Friday, May 9, 2014

Owner's Statement

The owner of the Wong Ah Fook mansion in Jalan Lumba Kuda, Johor Baru, has finally broken his silence over the demolition of the 150-year-old building.

In a statement issued through his law firm yesterday he said the mansion was a private property. YES, VERY TRUE.

It also stated: "In April, the owner and its tenants had hired an engineering firm to conduct an inspection on the mansion. They found structural defects and concluded that the building was unfit for occupation.

"Members of the public had entered the building without consent on many occasions, giving rise to issues of public safety.

"Drug addicts had also been seen entering the mansion.

"Because of the potential risks, the mansion was demolished last Wednesday."

EVEN THOUGH THE PRIVATE ENGINEERING FIRM HAD FOUND STRUCTURAL DEFECTS AND THIS HAD POSED A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, THE CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL STILL HAD TO BE SOUGHT PRIOR TO ANY CONSTRUCTION OR DEMOLITION.

The owner, however, expressed his regret that public sentiment was not considered before the mansion was demolished. THIS ONE TRUE.

The lawyer who read the statement also denied speculations that the building was demolished to make way for a condominium project/restaurant. The owner was not present.

As for the time the demolition work started according to the statement, HAAH!

The saga continues ...

Savour the Moment

I was here! Had dinner with a family. Knowing that my vision is not so sharp at night and my sense of direction go haywire at times --- more like most of the time --- the family also came to get me from the house.

Well, to be honest I would probably be too lazy to drive there all by myself.

These are just some of the dishes that were on our table. I didn't take a picture of every dish. This Japanese restaurant in Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Johor Baru is still drawing in the crowd since the day it opened.

We couldn't finish the food so we "bungkus balik" (pack back). It is the trend now. Don't waste food. Even at wedding dinner or any gathering, don't be shy about asking the waiter to pack the leftovers.

And my wonderful host also gave me a gift to take home. I'm a lover of sensuous scents and alluring crystals/gemstones. Any gift that comes from the heart is a sweet gesture to be savoured.

A get together, a fleeting moment, a rendezvous --- planned or unplanned --- all is to be cherished.

Thank you for this night.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Wake Up Call

06 May 2014

Let Wong Ah Fook be a wake-up call

By Chuah Bee Kim

THERE are two lessons to be learnt from the recent demolition of Wong Ah Fook's former mansion.
Perhaps there are more, but I only know of two for now.
Lesson number one: Do not procrastinate.
I spoke to some of the residents and business operators near the site and some of them said that the place stuck out like a sore thumb.
The once majestic eight-room mansion became dilapidated over the years.
Squatters went in to occupy the premises. Two Taoist temples were also set up about 14 years ago.
No one really took much notice of the place. I think most of Johor Baru residents will know of the popular Kedai Makanan Jadi Baru (Botak) at Jalan Lumba Kuda better than they know of Wong Ah Fook's Old Mansion.
I say this because when the old mansion was facing demolition -- at that time the structure was still standing -- some actually didn't know what I was talking about.
Then I said: "The old house near Botak's restaurant."
And just like that, everyone knew the location.
Over the years, no one made much noise. In fact, I did not hear anything about preservation of the old mansion until the site was fenced up.
Then the noise started, and it grew louder and louder.
To be fair to the new owner, he had forked out a big sum of money to buy the land for development.
I do not know if he knew about the state government's plan to have the house turned into a museum or heritage site when he signed on the dotted line to buy the land, but he must have grown desperate when he eventually found out.
The second lesson here.
He probably acted in haste which resulted in the demolition at night, which to some had seemed like he had acted like a "thief in the night".
But isn't that his land now? His intention was to develop the land which had not enjoyed much notice over the years until now.
I want to switch to another subject concerning an issue that may seem like nothing now but could become an even bigger issue than Wong Ah Fook's old mansion.
This concerns the reclamation works in Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah which is believed to have covered up half of the Merambong seagrass meadow in Sungai Pulai.
It's just grass, right?
To an environmentalist, this seagrass is a national treasure. It stretches 1.3km and has been accorded Environmentally Sensitive Area status.
It provides nutrients to the marine life in the vicinity and the Straits of Tebrau.
The destruction of this seagrass meadow will alter the marine environment and may even cause floods in the villages nearby.
To an economist, the fishery industry is a multi-billion investment.
Any possible threat to the fishery industry is going to affect those in the business as well as consumers.
Let the Wong Ah Fook issue be a wake-up call.
Don't procrastinate but don't act in haste, either.

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."