Ara Damansara Reality Blog

Drains and Dengue

2010-02-13T16:18:00.017+08:00

In these drains, I see a dengue brew fermenting.

Reading about the Aedes mosquito on Wikipedia revealed some interesting facts about its breeding habits.
The mosquito's preferred breeding areas are in areas of stagnant water, such as flower vases, uncovered barrels, buckets, and discarded tires, but the most dangerous areas are wet shower floors and toilet tanks, as they allow the mosquitos to breed in the residence. Research has shown that certain chemicals emanating from bacteria in water containers stimulate the female mosquitoes to lay their eggs. They are particularly motivated to lay eggs in water containers that have the correct amounts of specific fatty acids associated with bacteria involved in the degradation of leaves and other organic matter in water. The chemicals associated with the microbial stew are far more stimulating to discerning female mosquitoes than plain water, for example, or filtered water in which the bacteria once lived.

What an eye opener!!! I presume this microbial stew of fatty acids applies to all mosquitoes and I am no longer surprised as to why Embun is plagued with mosquitoes any time of the day. For surrounding us is the perpetual microbial stew, brewing in the drains around our home. I have written about this plight and highlighted the authorities and developer but no action taken. What we need is for these prohibitive drain covers to be removed permanently. The design of our drains facilitate a mosquito breeding ground, easy access to mosquitos to go in, breed and hide, and resurface again for their most active hours.

I say prohibitive because it prohibits cleaning and clearing of organic debris that pours easily into the drains and clogs it up, fermenting a potent stew directly attracting mosquitoes to breed.

No doubt some parts of the drainage system is clear of debris, only because it's all been washed to a clog point. But where it's clear of debris, water stagnates in a dam.

It seems we need a dengue death to make the council and others take action and do what is needed. The Health Ministry can conduct campaign after campaign educating the rakyat on how to keep this menace at bay. But is the Ministry educating and enforcing the local council to do their job? The rakyat can keep their immediate compounds clean but in this drain issue, our hands are completely tied for there is nothing and no way we can lift these drain covers on our own.

I pray help arrives before someone pays with his life. Meanwhile the media continues to highlight just how serious the situation is becoming.

A (H1N1) under control, dengue cases on the rise

Update on the little lake park

2010-02-11T20:03:00.013+08:00

Hmmm, I hope SDP gives the lake parks names so that we can refer to the parks correctly. This little park is tucked away in a deep little corner bordered by Ara Hill, semi-dees, Calarosa and Palermo.

Anyway, I noticed on my walk the other day that a really long lorry pulled up on the PJU 1A/20 entrance, hauling a whole lot of trees.

I only took a distant photograph, but on passing closer later, was really pleased to see that there were trees with berries = bird food.

Then today I thought I should really go have a look at the progress is like. With the trees being delivered lots must already be completed. Not quite what I thought, but am glad no time is being wasted getting trees into the ground. By the time the lakes are dredged of all the silt and sludge, the trees would be well rooted, and if there are any casualties, they will be noticed in time to be replaced. So here goes.

And the lucky people of Calarosa living along the edge of the lake park, have got an added bonus of neat paving to the entry of the park from their doorstep.

Wildlife in Ara Damansara

2010-02-10T13:00:00.003+08:00

Aparrt from hornbills which are nesting somewhere in our vicinity, watch out for giant monitor lizards which can be found climbing trees at the back of 1A/24F along the riverside.

No prizes for spotting it, well camouflaged by its colour that fits in so perfectly with its environment. My phone camera's zoom has its limitations else who have got a closer, sharper shot of the awesome creature. Oh dear... I hope it doesn't get to any hornbill eggs or nestlings.

Also macaques who appear homeless now that their habitat has been destroyed for development of human habitation. Sorry I couldn't photograph a little band of 3 monkeys who appeared to be thinking of what to do at the back of someone's house in Bayu. They sure were having a lot of fun bouncing around a curry leaf tree at the back of someone's house there.

A Warrior in my garden

2010-02-05T10:03:00.011+08:00

Today is ecstatic Friday. The best Friday in months I'm sure, for today I found warriors in my garden.

The LADYBUG or LADYBIRD is an ally to have if you love your garden. Their main diet is aphids, the sap-sucking monsters that destroy all the hard work one puts in to cultivating a beautiful garden.

Aphids are tiny insects (1/32 to 1/8 of an inch) that have piercing/sucking mouth parts. They infest tender new foliage on both annual and permanent plants, usually in spring or early summer. Aphids ingest the fluids from tender leaf or stem tissue of the plant, robbing it of nutrients. Aphids also spread disease by moving from one plant to another. Even without resorting to chemical methods, they're not difficult to get rid of.

Because I only spray home-grown "chili-padi" enzyme solution on all my plants to keep the baddies away, the Ladybugs survive and complement the defense artillery around the garden. Is it possible they thrive on the "chili-padi" enzyme, who knows? Perhaps they find an affiliation in the red element of the enzyme. I'm hoping that this could be a Ladybug nest.

I know for a fact that almost all my plants are now thriving from this enzyme. The usual recipe for garbage enzyme applies. For example I used 600g red chili-padi + 200g brown sugar + 1 liter water. Roughly blend the chili-padi in the sugar solution. Shake it all up in a tight lid jar, and ferment in a cool dark place for 3 months.

This blend is so potent, be prepared to cough and splutter at the chili-padi fumes. Good stuff.

It started when my Kafir Lime tree just grew and grew, barren without glory. Ant-like locusts made the Kafir Lime tree their home. I retaliated by making up a batch of chili enzyme and spraying on a 10% solution. The ant-like locusts are still there, but they are now subdued and reduced in numbers. In fact, I couldn't find any on the Kafir tree today, only this little spider.

And just look at the fruits in abundance...

Apart from Thai Green Curry and some other local cooking, and the occasional "evil-eye purification" bath, I can't find much use for this gorgeously aromatic plant. So what does one do when showered with abundance? Invest it to create more abundance of course! So I harvested nearly 2kg of the fruits and made enzyme to be used for floor mopping and dish-washing.

I can't wait till April...

Rehabilitation of our little lake park

2010-01-21T19:16:00.004+08:00

After completion of the main lake park, the littler but older lake park is taking its turn to be rehabilitated. Back-hoes are currently digging up the silted stream and lakes. The muddy mess smells bad like a stuck gut.

A good thing that hoarding is put up to block out the sights, sounds and smells to the bordering semi-dees.

2 steps forward then 1 step back

2009-11-10T22:02:00.003+08:00

After all the hedge planting of "pecah beling" and the shrubs were progressing nicely, some spiteful grass-cutting crew came along and just cut them off. Although it could clearly be seen as a hedge-row, the crew promptly chopped off some of the healthiest bushes.

I am inclined to think they did so out of spite, as my helper informed me that she spurned them when they asked her to "keluar main" with them one day.

This week as I saw the grass-cutting crew returned for their monthly trim; I quickly instructed my helper to protect the re-growing tender shoots. Fortunately they were spared from massacre and growing healthily once more.

Thank You Sime Darby for my wish come true!!

2009-08-17T21:57:00.009+08:00

Just yesterday I blogged about the looming tree planting binge that Sime Darby was embarking on in their Sustainability Initiative. I was wishing that the wisdom of the Bring Back The Birds report i.e. in the suggestion of suitable trees would be considered for the tree planting.

I can't believe my eyes!!! My wish came true this morning as I walked through our lake park again. Forest trees, real forest trees all name-tagged thanks to Perniagaan Tunas Harapan, the "reforestation nursery" located in Tg Malim.

I've checked the names of trees against the Bird Report, and am so pleased that not only are these new trees listed in the report, some the existing trees in and around Ara Damansara are also listed as 'plants that bear fruits which are attractive to birds'; 'plants that bear flowers that are attractive to birds'; oh the list goes on.

"Blackcurrant ~ Plant which bears fruit attractive to birds"

Not only are these trees to be planted in the lake park,

they are also going to be planted along the lake's edge next to the houses. A necessary buffer to keep the fauna of the park peaceful.

I just can't wait to see the variety of birds that will be coming to visit and call Ara Damansara their home. We already have a certain species of hornbill roosting in this area. What a thrill it is going to be to see a flock of them fly by? As it is the pair is already a sensation with residents here. Oh and just a little reminder ~ please don't forget the perch poles in the lake for the fishing birds to stand on and aim for their prey.

Once again, thank you Sime Darby for doing right by your resident investors. I further wish is that you could also buy up the remaining land offered for sale around Ara Damansara and sustainably develop it too. If only more developers would emulate the example set by Sime Darby, wow the Klang Valley would be known throughout the world as THE PLACE to call home. What a pull factor for Malaysia My 2nd Home!

Tree planting binge

2009-08-16T18:06:00.008+08:00

After all the input given by concerned residents of Ara Damansara, Sime Darby Property has committed that they have taken it all into account and planning the rehabilitation of our parks according to expert advice.

A recent walk through one of our lakeparks shows that tree-planting is already beginning here. A back-hoe machine was seen digging holes for the planting of trees, forest trees I hope, and a variety of it too. I've learnt from a very reliable source that Sime Darby has embarked on a mega reforestation initiative with help from Tunas Harapan, a tropical forest nursery somewhere in Tg Malim. I'm so excited, I can hardly wait for the trees to be in the ground and by the end of next year start, give the park the majestic look and feel of a tropical rainforest. And can you imagine the variety of birds that will visit and nest in this area. I am thrilled beyond belief.

Already along the banks of the silted lake, a large tree, looks like a Saga (red-seed) weaver birds are roosting, their elegantly woven nests hanging works of natural art. I hope the landscaping doesn't destroy this tree.

The trees that should be wiped out of our surrounds are the ubiquitous acacia, not indigenous and a voracious coloniser, pushing out precious indigenous species, so sensitive to the conquering nature of the acacia. But I really don't know about planting trees so close to the lake edge so soon, before the lake has been dredged and rehabilitated. I do fear that after some beautiful species are planted here, their fine specimens may be destroyed in giving way for desilting works. I'm hoping that planning does take place before development

What I would really like to see, is what I was reminded of in Bali recently. No wasteland seen there. If a piece of land was cleared of its natural vegetation, for development which has yet to happen, the land is cultivated with meaningful agriculture either rice paddies or orchards. Not just left to waste and turned into a dumping ground for people too lazy to dispose of their rubbish responsibly.

There's much to be learnt from any country we visit, if only we are not too proud to admit that knowledge and wisdom comes in all shapes, sizes and sources. None superior to the other, just helping everyone grow in harmony with our creator.

No abate in mosquitos

2009-07-18T19:40:00.004+08:00

Following the installation of the first black-hole mosquito trap and the intermittent rains, the mosquito problem has escalated. The intermittent rains have made the situation worse by keeping the stagnant water levels in the drains optimal for mosquito breeding as opposed to torrential thunderstorms which was away mosquito eggs and larvae.

So I went out and bought 2 more photo-catalytic black hole traps. Thanks to my brother, who discovered another make at a cheaper price, I saved me quite a bit of money buying these ones. What's more this make even comes with 2 free replacement bulbs.

I've placed the traps in each likely corner and within just a couple of days, the number of mosquitos trapped is simply staggering. To think that without the traps, they would all have come into our living area. This time around, I shall remove all the beetles and moths and other non-mosquitos and weigh the vampires. Perhaps that statistic will lend some weight to the gravity of this pestilence plaguing Ara Damansara.

The drains, the drains, the drains around our houses need to be opened up and cleared of debris. When authorities, when?

Mosquito, Nyamuk, Kohsu, Mun (Pt2)

2009-06-29T11:58:00.008+08:00

Well here it is. Undeniable proof that this BlackHole system is keeping over 90% of mosquitos aiming to get into my house, out.

The BlackHole was installed on Monday 22/June @ 6pm. I removed the glue-disc this morning 29/6 @ 10am so there's a weeks worth of trappings. I carefully emptied out the trap and if I had the patience of a research scientist, I would count the trapped population and present a bar chart of mosquito, moth, beetles etc. It would be overwhelmingly be mosquito, of that I am sure.

≈

Anyway, I am glad to know that since my article on the BlackHole, HomeFix guy now dubbed "The Mosquito Slayer" reported a couple of sales to Ara Damansara residents. Could you please post your comments in response to my article? It is so that we get a broad perspective of this trap's performance.

Speaking of responses, those who know me, know that when I find a good thing, I just can't wait to share it. So there I was blabbing away about the efficacy of the BlackHole to all and sundry. Funnily, I discovered a couple of pro-lifers who were actually sympathetic to the way the mosquitos were being trapped and modus of death. Now this was eye-opening to say the least. My jaw must have dropped a couple of inches in disbelief. Well, it does put vermin extermination in a different light that I never considered before. But hey, all I can say is that if you have never been swarmed by mosquitos it's easy to advocate mercy for this vermin.

I shared the pro-life response with another highly animated friend, who has suffered dengue 3 times, the final bout almost took her life. She reiterates my sentiment above, if you've never suffered the deadly effects of vermin, it is too easy to be humane about their extermination.

My home help while not being pro-life or humane in the extermination of our resident mosquito population, is disappointed with the efficacy of the BlackHole. Why? Her electric mosquito racquet no longer lights up like a Christmas tree as she plumps up the cushions or goes over the dogs with it. A simple joy that brought ecstasy to her chores. Oh well, you win some, you lose some!

Mosquito, Nyamuk, Kohsu, Mun

2009-06-23T10:36:00.016+08:00

There I've said it in all the languages and dialects I know. I bought a "Black Hole" mosquito trap system yesterday after much convincing from the HomeFix guy that it really works. Not 100% of course, he said, but guaranteed at least 95% effective. I drew him a map of my home layout, where the drains and ground holes are etc and he helped me plot the position of my first "Black Hole" trap.

So I hooked it up and turned it on yesterday (22/Jun/09) at 6pm. Look at its bounty by 10am this morning (16 hours in operation). Mind you not all the mozzies in the trap are on that glue paper. There's still about 10 of them settled on the wire mesh, waiting to DIE...

HOMEFIX guy reinforced that plants DO NOT shelter female mosquitoes, only males. As everyone knows, male mozzies are vegetarian.

So the efficacy? Yes it is effective, I am ecstatically happy to say. Last night I could watch tv quite comfortably in my living room with only a couple of bites, mostly from mozzies already hiding inside. They do like soft pillows ~ have you noticed?

I swear the vampire mozzies are breeding and hiding in the drains surrounding our houses and they have a ready built conduit into our house by the rain-gutter ground drainage that goes straight into the surrounding drains. The designers of our houses have provided a SMART Tunnel for mosquitoes and vermin to enter our premises. I vehemently believe that if the drains around this precinct in Ara Damansara were either totally sealed or totally opened, the mosquito population will reduce drastically. When will someone take action?

Hedge planting has begun

2009-05-30T10:06:00.004+08:00

I've started planting a hedge of "Pecah Beling" along 1A/20.

With the great help of my maid, who does the hole digging,

we extended the row of Pecah Beling from behind my house right up to the junction entrance of 1A/22. Really good exercise, sweat and perspiration was trickling into our eyes as we bent over to put the rooted cuttings into their new home.

Neighbours of this row who stand to benefit from this hedge, I have a simple request which is very obvious. Please water these cuttings everyday so that they will grow into robust shrubs, not only shielding your home from prying eyes and keeping unwanted persons out, but it is also such a beneficial plant.

I have blogged about Pecah Beling in an earlier post.

I would like our hedge to not just be decorative, but useful too. And when you read about Pecah Beling, you will really appreciate the treasure that is growing behind your home. Give it life, and one day when it is big and robust from your care and attention, it will return the good deed to you.

Just what are the CCTVs for?

2009-05-19T22:06:00.014+08:00

Well the secret is out. For over a month, the trench digging all around Ara Damansara got everyone wondering what was going to be installed and worries of water shortage too cropped up.

Well they are finally installed ~ the CCTVs. Dreaded if solely for monitoring traffic violations, welcomed if to surveil crime.

Looking at the direction the cameras are facing, the benefit of these solar powered CCTVs is not for Ara Damansara residents for the some authorities to gain revenue from summonses.

When I first heard that CCTVs were going to be installed, I thought to myself "Wow, our neighbourhood must surely be one of the most progressive non-gated communities in the country". So after the CCTVs were installed someone stopped to ask me the purpose of the surveillance. Naive me said to the asker, surely it must be for crime watch. Who on earth would want to waste that amount of public funds to catch traffic offenders?

Regretfully, the "who on earth" guess is apparently true if you observe the orientation of the cameras. When the poles first went up, I was glad to see that there were CCTV poles at each of our padangs. The football field by Mutiara, the playfield in the center of Ara Impian etc each have a CCTV pole. But on careful observation on the location of the pole and orientation of the camera, I am utterly disappointed.

It would make better community sense for the CCTVs to aid crime watch instead of traffic watch. Where is the need to watch the traffic anyway?

While the benefit of placing cameras at each junction could also a good idea to capture felons making their escape, the cameras at the padangs should really point inwards to the main area of activity. It would deter undesirable behaviour and should there be a football fight, viewing footage of the incident would shed light on it.

I guess revenue from traffic summonses will help pay for these cameras. Any other benefit from these cameras is only secondary.

Embun & Bayu inherit guardhouse cabins

2009-03-01T23:28:00.010+08:00

Finally after 3 months of neighbourhood security services, we applied to Sime Darby Property to inherit the cabins from Alyssa and Casarina. These enclaves have been running their security services very successfully and with that success comes recognition of a brick and mortar guardhouse.

Anyway, yesterday 28/Feb in Embun was guardhouse moving day. Our members got together as early as 9am but hit a technical glitch i.e. the crane-lorry had a breakdown that fortunately was repaired in an hour. That time was spent catching up with neighbours who volunteered to help in the moving and positioning of our adopted guardhouse.

Finally at about 11.30am, 5 of our guys jumped into a car to lead the crane-lorry to the 2 locations. The guys told of their learning experience in moving cabins with cranes, as they suddenly returned to collect a ladder to climb atop the roof of the cabin to afix the lifting hooks. Back at the Embun entrance, the rest of us were getting hungry and thirsty, biscuits and water appeared and after more sunshine we returned home to wait for THE CALL.

12.30pm the call to action came through, and those close to the PJU 1A/22 junction went there to attempt directing traffic. What a sight to see the approaching crane-lorry loaded with 2 x 12' cabins perched on its back. It deftly made the turn into PJU 1A/22 and skirted the low-hanging branches, pulling down a few along the way.

The unloading was tricky, compounded with incoming and outgoing traffic from Embun. Being a Saturday, neighbourhood traffic was a steady stream, but fortunately drivers were patient and obediently waited for directions to pass safely.

After a few turns of the cabin in mid-air and input of opinions on which way the cabin was to face, the cabin was set down on bricks donated by another member of the neighbourhood who has a stash of bricks, steadily dwindling through 'sedekahs' now and again.

The next phase of course is to refurbish the weathered cabins up to liveable standards again.

My wish list for AraD's bird reservoir & sanctuary

2009-01-27T12:44:00.002+08:00

Wonderful news! I've received word that Sime Darby Property will "coordinate with the landscape consultant to include the relevant design issue as highlighted in your attachment write-ups" (i.e. Bring Back The Birds report). Don't you just love a day that's filled with great news like that!

Anyway, since I walk the park in question daily, I constantly picture in my mind what it will look like when it's done. How it will serve both birdlife and our life in a comfortable co-existence.

I see in my mind's eye
1) the lakeside bank sloping down from Calarosa planted with tall reeds that will shelter the water/ground birds. There is no pedestrian traffic on the slopes so the nesting birds will be safe from disturbance. A hedge row could be planted along the top of the slope so the nesting birds will be safe from disturbance. A hedge-row could be planted along the top of the slope to hinder dogs from menacing the birds. I know my cocker-spaniel would have a field day chasing birds, given half the chance.

2) The upstream, innermost lake bordered by Calarosa, Ara Hill and AraVista ph.2 must have perch-poles for kingfishers and other fish-hunting birds. They are such a delight to behold as they are so beautifully coloured and the perch-pole is the perfect pedestal to view them in a most natural stance. And when they dive for their prey... a sight that's a gift from God. The lake could be populated with hardy fish like the local "lampan" (http://fish-lampan.blogspot.com/) which are cheap, breed easily and a delight to both fisherman and kingfishers; and not forgetting the ever popular tilapia.

3) The upstream lake should also have a couple of bird-watching hides on its banks to enable birding enthusiasts to appreciate their hobby, as well as cultivate others to appreciate this hobby. I imagine a hide to be no more than 10 sq meters, with a raised hard floor. Not having any bench in the hide will allow enthusiasts to set up their equipment like camera tripod etc comfortably according to their needs. Not having furniture in the hide makes it less appealing for love-birds to turn it into a lover's haunt at night too. The hide should only have it's 2 sides (left and right) and roof covered with the same material. I suggest that the L-R walls and roof be chain-link supported by poles. The chain-link will allow equipment and supplies to he hooked on for easy access. For camouflage, creepers / climbers can be grown to cover and cool the hide, blending in with the natural surrounding.

War on Dengue

2009-01-20T23:21:00.003+08:00

Plastered on The Star's front page news of January 20, 2009.

I sniggered another cynical laugh, breathed another sigh of hopelessness. I've blogged on about the condition of drains in Ara Damansara and its obvious design fault which facilitates mosquito breeding. In true Malaysian style, authorities turn a blind eye and deaf ear while we are being eaten alive by mosquitoes, while praying not to be afflicted with dengue or chikungunya. But it will take just that for someone in authority to take action. Not until a death has befallen this community from these deadly diseases will something be done to remove the covers and clean up the clogged drains.

The mozzies are now impervious to the insect repellant, alert to the electric racquet and sneaking through the smallest break in the insect netting. Whatever still-water around the house is regularly replaced, Abate-d and populated with larvae-eating fish. What else is there to do but blog about it and wait for action.

Bird Reservoir: An open letter to Sime Darby Property Berhad

2009-01-17T11:09:00.003+08:00

I have always loved birds. They are such a joy to have around the neighbourhood. What life they bring, what songs they sing, what colours they add to our landscape. I can't imagine a world without birds.

Everyday when I sit in my home office or in my garden, I am so calmed and delighted by the birdsong that surrounds me. The shrill tunes of the magpie, cheeky calls of the myna. I've noted 2 species in Ara Damansara: the Common Myna (brown) and the Jungle Myna

But most delightful of all are what I call the wilder species of birds because they are less commonly seen in urban areas. These are bee-eaters, bitterns, herons, and kingfishers. Believe it or not, these species can be spotted around the Recreational Park & Pond of Ara Damansara. The lucky enclaves of Calarosa and the semi-dees of Laurent-Lincoln-Lancaster of PJU 1A/29 precinct and very soon Ara Hill, border this beautiful Recreational Park & Pond. Actually it is the once, long time ago beautiful park and pond. You would have read my earlier postings about the severe deterioration of this park & pond to a deplorable state resulting from the development of Ara Hill.

I'm glad to know that the residents of the enclaves mentioned share the same sentiment and have been proactive in contacting Sime Darby Property Berhad about it. I'm happy to report that SDPB responded favourably and said that the upgrading and rehabilitation works will commence in Q1'2009. An independent landscape architect has been appointed for the exercise.

Very good, but I would also like to know if the landscaping and rehabilitation has a holistic purpose, or will it just be confined to one man's view of beauty? What good is beauty if it is without purpose? I have discovered a report of a study put together by the World Wildlife Fund in collaboration with other authorities called "BRING BACK THE BIRDS! PLANNING FOR TREES AND OTHER PLANTS TO SUPPORT WILDLIFE IN URBAN AREAS"

It is an amazing report, available upon request from the WWF. It tells of how parks should be sculpted to encourage the return of indigenous birds to our neighbourhood. This is what I mean by beauty with purpose. In all things, we must have an end in mind, and I pray that the tagline of "developing sustainable futures" of SDPB keeps true to its meaning and intention.

The Recreational Park & Pond referred to here, is absolutely perfect for a pilot project emulated on the BRING BACK THE BIRDS report. I walk there everyday and picture in my mind that if the rehabilitation of this park is carried out in consultation with the knowledgeable authorities of the Report, wow! the owners of the surrounding property can easily hear kah-ching on the value of their property over and above the music from the birdlife they will soon enjoy. The people on Ara Hill, I envy you should the park be rehabilitated for beauty with purpose.

I see this park as being a landmark statement of a responsible developer who cares about the future of our environment while ensuring that it value-adds to its customers' investments. A fantastic premise for leadership by example, a proverbial feather in the cap of the Sime Darby visionaries.

It is my fervent prayer that upon reading this SDPB will see the benefit of beauty with purpose. Hopefully the benefits reaped will be an inspiration to our local authorities (for which BRING BACK THE BIRDS was produced) to follow suit. The Subang airport road has got to be the ugliest road for miles around. That's quite another story.

Credit: Many thanks to Khong Tuck Khoon's Birding in Malaysia page for bird photos.

Evidence of snatch theft

2008-11-25T14:56:00.003+08:00

I have no idea where the theft occurred but it is evident the snatchers stopped on PJU 1A/20 by where Puspakom used to be to examine the spoils of their crime.

I saw this "Gucci" tote bag chucked in the ditch. Its contents emptied out and picked through for valuables. I could not see any wallet or other identification. So if you know anyone who has had a bag like this snatched, please tell the person that her bag could have been found now.

Drains getting a breath of new life

2008-11-22T14:36:00.009+08:00

Finally! Finally some work is being done to clean upthe drains around here. But first let me pay due recognition to these hard-working souls who cleared up the monsoon drain that separates us from the rest of Ara Damansara.

The monsoon drain backing Claremont and Mutiara now flows easier after all the trees were pulled out and god knows how much mud and silt dug and removed. Nasty work, but these guys did it. Hurrah to them for the great work done!

Since then, I've been waiting impatiently and looking out constantly for work to begin on the neighbourhood drains. Hope and faith pays off, because lo and behold, this guy turned up, tasked with digging out all the stuff that has gone into the road run-off channels that leads to larger drains, that lead to the monsoon drain and river.

My husband interviewed him and found out his name is "Zan". Zan lives not far from here and is working his butt off literally, as he squats for long periods of time digging into the channel, unclogging it from dirt, tree roots, trash, you name it, he's probably pulled it out of there. And he's doing all this with dedication and determination. How many of us will acknowledge him as we pass him by? He probably won't look up out of humility and submission.

But now that we know his name, let's give him a cheerful "good day" and acknowledge his good service to our neighbourhood. A neighbourhood that is getting better as he keeps working at his job, as we keep working at making our neighbourhood a better place to live.

So don't forget, his name is "Zan" and I'm sure it will put a spring in his step and fire up his energy if we were to acknowledge him and the work he is doing. A plain simple good morning and thank you is all that is needed.

Fish out of water

2008-11-22T14:00:00.004+08:00

After the outbreak of kerang shells strewn all over the path as a result of dogs tearing open the trash bag (my husband swept it all up by the way), a fish appeared from nowhere the next day.

Actually it appears that the openly-dumped trash was collected the next day, and a fish dropped out of it all.

Dead fish makes really good fertiliser particularly for roses and other fragrant plants. No need to throw it out in the trash where it's not going to benefit anything or anyone. Just dig a hole anywhere in the neighbourhood and give the fish a decent burial where it will make flowers smell sweeter if not at least look prettier.

Noise that's not music to the ears

2008-11-11T12:23:00.005+08:00

This is an ongoing on again, off again problem here in Ara Damansara. We border with Subang Airport [or officially known as Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Airport] on our western fringe. No doubt it provides interesting views if you like aeronautics, it would be more appreciated if the occupants of hangers there realised what damage they are doing to our ears and homes. There've been lots of plans talked about with regards to the redevelopment of Subang airport.

Fortunately, I live a little further away from Ara Damansara's western border. But my friends over in Bayu particularly are having a rocking and rolling time especially at night when jet engines are revved for surround effect.

Roof tiles come loose, windows vibrate, koi fish jump out of ponds, people lose precious sleep, real-estate value drops; to list but a few consequences of nightly turbo disturbances from aircraft maintenance.

This complaint is not new. It has surfaced time and again in the media, but when the hype is over, the jet engines return to their daily revs.
Skypark plan riles Subang residents

Hmmmm, perhaps someone needs to fall off their roof while fixing loosened tiles before some permanent solution is adhered to.

Bayu residents tell me that they are faithfully bugging the police to keep aircraft maintenance within civil limits. I personally prefer the police to be policing our area to keep criminals out but when corporate society doesn't cooperate in good neighbourliness, what choice does private society have but burden the already short-handed police to spend their resources on lesser offences.

A Bayu resident informed me that she came home one night and noticed someone lurking under a tree in front of her house. She braved herself to question this someone and found that he was there to do a noise disturbance study. Apparently all he achieved was fattening up the mosquitoes. Whichever authority who sent him should have at least informed the neighbourhood that a representative was going to be sent for the noise study. The residents then would have appreciated the outsider presence in their neighbourhood. At the end of it, what were the findings of the study? Who knows? All we know is that the noise pollution is back to discotheque proportions where talking is futile and physical bodies just move to groovy vibrations.

... and I haven't touched on low flying helicopters yet.

Urban Civilisation or Kampong Redneck

2008-11-11T11:09:00.015+08:00

I am confused... Do I live in a civilised urban neighbourhood or have I somehow returned to Kampong Redneck?

Over the weekend, in the green in front of my house, I found irresponsible dumping of wet kitchen waste, stinking to high heaven. Indeed the smell of rotting flesh. You know, like something had died and the stench that makes you sick to the stomach. I didn't even have to walk by it, because it wafted all the way downwind of the green, and spoiled the air around my home.

I can identify 2 immediate thought patterns here. Firstly the generous mentality of whichever household that decided the kitchen wet kitchen waste was too much stench for their own home so why not share it with the rest of the neighbours. Secondly, the economical mentality of why waste money buying a proper secure wastebin, when indiscriminate dumping is cheaper.

You would think that these behaviours are prevalent only among the uneducated, ulu village people. Nope, wrong! It is the behavioural mentality of urbanites as well. Nevermind that indiscriminate and open dumping of wet kitchen waste attracts flies and stray dogs. As long as it is not in their own yard, why care?

Take a look at the photographs here and be honest, would you like our neighbourhood to look like this? Will indiscriminate wet kitchen waste dumping increase the real-estate value of our neighbourhood? Does indiscriminate wet kitchen waste dumping foster closer neighbourhood relations? It this a pleasing picture that can be put on brochures to attract good neighbours?

Dumping of garden waste however is acceptable because
1. Plant prunings and cut grass don't stink and attract strays and flies.
2. The refuse is collected regularly every week i.e. Mondays

In contrast I've heard complaints about smell from dog poo. Significant differences between dog poo and wet kitchen waste are

1. Dog poo disintegrates within 48 hours as long as it's dropped on grassy, earth surfaces. In fact within 24 hours if it rains. It disintegrates fast because it attracts earthworms that recycle it into organic humus fertiliser and goes immediately back into the ground. Eventhough I have dogs, I take issue with dog owners who leave their dog poo on hard surfaces like roads and pedestrian paths where earthworms cannot access and is liable to be stepped on, thereby causing considerable inconvenience to everyone and causes dogs to be labeled a public nuisance.

2. Dog poo only stinks immediately after dropped. It doesn't continue to stink like rotting wet kitchen waste that makes you sick to the stomach. Nature's elements quickly takes care of it and returns ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Now those of you who want to start a Cat poo discussion on the other hand, can count on my support because it can be directly compared to wet kitchen waste on the same stench scale.

Ara Damansara Community Lake Park

2008-10-29T18:07:00.005+08:00

My earlier post on Stagnations and Siltations and the photos within were mild compared to what the lake looks like now. I can't even call it a lake as the latest spate of heavy daily rainfall has turned the lake into a mud-flat.

White-breasted Waterhens can be seen traipsing across the flat in search of the daily bread. They must be pretty hardy to tolerate the deterioration of what used to be a beautiful lake.

Just take a look for yourself.

Blocked Drains

2008-10-23T14:11:00.004+08:00

After the Ara Damansara residents' meeting with the local authorities on August 23 2008, I was pleased to receive a letter acknowledging my complaints about the blocked drains.

But I'm sorry to say that the buck seems to have stopped there while more and more comedic reports appear in the press about the mosquito problem on dengue and chikungunya spread.
Dengue serious in Manjung, Perak: Health Minister

Also recently the article which really made me laugh...
Public urged to be proactive

And we should all sit up and pay attention to what the Health Minister has to say...
Ministry to step up efforts against dengue, chikungunya

Meanwhile my blood is being sucked dry by this vermin and I have to drench guests visiting my home in "MozAway".

Puspakom Ara Damansara

2008-09-30T19:22:00.002+08:00

Has moved out and relocated to Glenmarie w.e.f. 29/September/2008.

No more long vehicle trailers with the latest cars for inspection rolling through Ara Damansara now.

Bus Route update

2008-09-27T19:40:00.005+08:00

Taking a long walk the other day, I was so pleased to discover that one by one Ara Damansara issues highlighted in my blog are being actioned and resolved. My latest discovery is the RapidKL's Bus Route T607 through Ara Damansara.

In my first Bus Route article, I questioned the wisdom of erecting expensive bus-stops on the inbound journey of the bus route. In effect, the state-of-the-art bus stop would hardly shelter long staying clients as people only get off the bus on its inbound journey.

Imagine my delight when I saw a new route map posted in the bus shelter detailing the revised bus route, and pretty much what I had suggested in my blog. Hurrah! Feedback works and a big thank you to the authorities for heeding the voice of the public. Thank you RapidKL and MBPJ for improving the service-ability of Route T607 through Ara Damansara.

Trees in monsoon drain ~ progress update

2008-08-28T09:35:00.008+08:00

Some progress has been made in clearing Ara Damansara's waterways. Finally the tree population in the monsoon drain between section PJU 1A/30 and 1A/21 has been cleared. When I walked by today, I saw that even the silt level is reduced. Thank you MBPJ for the clean up.

Last Saturday, 23/Aug a dialog session was held between the local authorities and residents of Ara Damansara, It's a great step towards the improvement of upkeep and facilities in our neighbourhood. It was also attended by a reporter from The Star and her article appeared in Star 2 on Tuesday. Here's the link.

Residents in Ara Damansara pour out their woes By OH ING YEEN

Kudos to the residents of Alyssa & Atilla who have approximately 99% participation in their Resident's Association. Great teamwork spirit to be emulated by other AraD "constituencies".

Rubbish, rubbish everywhere; but nary a bin in sight

2008-06-06T18:07:00.000+08:00

So much hype and talk about the environment in the papers, especially over the last couple of weeks with the onset of World Environment Day 2008.

As you all know, I am highly critical of the environs of Ara Damansara. On my morning walks, I take the opportunity to observe all that I see in this community. Or in this case, what I cannot see. The absence of public rubbish bins is so glaring, that I’m beginning to wonder if it is not standard issue with every development. And we’re not even talking recycling bins. Just your normal everyday, standard issue rubbish bins.

I presume that with all the talk about caring for the environment, “think before you throw”, dengue menace and the like, the authorities would be proactive in providing receptacles to collect trash not only to keep the environs clean, but to help the productivity of council sweepers, perhaps a small way of boosting their morale. Their job is already lacks incentive and inspiration, what more if they are expected to constantly pick up trash day after day, carelessly strewn everywhere with nary a thought to who’s gonna do the dirty job. I’m quite shocked actually that we have litter-bugs among us. I must compliment Dina (Malaysian Idol) for confessing her litter-bug carelessness before participating in World Environment Day events.

Friday June 6, 2008
Idol stars join in making green pledges
PETALING JAYA: She used to throw rubbish everywhere but now “Malaysian Idol” finalist Dina has renewed her pledge to stop littering.

We really need to ask these people what makes them litter? Do they enjoy living in a world filled with trash and filth? Does our education system breed the next generation to be so apathetic to community welfare? Or is it a case of “bapak borek, anak rintek”. I am nostalgic of school-days gone when it was “pick up papers” around the school after recess. It gave us a reality check on what our surroundings would be like if covered with litter and insight to a council sweeper job! An effective threat for not passing exams in my day.

But here and now, we live in a prized development called Ara Damansara, sorely neglected by the authorities and residents alike. Yes, there could be transients who wouldn’t think twice about dirtying a neighbourhood which is not theirs, but I’ll wager that the majority of bugs who litter here are residents. Who else to blame for the trash scattered at the various gathering points in the parks that so generously dot Ara Damansara?

We are lucky for there is one person I’ve chanced to see on occasion with his dog. Having met and chatted with him, he insists on anonymity, he is disgusted with the nonchalance of educated, upper middle class society who treat their surroundings so flippantly that they care less about discarding trash when a bin cannot be found. On his walks, he picks up rubbish with his bare hands, and has even trained his dog to help. He’s an educated, 40something working man who has no qualms doing what is necessary to clear trash thrown by those who disrespect our environment.

No bin at pondok

No bin at picnic bench

No bin at playground pondok and picnic bench

No bin at exercise area

The park @ PJU 1A/19 has loads of bin holders, but where are the bins?

The proof of it all is in the pictures I’ve taken while on my walks. Note that most of our Ara Damansara playgrounds DO NOT HAVE rubbish bins. One playground PJU 1A/19 has several bin holders but no bins. The largest park doesn’t have any indication of there ever having been a bin in its midst. At this rate can Ara Damansara ever hope to be assigned recycling bins?

Yes it’s time to expose where all state funds have squandered off to. Yes, it appears that state coffers have been cleaned out but not for the sake of cleaner surroundings for its rakyat. Anyone can remind me why is it we pay rates again?

Stagnations from Siltations

2008-05-22T10:33:00.000+08:00

I am so encouraged by the keen response of Kerajaan Negeri Selangor and the Ministry of Health re my blog on blocked drains in my corner of Ara Damansara, somewhere in the enclave of PJU 1A/22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 (22-32). And I am so pleased to see that it is truly in sync with the YAM Sultan of Selangor’s call to the State Government to be efficient in community and environment services featured in The Star 22/May article titled Sultan expresses concern over wasteful spending of RM27million allocation!

Of particular relevance in that report is YAM’s statement quoted “He said local governments should ensure roads and drains were in good condition, towns were always clean, waste management was efficient and streetlights functioned properly.”

Thank you YAM; I am truly grateful for your poignant remarks on the affairs of your State. The rakyat of Selangor are most fortunate that we have a modern and visionary ruler.

With the direction towards a better and cleaner Selangor steered by YAM, I am emboldened to bring to light other unsightly and uncivic shortcomings in and around Ara Damansara so that this district in PJ which I call home, lives up to the expectation in beautiful name conjures.

On my daily walks, I constantly notice the goings on in the environment of Ara Damansara. I cannot ignore the siltation in the large drains as a result of the continuing development in this area. The following picture is of the large monsoon drain that separates PJU 1A/22-32 from PJU 1A/19-27 the next enclave. There is a whole terra ecosystem living in this drain from all the siltation that has flowed down in the development of Ara Damansara. With the amount of earth washed up here, trees will soon start to grow. Water-flow has definitely slowed down, maybe even almost completely blocked further upstream of the drain, further increases chances for mosquitoes and other vermin to breed. I’m pretty sure the residents of PJU 1A/21, 30 & 32 fear snakes and other less welcome creatures of nature, will soon wander into their homes. Perhaps some have already had snakes already….

Now let’s move along to what started out to be a really beautiful community park between PJU1A/23-25 and PJU 1A/29. Before the construction of Ara Hills began, the water in the run-off stream was free-flowing and clear of silt. But not anymore.
Here’s the Google Earth link to show how visible the siltation is. It is so thick that even the satellite picture can pick it up. Too bad the clouds are hovering over Ara Hills, else you could appreciate the full extent of the siltation.

AraDamansara community park 1A/23-25,29

And here are some down to earth shots of the almost fully silted up run-off stream. The water-lilies are beautiful, but their beauty is marred by the growing ugliness of the silt.

As mentioned at the beginning of this post, I am impressed and grateful for the prompt response by the authorities at the top end of the community government. The State Government and Ministry of Health are the movers and shakers of the do-ers. It is now my hope that enough moving and shaking has rattled through the offices of the do-ers so that what needs doing GETS DONE.

I’m keeping my hopes up for the new State government’s new broom to sweep clean. You can DO IT

Dengue ~ the scourge of Selangor

2008-05-11T18:41:00.000+08:00

I cannot help but laugh cynically that the government, be it local, state or federal are serious in their fight against the dengue scourge. So much about dengue has been reported in the media recently, but as far as I can tell, most of the blame is heaped on the tax-paying citizen. What are the authorities doing to clean up their own act?

I need not go far to see the extent of lackadaisical attitude of all the authorities involved in ensuring The Rakyat have a safe environment to live in. I just walk out of my house in Ara Damansara, my neighbourhood.

When we first moved in, I voiced my opinion to my spouse loud and clear, that the authorities must be truly blind or stupid or both to allow such a design for drains in Ara Damansara. I’m talking about the enclave of PJU 22 – 30. You can see clearly from the photo attached, that the drains are covered, but not completely. The concrete blocks covering the drains have hand-hold cut-outs in the event the covers need to be pulled off to allow human access to the drain. So far I haven’t seen any human accessing the drains simply BECAUSE THEY CANNOT!

In designing the covers this way, debris continuously falls and flows into the drain. Debris that doesn’t wash away such as sticks, stones, leaves, trash etc. It becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other vermin. Just view the next few photos as I stuck my hand with camera through the hand-hold cut-outs to reveal the ecology in these covered drains.

Then what about when renovations are in progress, and the contractors are irresponsible? Concrete mix pours into the drain, and as long at they can’t see it, why should they bother to clean it? This pic below shows concrete set into the drain, obstructing the smooth flow of water, causing water to stagnate for the propagation of mosquitoes. This drain runs directly under my front gate.

Needless to say, my house swarms with mosquitoes. I hardly ever see anyone sitting out in their garden enjoying the evening breeze BECAUSE WE ARE LITERALLY EATEN ALIVE if we dare to do so. Visitors tell me that I invite mosquitoes due to my plants and water features. My testimony to all of them is that when I used to live in Bukit Maluri, Kepong; I also had loads of plants and water features, yet we hardly suffered any mosquitoes and could sleep with windows wide open sans mosquito-net nor air-conditioning. Drains were not covered and could be cleaned easily to prevent blockages.

We complained to MBPJ and sent them similar photos posted here. We got a commendation letter and a visit from MBPJ for a first hand view of the evidence, that was the extent of their reaction. No further action to remedy the ridiculously designed covered (well, almost covered) drains.

My complaint is not only to MBPJ but to the Housing/Health Ministry, whose guidelines either do not regulate the design of drainage, or if it does, then MBPJ for allowing such a design to proceed when it is obvious at first sight that this sort of drain coverage breeds death and disease.

To end the scourge of epidemic diseases, regulations must ensure loopholes in designs for community development are tightly sealed. The majority of rakyat takes it cue from the government. So BUCK UP please and put some money where your mouth is and end the lip-service.

BusStop for who?

2008-05-11T18:18:00.000+08:00

I have no idea how bus-stops in Petaling Jaya are commissioned, but I’m sure there must be a flowchart for the process which involves various relevant parties like the bus company since they are providing the service. I would think that the route is recce’d and proposed locations of the bus-stop shelters are tabled for approval.

I live in Ara Damansara, RapidKL Route T607, the bus travels the road directly behind my house and there are 2 bus-stops nearby, across the road from each other. One on the incoming journey (get-off), and the other on the outgoing journey (get-on). I also took the bus one day for the experience and to learn the route.

Recently construction of bus-stop shelters began around Ara Damansara, commendable effort, but is it? People use the bus-stop shelters to WAIT for the bus. The bus-stop shelter is not of much use to people getting off the bus. So when the construction of an ultra-modern bus-stop shelter was appointed across the road from my house I could only shake my head in dismay. Obviously whoever’s task it was to appoint the location of these shelters had no idea of the logistics of RapidKL’s Route T607 because the bus-stop shelter is located on the incoming get-off side of the route, not on the outgoing get-on side.

The picture attached speaks volumes, see the poor soul waiting for the once-an-hour bus while sitting on the road-kerb; looking longingly at the brand new shiny bus-stop shelter across the road where passengers get off the bus as it journeys into Ara Damansara. To be fair, 2 other bus-stop shelters are appointed on the outgoing route. I guess 2 out of 3 ain’t bad normally, but what do you think each of these bus-stops cost ~ easily RM10k +.

Then of course there’s the route to think about as well. I experimented the route one day, as my 70+ year old mother lamented that when the service first started, Bus 607 would take her to Carrefour in Subang Jaya, so easy she was gleeful at the independent freedom while I was at work. She’s from out of town and does not drive. A few months later on another visit, she was looking forward to another independent visit to Carrefour, but the adventure she endured was just too much for a “warga-emas” to bear, no more Carrefour en route.

So I took the bus to see what the fuss was about. Again where’s the wisdom? I believe buses serve a public purpose and there is no wisdom in a route that does not pass a mall, school and if possible a medical facility. People who use the bus, apart from working people are those who don’t have cars, the elderly and the school-children. Rapid RouteT607 does not pass any of the high-traffic amenities mentioned above. T607 merely takes its passengers to the Kelana LRT station where all get off and have to change to other buses to take them onward. How idiotically inconvenient? The kids who go to school in Kelana Jaya have to get off on the opposite side of the murderous LDP and cross over to their school.

Isn’t it also a logical presumption that a bus route should cover as much high-density population areas? Well take a ride on T607 and discover how wrong my logic is. Would you put a bus route through PJU 1A/41 which plies the high-rise Crimson Damansara or cut back into Ara Damansara on PJU 1A/1 which is waste land on one side and upmarket landed properties across?

PJU 1A/41 [high-rise Crimson Damansara] t-junctions onto PJU 1A/40 which passes the length of Taman Putra Damai, Lembah Subang an extremely high-density residence. No, instead T607 turns into 1A/1 [another RM10k+ bus-stop here] so that it’s passengers can view the scenic wasteland; then it cuts through the bottom end of Taman Putra Damai via a narrow dirt road that is deeply potholed.

By the way, PJU 1A/40 also runs alongside the Putra LRT’s non-station depot. But that gripe is for another blog… keep tuned.

Why oh why do we pay rates to pay non-sense to provide for our community?