Showing posts with label malaysia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label malaysia. Show all posts
Friday, 27 May 2016
Monday, 9 June 2014
Tree Huggers and Moth Superstitions
"Tree Huggers" is a somewhat derogatory term for those who are nature's staunchest advocates.
Communing with nature has a lot to recommend it, although physically wrapping ones arms around a tree might be problematic and especially so in the tropics where all sorts of venomous and unsavoury animals lurk.
In Singapore shaking a branch could prove to be an explosive event as the discovery of a discarded object in the forks of a tree recently goes to prove.
Xinhua news agency has reported that "Several construction workers were resting near a tree close to the Outram subway station near the downtown area on Thursday when they were drawn to the sight of a tree stump with a heart shape".
The 'heart shape' in question turned out to be a World War II hand grenade which was taken away and safely disposed of by the Singapore Armed Forces, Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.
But most things found in or near trees in Singapore are far more benign.
Khew SK's wonderful butterfly blog site records that four new species of these tropical delights have been found in "residential apartments, office buildings, shopping malls and multi-story car parks".
There has also been a marked increase in the large Tropical Swallowtail moths (Lyssa zampa - see picture above) in recent days; a sight not greeted with much enthusiasm by the superstitious who regard them as a portent of unfortunate events to follow.
The butterflies have the North-East monsoon to thank for their assisted passage from Malaysia to the Singapore. And, unlike old hand grenades, they add rare beauty and pleasure to the trees and plants they populate.
Friday, 5 July 2013
Google's Singapore Haze Map
This map map from Google shows Singapore and Malaysia air quality in near real-time. The original site can be found here.
Saturday, 22 June 2013
The Haze Poem
The Haze Poem
I amazed at the haze
and the ignorant bliss
of farmers who burn
as if nothings amiss
As I stand in the mall
looking out at the smog
there's just me and my mask
and a passing stray dog
Think I'll invent a huge solar powered fan
Sumatran focus in mind
Send it back if we can
Taste your own medicine
is my cunning plan
Roger Smith, 2013
I amazed at the haze
and the ignorant bliss
of farmers who burn
as if nothings amiss
As I stand in the mall
looking out at the smog
there's just me and my mask
and a passing stray dog
Think I'll invent a huge solar powered fan
Sumatran focus in mind
Send it back if we can
Taste your own medicine
is my cunning plan
Roger Smith, 2013
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Tutu Much
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| Image: Singapore Dance Theatre |
Now while it is true that traditional ballet costume brings a new interpretation to the "the battle of the bulge", it should not be forgotten that this discipline uses the body as a form of creative expression.
Hence the tight costumes which show off the poise and grace of the movements to a greater degree. And I hasten to add, there is nothing inherently obscene about the human body.
History teaches us that the greatest Civilisations are those that celebrated diversity, welcomed innovation and encouraged cultural expression. It also teaches us that those who follow a great dynasty by trying to impose restrictions, narrow the breadth of personal expression and punish those that step outside the norm are doomed to failure.
The earlier courts of India, China and Europe bare testament to the rise and fall of dynasties that were alternatively embracing and then restrictive in their rule. Singapore under the former PM Goh Chok Tong underwent a cultural renaissance of its own in the 1980's. Malaysia by comparison seems to be getting more conservative and restrictive despite the best efforts of its current Prime Minister, Najib Razak.
However the Tutu Tale doesn't end there. The Malaysian government in response to the universal derision that this ban engendered has been quick to say that "it did not receive a permit application for a Singapore ballet troupe to perform here despite organisers claiming the performances had been barred with no reason given".
Now I find this very hard to believe, even though the Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim has personally stated that he "“I love all forms of the arts and theatre. Ballet should be encouraged".
Someone, somewhere, clearly decided to withhold the license for the Singapore Ballet to perform. The troupe applied for the license months before it was due to tour and had performed across the Causeway for the last two years without causing a ruckus.
The end result of this spat is that 'Ballet Illuminations', for this is the name of the performance, will not be illuminating anyone in Malaysia over the weekend.
Monday, 23 January 2012
Going Bananas, Wet Leaves and Water Dragons
Today is the first day of Chinese New Year, the year of the Dragon, and as I write my many friends in Singapore and beyond are celebrating with their families over Reunion Dinners.
It was a time that I always enjoyed although it was also a time when finding an open coffee shop proved difficult. This year is most definitely a Water Dragon with flooding once again wrecking havoc in certain parts of Singapore in the past week.
Sitting in my study in new Zealand, I decided to delve into my image archive. Here is is a photo taken on the then Tanglin campus of the ill-fated UNSW Asia in 2006. The tropical foliage and the fresh smell after rain is something one never forgets.
There will be many not staying in Singapore but leaving for Malaysia, Thailand or places further afield over New Year; an annual pilgrimage to be with, or share with, family.
Many of them will be flying Singapore Airlines; still my favourite airline despite the recent news that its new fleet of fifteen A380's are susceptible ;to cracks in the wings.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that European air-safety regulators are poised to mandate enhanced inspections in the wake of new cracks found on an A380.
None of this is very reassuring although the manufacturers have assured everyone that there is no imminent danger.
Finally a piece of news that surprised me, as our local NZ supermarkets have for many years been full of bananas from the Philippines.
The Philippines have just sent a trial shipment of fruit and vegetables (carrots, cabbage, bananas, papaya, squash and spices) to Singapore hoping to break into what they perceive to beg a lucrative market. For some reason I thought that produce from the Philippines was already readily available in Singapore - apparently not so?
To all my friends and family - Gong Xi Fa Cai.
It was a time that I always enjoyed although it was also a time when finding an open coffee shop proved difficult. This year is most definitely a Water Dragon with flooding once again wrecking havoc in certain parts of Singapore in the past week.
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| Leaves - Tanglin Roger Smith 2006 |
There will be many not staying in Singapore but leaving for Malaysia, Thailand or places further afield over New Year; an annual pilgrimage to be with, or share with, family.
Many of them will be flying Singapore Airlines; still my favourite airline despite the recent news that its new fleet of fifteen A380's are susceptible ;to cracks in the wings.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that European air-safety regulators are poised to mandate enhanced inspections in the wake of new cracks found on an A380.
None of this is very reassuring although the manufacturers have assured everyone that there is no imminent danger.
Finally a piece of news that surprised me, as our local NZ supermarkets have for many years been full of bananas from the Philippines.
The Philippines have just sent a trial shipment of fruit and vegetables (carrots, cabbage, bananas, papaya, squash and spices) to Singapore hoping to break into what they perceive to beg a lucrative market. For some reason I thought that produce from the Philippines was already readily available in Singapore - apparently not so?
To all my friends and family - Gong Xi Fa Cai.
Friday, 29 July 2011
Sweet Spot and Sweet Victories
I don't know which has the most cataclysmic possibilities; the news that a trojan asteroid called 2010 TK7 has been quietly circling above or that our earth's population is reaching 7 billion.
Apparently trojan asteroids need not be feared as they are not the same as the one that wiped out the dinosaur population some sixty five million years ago. According to the media "the 200-300m-wide rock sits in front of our planet at a gravitational "sweet spot", and poses no danger".
One would certainly hope that they have got their calculations correct. Science has been known to get things wrong before but if this proves to be the case there is little we can do about it anyway.
As to the global population we have apparently slowed our birth rate since the 1960's but even then there will be yet another billion mouth to feed twelve years from now.
In Singapore however life is focusing on more mundane matters. A woman has been fined $4,000 for stealing $390 worth of products from a pet shop in Sengkang in June last year. She is reported as having a penchant for feeding stray cats.
The national football team vanquished their bitter rivals Malaysia to progress to the third round qualifiers for the World Cup for only the second time in its history. They did so in the face of overt intimidation in the crowd, were some idiot brandished a kris knife.
But the sweetest spot of all belongs to Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore which has contributed US$737.6 million to its parent company's coffers and is on its way to become the most profitable casino-resort ever.
It's a rich now ( if you will excuse the pun) for Minister Grace Fu to express in her Facebook pages that she is now "concern(ed) about the social effects".
As part of the then government that introduced casinos into Singapore she, and other members of her party, were made well aware of the downside of such a decision at the time.
Apparently trojan asteroids need not be feared as they are not the same as the one that wiped out the dinosaur population some sixty five million years ago. According to the media "the 200-300m-wide rock sits in front of our planet at a gravitational "sweet spot", and poses no danger".
One would certainly hope that they have got their calculations correct. Science has been known to get things wrong before but if this proves to be the case there is little we can do about it anyway.
As to the global population we have apparently slowed our birth rate since the 1960's but even then there will be yet another billion mouth to feed twelve years from now.
In Singapore however life is focusing on more mundane matters. A woman has been fined $4,000 for stealing $390 worth of products from a pet shop in Sengkang in June last year. She is reported as having a penchant for feeding stray cats.
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| Senior Minister Grace Fu |
But the sweetest spot of all belongs to Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore which has contributed US$737.6 million to its parent company's coffers and is on its way to become the most profitable casino-resort ever.
It's a rich now ( if you will excuse the pun) for Minister Grace Fu to express in her Facebook pages that she is now "concern(ed) about the social effects".
As part of the then government that introduced casinos into Singapore she, and other members of her party, were made well aware of the downside of such a decision at the time.
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Tanjong Pagar Station
Tanjong Pagar Railway Station from ChengChan.
The historic Tanjong Pagar station is being returned to Singapore as part of a land swap deal. At the end of this month it will cease its train operations.
Built in 1932, it has been the terminus for the West Coast line of the KTM (Keretapi Tanah Melayu) Railway line. The station will continue to be owned and operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), Malaysia's main railway operator until July 1st.
The sculptures that adorn the structure are works by Rudolfo Nolli, a sculptor and architect from Lombardy, who during the first half of the 20th century worked mainly in the Siam region.
Singapore has agreed to keep the old station building preserved by the National Heritage Board in any future development of the area. One hope that this will mean 'kept intact without additional add-on embellishments'.
It's combination of neo-classical and art deco architecture makes it a striking building.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Thoughts On A First World Fish Head Curry
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| Thoughts On A First World Fish Head Curry Roger Smith 4/2011 Click on the image, and click again, to see the larger version |
In this montage even the fish are attempting to escape the experience!
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Dr M
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| Dr.M |
A couple of recent items in the Malaysia online journals confirmed that there has been yet another "episode of the antiquated drama in the battle of the octogenarians”.
The good doctor has apparently accused MM of being an iron-clad ruler. A bit rich I would have thought from someone with a man who himself has been accused of being a despot and using national security as a veil to jail dissidents, under the law which provides for detention without trial.
As I have stated in the past one can only judge both men on what they have achieved. When Singapore and Malaysia split the value of their currency was at par. Now it takes 2.4 Malaysian Ringgit to purchase 1 Singapore dollar so it is easy to see which economy is stronger; despite the fact that Singapore has none of the natural resources that are so abundant in Malaysia.
The Mamak of Kerala (as Dr Mahathir Mohamad is known in some circles) nearly brought Bolehland to its knees in the late 1990's when large sums of investment failed to bring tangible results.
The term 'Bolehland' is one used by Malays to describe this period. Boleh means “able” or “can do” in Malay. The “Malaysia Boleh” campaign was launched to bolster national self-esteem.
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| Minister Mentor |
Dr. M also refutes any suggestion that Singapore has anything to fear from Malaysia: "Lee Kuan Yew’s fear of Singapore being invaded by Malaysia is completely unfounded”.
That may be the case now but the Little Red Dot's envious neighbours has harboured such thoughts in the past.
Singapore spends five to six per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) on defence each year and to my eyes this seems like a very prudent investment.
Meanwhile some in the US are questioning the close education alliances between their universities and Singapore. The tertiary tie-up between Duke and NUS is well known and has brought tangible benefits to both.
Critics within another ivy league university, Yale, are orchestrating a campaign to keep it out of Singapore.
Citing a lack of human rights "the best American traditions of free speech", they claim that the name of Yale will be sullied by an association with a country that does not have the same degree of press freedom and open debate.
I don't believe that Duke has suffered from its Singaporean venture and I cannot see how Yale will. As to the article's direct assertion that Singapore has a "jailhouse torture" perhaps they should look at punishment metered out in US prisons?
There is a death penalty in Singapore and it curbs the spread of drugs most effectively. While homosexuality is officially banned, there would appear to be more tolerance that the Yale article tries to make out. I suspect that the writer has never lived in Singapore?
As a former Yale Alumnus and Singaporean wrote in response: "Singapore and Singaporeans emphasize different values, and that this whole Yale-NUS proposal has shown up the gulf that exists between our conceptions of the good".
This is the crux of the argument. How can you judge a country if you have never visited it or better still, lived in it?
I have visited the States several time and lived in Singapore. For my money Singapore has a definite edge, both in terms of affluence and a more integrated society. It may not be perfect but what place is?
At least in Singapore I did not come across war veterans eating out of rubbish bins as I did in the streets of San Francisco.
Monday, 27 December 2010
Gone Fishing
Image by Reggie Wan via FlickrWe braved the Boxing Days sales yesterday in our local town centre. For once they reminded me of the till queues experienced in the good old days of the Robinsons Sale; a Singapore institution.The origins of 'Boxing Day' are believed to come from the practice of the British rich distributing their largesse to the luckless poor, thereby accentuating still further the class divisions of the times.
In large households the servants were expected to work on Xmas Day and were compensated by being allowed to take the next day off. Their masters gave them a box and based on their performance over the year, varying sums of money which were placed inside the box.
Am I alone in spotting the similarity of this Victorian custom with the annual performance bonus which features so largely in Singaporean working lives?
This year we have had the "Boxing Day" sales a week or two before the actual day as the New Zealand retailers desperately canvas for customers.
Unlike Singapore which has recorded respectable economic growth despite the recession, New Zealand has very narrowly avoided a 'double-dip recession', a term which may sound like a chocolate dipped NZ icecream but is in reality far less palatable.
The Singapore government's tight stewardship during the economic turbulence is to be commended and the results are for all to see.
As a trading nation far for its markets and with a strong dollar against our major trading partners, New Zealand has some major economic challenges. This has not be helped by the past excesses of the welfare state.
Despite the gloom and doom, sport remains high on the list of leisure pursuits in this country and with the traditional summer holidays upon us, many New Zealanders head to the beach.
Fishing is a very popular activity with local television channels featuring fishing shows and the customers purchasing cut-price rods and reels in the Boxing Day sales.
I have very fond memories of this sport with fly fishing for trout as well as rod fishing off the rocks for a catch from the sea featuring in my past. I have done neither in recent years but the thrill of the catch is still a fond memory.
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| Source: Straits Times |
Travelling to a raised platform called a kelong is a preferred method and nowadays with few of the Singapore kelongs remaining, Singaporeans go across to Malaysia for their sport.
Boxing Day was not a good day for Singaporean fishermen with the news that three of them drowned and another two were missing returning by ferry from a kelong in Pulau Sibu, off Mersing.
As per usual, the problem was a grossly overloaded ferry which capsized in strong winds and a treacherous current near the Tanjung Leman jetty.
Ferry capsizes in South East Asia happen with monotonous regularity, especially in the Philippines and Indonesia were maritime rules are flouted in a grab for more profit.
Malaysian incidents are fewer but do occur and arresting the captain and boat operator post-event is not going to curb such negligence.
Is prawning fishing?
Meanwhile back on land, hedonistic spending ensures that the mall tills continue to jingle a happy tune.
Crowds are returning to the Singapore malls with Vivo City recording a million more visitors compared to the same period last year and their security staff remain vigilant for any kind of misdemeanor.
According to the Straits Times, pickpockets, shoplifters and even molesters enjoy the festive season. Here in Auckland the 'molesters' usually make the malls off limits but shoplifting has always been a problem.
Both countries though enjoy a good deal and in Singapore the newly Groupon-acquired site Deal.com crashed under the weight of bargain hunters.
Even then, the online option is probably safer than venturing out?
Boxing Day in our southern city of Christchurch was an eventful one with a series of earthquake after-shocks rattling customers and the shelves that were groaning under the weight of bargains.
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Entente Not So Cordiale
"Big fat red faces for Singapore leaders" thundered the Sydney Morning Herald this morning. Naturally this got my curiousity going.A too strong laksa perhaps? No I was mistaken.
It proved to be the frank assessment by Singaporean diplomats of their ASEAN and Asian neighbours as (apparently) revealed in cables leaked to WikiLeaks.
The Straits Time's headline for the same news item was undertandably more subdued - "S'pore diplomats on region".
Which ever way one chooses to deliver it, the cable contents are embarassing and at variance to the public persona displayed, and public announcements made, by the ASEAN membership.
As I wrote in a recent article on the Digital Consultant blog, the WikiLeaks saga has "proved without doubt, the duplicity of diplomacy; what has been said publically is often at complete variance to what is being shared in private."
While privately many Singaporeans may agree with the sentiment that "Malaysia's "dangerous" decline is fuelled by incompetent politicians, Thailand is dogged by corruption and a "very erratic" crown prince, Japan is a "big fat loser" and India is ''stupid''" very few, if any, would say so publically.
What these revelations have done to the "binding spirit" of ASEAN, one can only imagine.
To cap off a week of diplomatic misery comes the news that there is a be a second and competing site, created by former WikiLeaks collaborators who are less than enchanted with Julian Assange.
This one is to be called 'OpenLeaks'.
..... and with Xmas in mind, Santa's cables and WikiLeaks
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Systemic Failures
We have been experiencing very strong winds these past few days, or to put it more precisely, equinoxal gales.
As a result of these events our newly installed clothesline has developed the unpleasant habit of lifting like a jet foil, disengaging its support arm and lowering itself against the fence. Ours is not called the Supafold for nothing!
While this is technically not supposed to be able to happen it has done so nevertheless, the last time coming down on my wife's shoulder and leaving quite a graze.
The Hills clothesline has been the dominant brand in New Zealand for many years but in recent times the solid steel has been replaced by a much lighter weight of metal and there has also been a significant increase in the amount of plastic used. This means that the frames are no longer rigid and flex alarmingly.
It doesn't help that these lines are no longer manufactured in Australia as, with most products nowadays, they bear a stamp "made in China".
Today the clothesline installer paid us a visit, the obligatory half an hour late as all New Zealand tradesmen seem to be.
He was clearly skeptical that the wind would actually blow a clothesline down but after we had introduced to our neighbour whose wife had been cracked on the head in a similar rig malfunction, he got the message.
We shall be replacing our retractable support arms with the fixed variety.
During the course of our conversation it transpired that the installer had lived in Bali for several years before returning to New Zealand. The topic of Indonesia inevitably led to comments on the rife corruption in that country.
I was also reminded how Singapore is experiencing yet another serious cloud of haze pollution from Sumatra, as bad as that which we endured in 2006.
Despite all of the previous promises by the Indonesian government, expensive dinners and friendly ASEAN handshakes the reality is that Indonesia goes its own sweet way, burning off land whenever it feels like it.
Neignbourly considerations do not enter into the Indonesian equation and money given by Singapore in the past to monitor haze and educate farmers has made little or no difference. I would suggest that the majority of farmers probably never even saw a dollar of the aid money.
As a result of these events our newly installed clothesline has developed the unpleasant habit of lifting like a jet foil, disengaging its support arm and lowering itself against the fence. Ours is not called the Supafold for nothing!
While this is technically not supposed to be able to happen it has done so nevertheless, the last time coming down on my wife's shoulder and leaving quite a graze.
The Hills clothesline has been the dominant brand in New Zealand for many years but in recent times the solid steel has been replaced by a much lighter weight of metal and there has also been a significant increase in the amount of plastic used. This means that the frames are no longer rigid and flex alarmingly.
It doesn't help that these lines are no longer manufactured in Australia as, with most products nowadays, they bear a stamp "made in China".
Today the clothesline installer paid us a visit, the obligatory half an hour late as all New Zealand tradesmen seem to be.
He was clearly skeptical that the wind would actually blow a clothesline down but after we had introduced to our neighbour whose wife had been cracked on the head in a similar rig malfunction, he got the message.
We shall be replacing our retractable support arms with the fixed variety.
During the course of our conversation it transpired that the installer had lived in Bali for several years before returning to New Zealand. The topic of Indonesia inevitably led to comments on the rife corruption in that country.
I was also reminded how Singapore is experiencing yet another serious cloud of haze pollution from Sumatra, as bad as that which we endured in 2006.
Despite all of the previous promises by the Indonesian government, expensive dinners and friendly ASEAN handshakes the reality is that Indonesia goes its own sweet way, burning off land whenever it feels like it.
Neignbourly considerations do not enter into the Indonesian equation and money given by Singapore in the past to monitor haze and educate farmers has made little or no difference. I would suggest that the majority of farmers probably never even saw a dollar of the aid money.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Munching Through Malaysia
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| Beef Rendang |
This was a repeat viewing as I had seen his Far Eastern Odyssey while in Singapore.
His rapturous description of beef rendang had me salivating and dreaming of my years in Singapore and the many delightful Malay meals I had eaten.
I miss the punchy spiciness of this cuisine and much as fresh New Zealand bread and dairy produce has its attractions, I still prefer Malay and Chinese food.
Stein is an interesting man who, while identified with Cornwall, in fact now lives in Mollymook, Australia, with his publicist fiancée. His father committed suicide and he has a brother who is a university professor.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
The View From My Window - Kuala Lumpur
Petronas Twin Towers - Kuala LumpurA wonderful metallic structure bathed in the evening light. Until 2004 this was the tallest building in the world but was later eclipsed by Taipei101 in Taiwan. It remains however the tallest twin tower building.
It is built on what was the site of the Kuala Lumpur race track; an interesting case of getting rid of gambling for the sake of mammon.
Despite the exterior metallic glint the towers actually use very steel in their reinforcement. This was a cost saving measure due to the price and availability of steel at the time. The towers were constructed on a cheaper radical design of super high-strength reinforced concrete according to the entry in Wikipedia.
My Maya
I am currently staying at the Hotel Maya in Kuala Lumpur and have to say that I am favourably impressed.It is literally three minutes walk from the office in KL and very convenient. The hotel is contemporary Japanese in design and has a shower with a wooden 'duckboard' floor; something I have not experienced since my boarding school days.
As is my habit, I tried out their room service for dinner this evening and chose one of their 'signature' dishes.
Regrettably the Australian Yellowtail Kingfish fillet did not live up to its culinary promise and was quite dry in texture.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Throwing the Cultural Baby Out with the Bath Water
The is a report today about an ancient tribal language that has become extinct; its last speaker has just died. What a sad indictment that a 65,000-year link to one of the world's oldest cultures has been broken.
It does however remind one just how important language is to a culture; once it becomes extinct so does the culture itself.
The modern generation of Singaporean's have largely lost the ability to speak in their dialects and for a couple of generations the focus promoted by the government has been on both Mandarin and latterly, the up-skilling of English.
I can't help but think that something of the richness and diversity of Singapore culture of old Singapore has been lost as a result?
To try and revive aspects of a culture once much of the old traditions have been lost is extremely difficult.
For example, the retirement of of the old hawkers often means that the original recipes are not handed down. The modern imitations of classic South East asian cusines found in the food court chains somehow never live up to the original.
In neighbouring Malaysia the Orang Asli (original peoples) are suffering as a result of the all pervasive oil palm industry. Maha Meri art is recognised as part of the world's heritage and can fetch thousands of US dollars but the tribe's access to the rare woods they need for carving has been increasingly cut off.
There is more to these ancestral spirit carving than making money. Through them the culture of the tribe survives.
I saw similar trade and spirit cultures in the Sepik region of Papua New Guina when I lived there in the early 1980's.
In our rush for modernity let us not lose the cultural traditions and practices that made us what we are today. If you don't know where you have come from you will not know where you are going.
It does however remind one just how important language is to a culture; once it becomes extinct so does the culture itself.The modern generation of Singaporean's have largely lost the ability to speak in their dialects and for a couple of generations the focus promoted by the government has been on both Mandarin and latterly, the up-skilling of English.
I can't help but think that something of the richness and diversity of Singapore culture of old Singapore has been lost as a result?
To try and revive aspects of a culture once much of the old traditions have been lost is extremely difficult.
For example, the retirement of of the old hawkers often means that the original recipes are not handed down. The modern imitations of classic South East asian cusines found in the food court chains somehow never live up to the original.
In neighbouring Malaysia the Orang Asli (original peoples) are suffering as a result of the all pervasive oil palm industry. Maha Meri art is recognised as part of the world's heritage and can fetch thousands of US dollars but the tribe's access to the rare woods they need for carving has been increasingly cut off.
There is more to these ancestral spirit carving than making money. Through them the culture of the tribe survives.
I saw similar trade and spirit cultures in the Sepik region of Papua New Guina when I lived there in the early 1980's.
In our rush for modernity let us not lose the cultural traditions and practices that made us what we are today. If you don't know where you have come from you will not know where you are going.
Friday, 25 December 2009
A Deluxe Room With A View
Golden Mile complex at dawn is a bustling place. It is from here that the majority of buses to Malaysia depart.
We began our third trip to the Genting Highlands from this location on December 20th and on this occasion we chose another coach line - Transtar. On past trips we had travelled with Formosa Travel which meant departing from less salubrious neighbourhoods about 6:30 am. This time there was the promise of a better bus and greater comfort.
The coach turned out to be adequate with wider aircraft-styled passenger seats and air conditioning nozzles that were the worse for wear. This meant that it was impossible to switch off the icy blast for the entire journey and resulted in most of us having a case of the 'sniffles' by journey's end.
The style of the seat reminded me that these coach services are facing serious competition from the budget airlines; it is now possible to fly to Kuala Lumpur for about the same price as it is to take the bus. Flying takes an hour and the trip to Genting by bus, six and a half hours.
Even though this was a different coach line it stopped at the same diabolical refreshment centre as Formosa's buses did. The food was just as inedible as on previous occasions and the toilets no cleaner.
The journey was uneventful and we arrived at our destination at the allotted time - 3 pm.
I should point out that this time we had planned to stay at the four star Resort Hotel rather than the 3 star First World. Regrettably most of Singapore had the same idea and all rooms were taken as we had to settled for the First World once again. This time though we were promised as Deluxe Room with a View as opposed to the deluxe room we had on our last stay, which had a view of a brick wall a few metres away.
It is that point that the holiday experience takes a sharp turn for the worse.
Our original idea for a short break was to go to the Cameron Highlands but the thought of a nine hours bus journey put us off. The irony was that having spent more than six hours on a coach to Genting we had to wait in a crowded group tour room for a further three hours while staff processed our reservations and handed out room keys. It would have been as quick to go to the Cameron Highlands.
We had requested a non smoking room on a non smoking floor when our booking was accepted. When we finally got to the reception counter however there were no Deluxe Rooms with View on non smoking floors left in the more modern Tower Two. We therefore had to accept Tower One, which is in need of major renovation. There were holes where fittings had been and some deluded former occupier had even attempted to prize the perfectly hideous art print out of its frame. Unfortunately they had not succeeded.
The same old problems of people smoking on these non smoking floors re emerged and the staff chose simply to ignore it. Hotel security spent most of their time slouched over the morning newspaper or conversing on their personal mobiles.
Our room was indeed a room with a view and the view was.... cloud. To be more precise cloud with rain, which is not so surprising given the altitude.
On the third day there was a glimpse of the theme park below but it wasn't until the morning that we left that the sun broke through.
The inclement weather meant that the hordes of children on their summer holiday were unable to spend much of it outside and had to be content with the video and games arcades within the complex.
The rain also meant leaks and buckets in the 24th floor lobby. As we were on the highest floor I can only presume that the roof immediately above was less than weather proof.
One final observation about our Genting experience and the First World hotel; at meals we had a choice watching China tour parties spitting their bones and lemon pips directly on to the table, or fighting off the Indian tour parties who attempted to commandeer our chairs at every opportunity.
We began our third trip to the Genting Highlands from this location on December 20th and on this occasion we chose another coach line - Transtar. On past trips we had travelled with Formosa Travel which meant departing from less salubrious neighbourhoods about 6:30 am. This time there was the promise of a better bus and greater comfort.
Golden Mile at dawn
The coach turned out to be adequate with wider aircraft-styled passenger seats and air conditioning nozzles that were the worse for wear. This meant that it was impossible to switch off the icy blast for the entire journey and resulted in most of us having a case of the 'sniffles' by journey's end.
The style of the seat reminded me that these coach services are facing serious competition from the budget airlines; it is now possible to fly to Kuala Lumpur for about the same price as it is to take the bus. Flying takes an hour and the trip to Genting by bus, six and a half hours.
Even though this was a different coach line it stopped at the same diabolical refreshment centre as Formosa's buses did. The food was just as inedible as on previous occasions and the toilets no cleaner.
The journey was uneventful and we arrived at our destination at the allotted time - 3 pm.
I should point out that this time we had planned to stay at the four star Resort Hotel rather than the 3 star First World. Regrettably most of Singapore had the same idea and all rooms were taken as we had to settled for the First World once again. This time though we were promised as Deluxe Room with a View as opposed to the deluxe room we had on our last stay, which had a view of a brick wall a few metres away.
It is that point that the holiday experience takes a sharp turn for the worse.
Our original idea for a short break was to go to the Cameron Highlands but the thought of a nine hours bus journey put us off. The irony was that having spent more than six hours on a coach to Genting we had to wait in a crowded group tour room for a further three hours while staff processed our reservations and handed out room keys. It would have been as quick to go to the Cameron Highlands.
We had requested a non smoking room on a non smoking floor when our booking was accepted. When we finally got to the reception counter however there were no Deluxe Rooms with View on non smoking floors left in the more modern Tower Two. We therefore had to accept Tower One, which is in need of major renovation. There were holes where fittings had been and some deluded former occupier had even attempted to prize the perfectly hideous art print out of its frame. Unfortunately they had not succeeded.
The same old problems of people smoking on these non smoking floors re emerged and the staff chose simply to ignore it. Hotel security spent most of their time slouched over the morning newspaper or conversing on their personal mobiles.
Our room was indeed a room with a view and the view was.... cloud. To be more precise cloud with rain, which is not so surprising given the altitude.
On the third day there was a glimpse of the theme park below but it wasn't until the morning that we left that the sun broke through.
Click on the book for the larger images
The inclement weather meant that the hordes of children on their summer holiday were unable to spend much of it outside and had to be content with the video and games arcades within the complex.
The rain also meant leaks and buckets in the 24th floor lobby. As we were on the highest floor I can only presume that the roof immediately above was less than weather proof.
One final observation about our Genting experience and the First World hotel; at meals we had a choice watching China tour parties spitting their bones and lemon pips directly on to the table, or fighting off the Indian tour parties who attempted to commandeer our chairs at every opportunity.
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