss,” said Weissbräu restaurant manager Pierre-Jean Chavanne, during the opening of the outlet.

Try it out: Chavanne says the outlet also serves a good selection of imported beers.

This recent addition at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur has a simple yet modern design, with an open kitchen and cosy wooden booths at its seating area.

At Weissbräu, customers can also choose the topping of their choice for the Flammkuchen like mushroom and Parma Ham.

“We also have the Pissaladiere, which is a southern French pizza topped with onions, garlic, anchovies and olives,” said the 54-year-old Chavanne.

The Weissbräu menu was divided into lighter dishes suitable for lunch like a variety of sandwiches, Frankfurter Sausages, Baked Mussels and Rosti

Then there were choices for a hearty meal like the Crispy German Pork Knuckles, Roasted Pork Spare Ribs or the Wienerschnitzel.

“We have a selection of imported beers like the Franziskaner, Hoegarden, Leffe and Stella Artois,” he said.

During the opening of Weissbräu, guests tucked into samples of selected foods from the restaurant’s menu while enjoying glasses of cold beer.

Vampires, ghouls and zombies come alive in Halloween contest

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VAMPIRES, ghouls and zombies of all shapes and sizes stalked, danced and put on their most entertaining performances to impress the judges and audience at the Halloween Costume Contest held at the Mines Shopping Fair on Sunday.

Members of the public were invited to participate in the contest by dressing themselves in their scariest and most creative Halloween costumes.

Dancing ghouls: Mika and friends entertaining the judges and audience with their hip-hop routine

The late Michael Jackson’s Thriller was a popular tune as participants performed to its track or took inspiration from the creatures featured in its music video.

Participants were judged based on three criteria – costume, presentation and props.

The contest was organised by the shopping mall’s management and sponsored by Skin Food beauty brand.

Up for grabs were Skin Food hampers worth RM600, RM400 and RM300 respectively for the first, second and third place winners.

The judges comprised Skin Food (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd marketing executive Marsha Lim and Mines Shopping Fair marketing communications executive Rachel Lee.

Scary creature: Peh took inspiration from Jack the Reaper for his character called JR Reaper, and won third place for his efforts

Lim described the contest as “very interesting”, and said she was very impressed with the efforts taken by the participants, especially the children, to dress up for the contest.

“It required some style and creativity, not to mention guts to do what they did,” Lim said.

“My favourites were the top two winners because they were entertaining in their respective ways and their performances included interaction with the crowd.”

Halloween-themed: Kwa Yoke Sim joined in the fun and distributed candies to the audience during her routine.

It was not surprising to discover that the Halloween Costume Contest’s top three winners shared a common love for horror movies of both Asian and Western genres.

Contest winner Sia Kha Keong, 18, decided to inject elements of humour into his routine by being a mummy that danced to the Village People’s YMCA.

“The idea of dressing up as a mummy was an on-the-spot decision. I just bought some white fabric and got the other participants to help wrap my body and face.

“I think my win will inspire me to take part in similar competitions in the future,” said the car upholstery installer.

On what he intended to do with his prize, Sia said he would share it with his family.

Second place winner Chaw Kai Yen based her ghostly Chinese character and act on a horror movie from Hong Kong.

“My costume is actually a red cheongsam belonging to my mum,” said the 18-year-old SEGi University College mass communications student.

“It’s a very old yet well-preserved dress because my mum took great care of it. And we’re both the same size!”

Chaw completed her ensemble with a red umbrella, and makeup with some assistance from her boyfriend.

Desmond Peh, 18, took inspiration from Jack the Reaper for his character called JR Reaper.

“I saw this creepy mask at Berjaya Times Square, bought it, then came up with the rest of the outfit,” said the sales promoter who took home the third prize.

“My mum helped sew my robe and make my weapon, which took about a night to complete. I’m planning to give her my prize as a thank you gesture.”

Peh added that he wanted to kick off his show by standing next to the judges to give them a good scare.

Added lure to pizza outlet

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PIZZA Hut customers can now enjoy surfing the world wide web with the Free WiFi@Pizza Hut nationwide.

The move comes as part of the new collaboration between Pizza Hut and Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM).

The new service powered by Streamyx is now available at 163 outlets.

Jamaludin

QSR Brands Bhd, operator of Pizza Hut managing director Jamaludin Md Ali and TM vice- president (retail product) Azizi A. Hadi launched the new service at Pizza Hut Kota Damansara in Petaling Jaya recently.

Customers can get the Streamyx Zone wireless Internet connectivity while enjoying their pizzas during its operation hours from 11am to 11pm daily.

According to Jamaludin, all their customers can get connected for free.

“It does not matter if they are registered Streamyx account holders or not. This value-added service will make us more relevant to the new generation and we expect it to help attract more young people to our outlets,” he said.

Azizi said that they are constantly looking for more opportunities to extend the reach of broadband to everyone.

“We are heeding the government’s call to the private sector to play an active role in educating and promoting ICT benefits to the public.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to make broadband access available in new avenues and setting up broadband lifestyle centres in key market areas,” he said.

He also said that the collaboration was part of an ongoing initiative with Pizza Hut to provide easier access and additional benefits to all customers.

For more information about TM’s Streamyx WiFi offerings log on to www.tm.com.my.

Make mee your way and win prizes

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IF YOU love your Maggi Mee and have a unique way of preparing it, then perhaps you can extend your culinary talent for the Maggi Mee My Way contest.

Chefs-in-the-making stand a chance to win almost RM20,000 worth of prizes for their creations.

Interested participants can enter the contest by logging on to www.maggi.com.my or via Facebook.

These cooks will have to give their recipe a creative name and select a Maggi Mee flavour to work with.

Then they have to upload three to five photos showing them preparing and enjoying eating their masterpieces.

Cooking up a storm: Pick your favourite flavour and whip up something unique.

The photos must also show the ingredients used for the dish including the chosen Maggi Mee flavour.

Participants also need to write a short 200-word story on what inspired them to come up with the recipe and why they enjoyed making and eating it.

All entries must be submitted by November 22, 2009.

Thirty finalists with the best creations will be selected based on the completeness, creativity, originality and relevancy of their photos, caption and short story.

These entries will be posted on the Maggie website from Dec 7, 2009 to Jan 18, 2010 for members of the public to view, comment on and vote for.

The finalist with the highest number of votes will walk away with the grand prize of RM4,000 cash and a RM100 Maggie hamper.

The second, third, fourth and fifth highest votes stand to win RM2,000, RM1,000, RM800 and RM500 respectively with a RM100 Maggie hamper each.

The remaining 25 finalists will each receive a consolation prize of RM300 cash and a RM100 Maggie hamper.

Visitors to the contest website also stand a chance to win prizes – all they have to do is spread the word about the contest via the Tell-A-Friend page.

They will earn points when their friends respond to the referral e-mail and register as a Maggie member.

The three referrers with the highest points will win cash and hampers.

For details on the contest, log on to www.maggi.com.my

RM58,000 donated to three homes

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THE HLG Unit Trust’s HLG Dana Makmur recently made a donation of RM58,800 to three charity homes, namely Pusat Perlindungan Pernim, Rumah Bakti and Pondok Penyayang Raudhah.

The charity homes received RM19,600 each from HLG Asset Management Sdn Bhd CEO and executive director Geoffrey Ng Ching Fung and HLG Unit Trust Bhd acting CEO and executive director Teo Chang Seng during a cheque presentation ceremony.

Apart from cash donations, HLG Unit Trust staff members also paid a visit to the children at the respective homes to bring them food and stationery.

During the trip, food, stationery items and other household supplies were contributed to help in the administration of the homes.

The children were all smiles when the various goodies were distributed and during the interaction sessions with the staff members.

Pusat Perlindungan Pernim is a charity home that houses children who were abandoned at birth by HIV+ parents while both Rumah Bakti and Pondok Penyayang Raudhah shelter abandoned children and orphans.

This is the fifth time HLG Dana Makmur has donated a portion of the fund’s service charge proceeds to charity homes.

Old boys gather for a jolly time

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MORE than 200 old boys and their families and friends gathered at Restaurant Kum Lum Tai in Seri Petaling to mark the celebration of the Methodist Boys Secondary School Old Boys Association (MASOBA) 49th annual do recently.

Old Boys Association president Koh Heng Huat, who proposed a toast to the Yang di Pertuan Agong, had the entire audience on their feet to render the national anthem.

The party kept to its nostalgic mood with artiste Kenny Tay singing songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

The camaraderie among the old boys was infectious with many of them table-hopping to meet up with old friends.

Later, the anniversary cake was cut by Koh and the association’s two vice-presidents and members.

Dr Shaik Alauddeen, who travelled from Jerantut to meet his classmates, was not disappointed as he also met up with his old English Literature teacher Peter Chua.

Also at the dinner were Datuk Michael Chong and his family members.

Padding up for the spiritual journey

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KIMBERLY-CLARK Malaysia, is helping to ensure female pilgrims are spiritually and physically prepared for the haj pilgrimage.

The company made a contribution of 18,000 exclusive travelling pouches with Poise liners, Slim and Maxi pads (protection for urinary leaks) to Tabung Haji at the corporate partnership launch recently.

At a recent haj forum organised by Kimberly-Clark, Datuk Siti Nor Bahyah Mahamood said that for the religious worship to be accepted by God, the pilgrims must be clean physically, thus they should prevent their clothing from being soiled with urine.

Thank you: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mej-Jen (R) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom (left) receiving a token of the contribution from Kandapper. Looking on is Tabung Haji Group MD and CEO Datuk Ismee Ismail.

Siti Nor Bahyah recommends that women pilgrims with incontinence equip themselves with the right pads to prevent leaks.

Kimberly-Clark’s range of POISE pads and liners are discreet and provide extra comfort and protection for women experiencing urinary leaks. They are specially designed to be extra absorbent, providing double protection than regular pads, and come with Odour Care granules.

One in four women, aged 35 years old and above, experience involuntary loss of urine known as urinary leaks.

Some women may lose a few drops of urine while sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising and others may feel a strong, sudden urge to urinate just before losing a large amount of urine.

This wetness occurs simply because of weak pelvic floor muscles, often as a result of child birth.

“Last year, we sampled Poise liners and pads among some women pilgrims suffering from urinary leaks. They found that Poise helped them manage urinary leaks so well that they could perform the haj with peace of mind,” said managing director of Kimberly-Clark Malaysia and Singa-pore Nathan Kandapper.

“Now, we are happy to be making an even bigger difference for women pilgrims through our donation to Tabung Haji.”

Personal health kits for pilgrims

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CHEMICAL Company of Malaysia Berhad (CCM) has contributed 29,000 sets of personal health kits worth RM660,000 to pilgrims performing the haj this year through the Sahabat Korporat Tabung Haji programme.

Since 2004, CCM has donated 233,000 health kits worth more than RM4.7mil in line with the group’s pledge to contribute towards the wellbeing of Malaysian pilgrims.

This year, CCM’s corporate social responsibility initiative also benefits Singaporean and Bruneian pilgrims who received 2,500 and 2,000 sets respectively, worth over RM90,000.

Pleasant journey: CCM Pharmaceuticals brand executive Siti Munira Mariman (right) showing the products in the health kit to Dahlia Rahim, 51, who will be performing the haj for the first time with her husband, Zainal Abidin Jamaluddin, 59, (left) and their 10 year-old son, Tariq Affandy.

CCM Bhd group managing director, Datuk Dr Mohd Hashim Tajudin said the Group was committed to make the haj a safe, healthy, memorable and hassle-free spiritual journey for the pilgrims.

“During the haj, millions of pilgrims from all over the world converge and travel to holy sites in and around Makkah and Medina under extreme heat and dusty conditions. These circumstances expose them to possible ailments such as headaches, eye irritation, sore throat and muscular pain.

“Therefore, it is important for pilgrims to pay extra attention to their health and strengthen their immune system to avoid from falling sick during this demanding period, especially in the wake of the A (H1N1) pandemic,” said Hashim.

“Our health kits contain items to treat and manage simple ailments as well as improving the pilgrims’ overall health. The kits are small and portable, enabling pilgrims to conveniently carry them around wherever they go,” he added.

Each health kit includes CCM Pharmaceutical Division’s products such as Flavettes Vitamin C to strengthen the body’s resistance by boosting the immune system; Uphamol 650 for safe and effective relief from headaches, pain or fever; Sloans ointment to provide relief for muscular aches and pains; O-Fresh for daily oral hygiene and protection against germs that cause bad breath and dental plaque; Flavettes Lozenges to provide instant relief for sore throats and Eye Glo to relieve eye irritations caused by dry conditions.

Team from Singapore polytechnic edge MUCH in friendly netball match

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MASTERSKILL University College of Health Sciences (MUCH) are prepared to enhance relationship with the Republic Polytechnic Singapore (RPS) through sports.

MUCH, as part of their preparations for a series of competitions, played a friendly netball match with RPS recently.

Focus, aim: MUCH’s T. Sumitha trying to score during the friendly match

RPS, with a few internationals on their side, won 15-10 in the match played at the Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN) Sports Complex in Dusun Tua, Hulu Langat.

But MUCH’s coach David Jok was pleased with the commitment from his players.

“RPS had several players from the national squad. So it was quite a task to match them. But our players gave a spirited display. The experience will certainly be valuable to our players when they take part in other competitions.

Spirit of sportmanship: The players and officials from RPS and MUCH in a group picture after their netball match.

“The match also gave me an opportunity to identify the players’ shortcomings. We have to come up with some new outlines of drill which emphasise in “decision-making on the field” besides the six basic areas including catching, passing, footwork, shooting, attacking and defending,” said Jok.

With the newly comprehensive drills, the team will stay in shape and become savvy in handling the coming competitions.

More importantly, MUCH hopes to get the better of RPS when they visit Singapore next year.

Khoo keen on improving his skills

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INTERNATIONAL Wilson Khoo always strives to excel in golf and works on improving his skills and techniques.

The youngster, who is aspiring to join the pro ranks early next year, was present at the Bridgestone Tour demonstration programme at the Kompleks Sukan Negara (KSN) Driving Range in Bukit Jalil recently.

The golf demonstration session was an initiative by Ossia World of Golf, the distributors of Bridgestone Tour brand in Malaysia, and Ken Grande Golf Academy to provide a platform for the public to test new models as well as evaluate their swings.

conThis is how we do it: Kumar (seated) explaining the monitor’s accessment of Khoo’s swing.

A monitor was set up to give the participants the chance to gauge their swings. Ossia World of Golf sales manager M. Kumar was present to brief the participants on the right shafts.

“The monitor will be able to determine a golfer’s swing speed, launch angle, side spin and back spin. These details will enable us to calculate the distance and also recommend the correct shafts.

“Wilson took the opportunity to attend the demonstration session and decide whether he was using the correct drivers,’’ said Kumar.

Ken Grande Golf Academy principal Kenneth Khong also conducted a coaching clinic for juniors.

“We had about 30 kids. We provided them the chance to learn the basics. We were also encouraged by the presence of parents,’’ said Khong.