Monday, May 5, 2014

From Misstep To Mess

05 May 2014

Anger at mansion demolition grows

By CHUAH BEE KIM

JOHOR BARU: AS outrage over the demolition of the 150-year-old Wong Ah Fook mansion grows, state authorities have pledged to ensure those responsible for tearing it down pay heavily for their action.
   While local authorities are seeking a maximum fine of RM500,000 against the landowner, a senior politician here had also promised to go all out to block whatever building plans that have been proposed on the plot.
   Johor Baru member of parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad said yesterday he would push the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) to not grant approval for development plans that might have been proposed.
   "The local council must teach those responsible a lesson for acting like a thief by carrying out the demolition in the middle of the night."
   Shahrir said he had already seen Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin to discuss the matter.
   Meanwhile, MBJB chief whip Datuk Yahya Jaffar yesterday also lambasted the landowner for acting in haste after learning of the state government's plan to declare the mansion a historical site.
   "The process of gazetting the land as a historical site takes time.
   "The owner must have realised this and rushed to tear down the building before it could be done.
"The person who tore down the building did not obtain any permit before demolishing it."
Yahya said that the owner had also not submitted any proposed building plans on the plot.
   The 0.5ha plot is said to be worth about RM30 million, considering it is centrally located in a prime area.
   Yahya said the owner, a local residing in Singapore, would be charged under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 for tearing down the building illegally.
   The offence carries a maximum RM500,000 fine.
On Saturday, Johor state secretary Datuk Ismail Karim said the state government could not do anything to stop the demolition as it was done in the middle of the night on Wednesday.
   He said by the time local authorities found out about it, the whole structure had been knocked down.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Don't Procrastinate

03 May 2014

Bid to save Johor's heritage buildings

By CHUAH BEE KIM

JOHOR BARU: It was a painful loss, but a lesson learnt. This is what the local community has felt following the demolition of the 150-year-old mansion belonging to Johor's iconic philanthropist and contractor Wong Ah Fook, whose name was etched in Johor's modern history with a road named after him.

Johor Baru Chinese History and Heritage Museum chairman Tan Chai Puan said the incident had prompted a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to start making an inventory of all the historical buildings in the state, especially in Johor Baru.

Tan, who was instrumental in the transformation of the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk into a cultural hub in the heart of the city, said for Johor Baru to achieve international city status by 2020, as targeted by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB), there should be proactive measures to preserve its heritage and culture.

"An international city that has no heritage or culture will not appeal to tourists."

He said he and a group of history buffs had met Datin Patricia Lim Pui Huen, the great-granddaughter of Wong Ah Fook, an hour before the demolition was carried out to discuss the preservation of the site.

Lim is the fifth generation of the Wong family.

"The tearing down of the old mansion was a very great loss, not only to the Chinese community but to the rich history of Johor Baru.

"The reaction would have been similar whether it was an old mosque, an ancient Indian temple or any old building."

Tan said there were about 20 heritage buildings in Johor Baru and the NGO would now focus on preserving such sites.

"I admit we (the NGO) were slow in taking action.

"There should have been better planning, such as working closely with the local council on the matter.

"We missed the chance to save the old mansion. It was a case of a lack of awareness.

"Awareness will create consensus which will lead to determination and action."

It was reported on Thursday that Johor had lost a piece of its history when the mansion along Jalan Lumba Kuda, which was formerly occupied by squatters and two Taoist temples, was demolished on Wednesday.

Community leaders from the Johor Baru Tiong Hua Association rallied together to prepare a formal appeal to the Johor Menteri Besar's office, albeit, a tad too late.

Wong, who had close ties to the then state ruler Sultan Abu Bakar in the mid-1800s, had built some of the most recognisable heritage buildings in Johor, including Istana Besar, Balai Zaharah, the residence of the state's first menteri besar, Datuk Jaafar Mohamed, at Bukit Senyum and the Johor Baru prison in Jalan Ayer Molek.

Wong, who was born in 1837 in Canton, China, died in 1918 at the age of 81 at his home in Kampung Java Road in Singapore.

Guan Sheng Tan Buddhist Association chairman Koh Kim Poh said they would seek the help of Johor Baru Member of Parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad, through the Johor Baru MCA complaints bureau, on the issue of the temples.

The temple committee had rented the premises for the past 14 years.

"We hope an alternative site would be provided for us to rebuild our temple."

Friday, May 2, 2014

Wong Ah Fook's Mansion (Updated)

02 May 2014

Heritage mansion levelled

By CHUAH BEE KIM

NST pic by Roslan Khamis

PART OF HISTORY: 150-year-old house was owned by Wong Ah Fook

JOHOR BARU: JOHOR lost a piece of its history on Wednesday when a 150-year-old mansion along Jalan Lumba Kuda was reduced to rubble about 11pm.

The eight-room mansion was once owned by philanthropist and contractor Wong Ah Fook who is a part of Johor's modern history and even has a road in the city named after him.

A check by the New Straits Times yesterday revealed nothing but rubble where the house once stood.

When news broke recently that the Wong Ah Fook mansion would be demolished, Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng reportedly handed a memorandum to the state government to urge them to preserve the old mansion.

Community leaders from the Johor Baru Tiong Hua Association also rallied to prepare a formal appeal to the Johor Menteri Besar's Office.

Besides the old mansion, there were also two Taoist temples and squatters in the area.

It was learnt that the squatters were given some money to vacate the premises last month and the temple committee had been paying a monthly rental of RM140 to occupy the premises for the past 14 years.

Wong, who had close ties to the then state ruler Sultan Abu Bakar in the mid-1800s, had built some of the most recognisable heritage buildings in Johor, including Istana Besar, Balai Zaharah, the residence of the state's first menteri besar Datuk Jaafar Mohamed at Bukit Senyum and the Johor Baru prison in Jalan Ayer Molek.

Wong, who was born in 1837 in Canton, died in 1918 at the age of 81 in his home in Kampong Java Road in Singapore.

Johor Baru City Council corporate communications and public relations director Abdul Aziz Ithnin said the local council would conduct a probe into the issue.

Meanwhile, prominent Johor Baru resident and local history buff Albert Tan said the demolition was a loss of heritage for Johor.

However, he felt that over the years, the place had not been properly maintained and had become an eyesore.

"For the historians to come out now and say they want to preserve the mansion as a heritage is a bit too late, especially now that an investor has forked out a huge sum of money to develop the site."

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Wong Ah Fook's Old Mansion

01 May 2014

150-Year-Old Historical Mansion Demolished

By Chuah Bee Kim


Johor Baru's 150-year-old dilapidated mansion belonging to philantropist and contractor Wong Ah Fook which was still in tact several days ago

Johor Baru's 150-year-old mansion belonging to philantropist and contractor Wong Ah Fook which was demolished late Wednesday (April 30)

The eight-room mansion was once owned by philanthropist and contractor Wong Ah Fook whose name has been immortalised after a road here was named after him.

A check by the New Straits Times revealed the land where the historical mansion once stood is now reduced to a rubble of concrete.

When the news broke that the Wong Ah Fook mansion may soon be history, Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng reportedly handed a memorandum to the state government to urge them to preserve the old mansion.

Community leaders of the Johor Baru Tiong Hua Association rallied together to prepare a formal appeal to Johor Menteri Besar's office.

Besides the old mansion, there were also two Taoist temples and squatter settlers in the area.

It was learnt that the squatters were given some money to vacate the premises last month and the temple committee had been paying a monthly rental of RM140 for the past 14 years.

Wong had built some of the most recognisable heritage buildings in Johor, including Istana Besar, Balai Zaharah, the residence of the state's first mentri besar Datuk Jaafar Mohamed at Bukit Senyum and the Johor Baru prison in the Jalan Ayer Molek.

Wong, who was born in 1837, died in 1918 at the age of 81.

Over the years, two Taoist temples and squatter settlers had been occupying the place.

Johor Baru City Council corporate communications and public relations director Abdul Aziz Ithnin said the local council will conduct a probe into the issue.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Apple Tree

I was at the Kiwanis Careheart Centre just now. Looking for the apple tree http://ardentindulgence.blogspot.com/2013/11/sunflowers-and-apple-tree.html. But the apple tree was no longer there.

However it was a very fulfilling day.

Shella bought some "kangkung", "bayam", brinjal and mushroom. It costs only RM10. We really love this place. It's filled with vibrant energy.

I also handed over some books to the centre. This gives me the opportunity to de-clutter my space as well as indulge in the joy of sharing and giving.

I want to keep raising my vibrational frequency. Like a magnet, one's vibrational frequency attracts energy of the same vibrating frequency.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Smooth Sailing

Everything was smooth sailing. I wish there could be more days like this. There will be because if your inner world changes, your outside world also changes. Be the master of your mind.

A good day calls for a celebration, so I ordered myself a kampung chicken, vegetables stir-fried with garlic, and fried prawns for dinner. The chicken costs RM22, veggie RM8 and prawns RM30.

Today 1,200 Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidates took part in the party polls out of a total of 12,000 members throughout Johor. The article in the New Straits Times.

By Syed Umar Ariff, Chuah Bee Kim, Roshidi Abu Samah and Goh Pei Pei

RACE FOR PKR NO. 2 HEATS UP

Azmin has slight edge in PKR polls hit by low turnout and technical glitches.

KUALA LUMPUR: The race for PKR deputy presidency is heating up between three heavyweight contenders in in cumbent Azmin Ali, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

The party polls however continued to be hit with low voters turnout in Malacca and Johor yesterday.

PKR sources said all Azmin, Khalid and Saifuddin have received almost equal footings with vote margins in the seams of 40 and 50, during the polls held at divisional meetings in Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu and Sarawak on Saturday.

A party insider said at present Azmin has a slight edge after emerging at the top in Pahang and possibly in Sarawak.

“I do not know the numbers, but Azmin is leading albeit by a wafer-thin margin. Saifuddin had won in Kelantan, pos sibly because the people knew him there better since he was the member of parliament for Machang.”

Another PKR member from Pahang however said that it was too early to indicate if Azmin would secure stronger results.

“We are still in the first stages of the polls. Moreover, voters’ turnout were quite low in some states during the first day.

Meanwhile, the party polls continued to suffer numerous setbacks including poor turn of voters and the late arrival of ballot papers.

Polling at the PKR Johor Baru division took place almost two hours late at 11.45am.

Some of the voters had turned up as early as 9am, all geared up to cast their votes. However, the voters had to wait for the ballot papers to arrive.

Incumbent Johor Baru division chief Tan Poh Lai, who was bidding for the PKR Wanita deputy chief post, however said polling went smoothly throughout the day.

In Malacca, state PKR chief Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin said he had not received any report of commotion or post ponement involving any of the divisions.

However, he said only 15 per cent out of 10,000 eligible PKR members had turned up to cast their votes at the divisional meetings.

"The low figure is expected as we had anticipated that only about 10 per cent of our members statewide will be casting their votes in the party elections," he told reporters after attending the Jasin PKR divisional meeting in Bemban here today.

In Sarawak, party polls in the state which only ended yesterday also experienced a low turnout of voters between 15 to 20 per cent at meetings held at 29 state divisions.

A party source said for example, the Stampin division which boasts a little more than 500 voters only saw 166 members cast their votes.