Something's Missing

The Iskandar Malaysia Information Centre offers visitors information about what is going on in the region... or does it?

Admission is free, but it is not drawing the crowd. Some are not even aware of the existence of the centre. More should be done to promote it, and make it more visitor-friendly.

In the Johor Streets today

Lack Of Information For Visitors

JOHOR BARU: There are strong views that the Iskandar Malaysia Information Centre in Danga Bay Convention Centre, which has a world-class facade and interior, should be doing more to promote Iskandar Malaysia.

A nature lover, who only wanted to be known as Cyndi, claimed she had come to Iskandar Malaysia to visit the mangroves as she had heard much about the state’s plan to promote eco-tourism.

Cyndi said she had asked the security guard for information at the centre but she did not receive much assistance from him.

“I was impressed with the interactive touch-screen panels and the sophisticated decor. However, I could not find the information that I needed.”

Streets had also visited the centre twice. On Thursday, we went to the centre at 3pm but it appeared to be closed. A few people who were outside the centre also thought that the centre was “closed” as it was a Thursday (half day for those working in the government sector).

We then revisited the centre on Monday at 2pm. The centre appeared to be closed and the security guard did not inform visitors otherwise.

A reporter asked the guard if it was opened and he replied: “Just go in.”

From observation, the interior was classy and there seemed to be a wealth of information available. However, it could also seem like a case of information overload.

There was an innovative section called the Ramsar Boat, which was a virtual boat ride to the Ramsar site.

The boat seats a maximum of 10 persons and take a load of 1,000kg.

There also appears to be a poster on eco-tourism, but the information that a tourist would need to embark on an eco-tour was not available.

At the time, the centre was hosting a student delegation comprising 40 people from Tanjungpura University in Pontianak, in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, where an Iskandar Regional Development Authority personnel was briefing them about the southern development corridor.

It is learnt that the centre received 33,411 visitors last year.

A centre spokesman said the visitors comprised of locals and foreigners. 

Higher Toll Rates From Today (Oct 1)

by Ben Tan

source NST online

JOHOR BARU: At a minute past midnight, the Singapore government started imposing the new toll charges for all vehicles, except motorcycles, leaving the republic through the Causeway today.

Up to yesterday, there was no indication that the republic's Land Transport Authority (LTA), would back down or postpone their Oct 1 date following several meetings with the Malaysian government.

The new toll rate for cars has increased from the previous SG$1.20 to SG$3.80 (RM3.03 to RM9.62), while vans and light goods vehicles saw a hike from SG$1.90 to SG$5.80.

The new rates for taxis and buses will increase from SG$0.60 and SG$1 to SG$1.90 and SG$3.10, respectively.

As an estimate, the new toll rates on Singapore’s side is about a three-fold increase, to match Malaysia’s implementation of higher toll rates since Aug 1.

Last week, the Malaysian government had offered an explanation and justification on the toll increase for all vehicles entering Singapore via the Causeway at the Sultan Iskandar Building's Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex here.

Singapore decided to increase its exit toll and also add another entry toll in what is described as a tit-for-tat move by Malaysians following the increase on Johor's side of the Causeway.

However, toll charges at the Second Link remain unchanged.

In a statement last month, the Singapore LTA said the new rates were in tandem with the republic’s long-standing policy of matching toll charges at the Causeway and Second Link to those set by Malaysia.

For foreign-registered cars, including Malaysian cars, Singapore’s Causeway entry toll (entering Singapore from Johor) will be recorded in the LTA’s toll system and displayed to motorists upon entry.

Payment will be deducted only upon leaving Singapore (whether through the Causeway or Second Link), together with the exit toll, Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) fee and Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges (if any).

This will be the same as the existing practice for the Second Link entry toll.

The LTA statement noted that Singapore will follow suit should Malaysia reduce or do away with the toll charges.

Noble Honey Collector

Ismail Haron, 68, lives in Kampung Melayu Majidee with his wife Nurdiati Gammara, 34. The couple have three children.

 
WHEN I first ventured into the jungle and Orang Asli settlement areas, I was welcomed with open arms by the Orang Asli community.

The Orang Asli are warm-hearted folk who would be happy even if you had only bottles of honey as gifts for them.

However, now some of them want RM50 if you want to check the beehives whether or not the hives have honey. And it is RM50 per hive.

Yes, I make a living from collecting honey. But I do not like hives of bees that are reared. These bees are lazy, and do not produce the best honey.

Here is something that some may not know about the Orang Asli. If they don’t understand something that you are telling them, out comes their iPad.

Times have changed.

I love to venture into the jungles. I go there when my source tells me that there are beehives there.

Honey has numerous benefits. It is good for those who smoke, as the honey can clean nicotine deposits in their lungs.

One can rub raw honey onto the palms of the hands and the skin of the hands will be smooth. One can do that on the face too, as honey acts as a moisturiser.

However, do not do it if your skin is sensitive.

Honey is also known to increase body heat.

To know whether you have genuine honey, there are numerous tests.

One is to keep the honey in a freezer. Genuine honey cannot be frozen.
You can also do the match test.

Dip a match into the honey. Although the tip is wet, the match will still light.
Another test is to break open an egg.

Pour the egg yolk into a bowl of honey. The egg yolk will be cooked.

When I go up to a beehive, I do not wear any protective gear.

I pray first, and I believe in the power of my faith. If I am not taking the honey with a sincere and pure heart, I would have been stung to death.

Although I do put a price to the honey that I collect and sell, I am more interested in helping people than making a profit. I want to help people with health issues.

If I know they are really sick and they are not rich, I ask them to give me what they can afford. I do not want to profit from the predicament of the poor.

I was born in Ipoh. My late father worked as a Customs officer. We came to Johor two weeks after the nation gained independence.

I had previously worked with Malaysia Airlines for three years before I went over to Indonesia to work as an administrator for the Indonesian government for 20 years.

It was during my time in Indonesia that I learnt about the benefits of honey.

After retirement, I decided to become a honey collector.

When I first came to Kg Melayu Majidee there was no electricity or water supply. It wasn’t until 1982 or 1983 that we had water supply and electricity.

Interview by Chuah Bee Kim
Pictures by Roslan Khamis
source NST online

Sustainable Green Living

In the Johor Streets today

Pic by Roslan Khamis

JOHOR BARU: RESIDENTS living along the banks of Sungai Sebulung, a tributary of Sungai Tebrau, which was once polluted as it was a dumping ground is now a tourist attraction.

The tributary cuts through Kampung Melayu Majidee, a modern Malay kampung.

Mohd Isa Ahmad, 51, head of the Kampung Melayu Majidee resident commitee, said the project, which was mooted in 2005 was a success story in the government’s effort to rehabilitate dying rivers.

“Sungai Sebulung was once one of the dirties tributaries in the state. As it runs across the back of some houses, the villagers threw their household waste into in.

“We had many problems then, as well as flash floods, besides the fact that we are living in filth.”

The Iskandar Regional Development Authority recently included a the kampung as a must-see attraction for tourists who visited the Legoland Malaysia Resort.

Isa said he had been tasked to give talks at Felda residences and other villages to share his experience about Effective Microorganism (EM) technology and the effectiveness of using food waste as fertilisers and cleaning agents.

Isa said the villagers teamed up with Kumpulan Syarikat Jamof and the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB), which provided each household with a plastic container to collect food waste.

Isa said the beautification and rehabilitation project for Sungai Sebulung was divided into two phases.

Phase One comprised of 110 houses stretching 500 metres, where villagers were taught to plant tree and shrub species like Janda Merana, Mahkota Dewa, Serai Wangi, Tongkat Aliand Misai Kucing.

The dilapidated bridge and five-foot way were also upgraded between 2005 and 2006.

In 2009, the second phase was launched, which involved 60 houses stretching 300m.

The village saw the installation of new septic tanks and an interlocking walling system for drainage.

Salijah Senan, 52, who has lived in the village for 30 years said initially it was difficult to get 
the villagers to change their attitude.

“Most residents were skeptical when we were told about the local council’s plan to rehabilitate Sungai Sebulung. We did not know what EM was and how to use the mudballs that had to be thrown into the tributary once a month.

“Now we understand that fish feed on the mudballs and the stream is teeming with fish once again.”

MBJB public relations officer Abdul Aziz Ithnin said the villagers underwent a complete mindset change.

“If you drove through the village, you would see the EM Gallery and other galleries maintained by the residents with the hope of spreading the message that green living was possible.

“The villagers here now love their backyards more than they love their front entrances because of the stream that runs through the back of their houses,” Aziz said.

On another matter, Aziz said Sungai Pandan and Sungai Skudai have yet to adopt this conservation method because the two rivers, which have become dumping grounds are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage and not the local council.

On the local council’s efforts to get other villagers to adopt the EM concept, Aziz said many were skeptical but he believed that nothing was impossible.

“Sungai Sebulung is an example for other villages who want to adopt sustainable green living.”

Meanwhile, Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd, a private property developer here has adopted EM to clean its shopping mall and as raw building materials for its development projects.

by Chuah Bee Kim

source NST online

Simon Murray

Met Simon Murray from the United Kingdom, who supplies eyewear for the Harry Porter movies.  He has a huge collection of spectacles and has co-written a book titled 

Simon, among others, were at the Dataran Bandaraya in Johor Bahru today spreading joy to some 100 members of the Johor Society of the Deaf.

The event, organised in conjunction with World Deaf Day today, had activities such as laughter yoga, coconut bowling, face painting, a book signing session and photo taking opportunities with Simon.

You also get to wear the glasses to take a photo. 

Besides supplying eyewear, Simon also has also supplied costumes and props for movies like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, among other blockbusters.

Meanwhile, the Yayasan Pembangunan Keluarga (Family Development Foundation) in Kota Iskandar, Nusajaya, can help those with hearing, speech and other impairment to find employment in government and private sectors.

At A Crossroads

We are at a crossroads where what we decide today can affect the future.  A balance between development and environmental conservation is essential. KPRJ, IRDA, NGOs related to environmental protection, the property developer concerned, the Federal government and the local community needs to come together and talk about this matter in depth. Seriously.

Meanwhile, a report by NST Johor bureau chief Ben Tan today

Explain Clearly, Forest City Developer Told

JOHOR BARU: THE developer of the controversial Forest City project must be clear in their explanation about the development and its impact on the affected villagers in the area, said Tan Sri Shahrir Samad.

The Johor Baru member of parliament said this was because he felt that the explanation offered to the Kampung Pok community in Gelang Patah by the developer, Country Garden Pacific View Sdn Bhd, had raised more questions than answers.

“They should have had the dialogue session earlier to address the concerns regarding the environmental impact and the villagers’ concern,” Shahrir, who is also Iskandar Regional Development Authority adviser, said after launching the IM Klik photography competition here yesterday.

Present was Iskandar Investment Berhad president and chief executive officer Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim.

Shahrir said many villagers were not satisfied with the developer’s explanation.

“The developer needs to be more realistic in giving the real picture of their development not only to potential buyers, but to the surrounding community as well.”

Bernama had reported that since reclamation works for the project started in March this year, fishermen’s haul had dwindled.

“In the past, our haul would reach between 20kg and 40kg, but now, it is difficult for us to get even 1kg,” Abu Talib Khamis, 56, said.

The fisherman, who started going to sea at 12, claimed that the massive reclamation works under the Forest City Project at the Johor Straits had impacted negatively on fishermen.

The Forest City project is a joint-venture between a property developer from China and a local agency to create four artificial islands in the area.

The project’s gross development value is expected to reach RM600 billion in 30 years.

State Malaysian Nature Society chairman Vincent Chow had in July described the continental shelves off Tanjung Adang and Merambong in the Johor Straits as a sensitive marine heritage.

Zulkifli Hassan, 49, said he and other fishermen were now forced to go further out to sea.

“We have to make a detour to avoid the reclamation area.”

He said the project had affected the sea currents, endangering the safety of fishermen using small boats.

“We are also using more fuel to reach new fishing spots and using bigger vessels to rough out the stronger currents.”

During the public dialogue held last Sunday at the Kampung Pok community hall in Gelang Patah on the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) briefing of the Forest City project, villagers had voiced their protests.

Among others, they questioned the credibility of the survey on  the social and economic impact conducted by the DEIA consultant.

Of the 100 villagers polled, 60 per cent of them had apparently said “yes” to the controversial project.

The audience questioned the methodology used in the survey and whether the sample was sufficient.

Kampung Pok Village Development and Security Committee deputy chairman Azman Abdul Rahman said he did not know when the survey was conducted, and if it had ever been conducted.