Stop Lynas Save Malaysia

Lynas Corporation Ltd, a giant Australian mining company, had incurred the wrath of all concerned citizens of Malaysia. It has built a RM700 million rare earth plant, the biggest in the world, in Gebeng Industrial Zone, some 20 km north of Kuantan, in the east coast of Malaysia, to process ore mined in Mount Weld, Perth, Western Australia.

Rare earths are crucial to the manufacture of high technology products such as smartphones, hybrid cars and bombs. But processing rare earths will generate a large amount of radioactive waste called thorium. Long term exposure to thorium will result in complicated health problems such as leukemia which will eventually lead to death and the rise in the number of babies born with birth defects to mothers living in close vicinity to the plant.

Toxic waste thrown into the South China Sea facing Kuantan will destroy the rich marine life beneath the sea. The north eastern monsoon wind will carry poisonous particles to the whole of South East Asia region, affecting neighboring countries like Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines too.

Similar repercussions were seen in Bukit Merah, a small village near Ipoh in 1986 when a rare earth plant was built there by a Japanese company amidst protest from the villagers living there. It had closed down since but the impact could still be felt even until today.

Lynas Corporation Ltd was given a temporary operating license by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board of Malaysia despite overwhelming protests by the residents of Kuantan. In view of this, a mammoth rally was organized by the angry residents and concerned environmentalists called Himpunan Hijau 2 (Green Rally 2) in Kuantan this morning from 9.30 am to 12 pm to demand the shutdown of this toxic plant. Come Malaysians, walk for a good cause, walk for Mother Nature. But be prepared to face brutal backlash from the authorities!

Next Tuesday, 28^th February, the citizens of Malaysia will file a legal suit against Lynas Corporation Ltd in the High Court of Kuala Lumpur. Be there if you can to stand in solidarity with Malaysians against this injustice.

We, citizens of Malaysia, demanded clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. We don’t want our babies to be born deformed. We do not want our people to suffer from leukemia too.

So, go home, Lynas, go home, you are not welcome here. You are not wanted on our soil, now or anytime. Malaysia is our home, not a toxic dumpsite. We do not want another Chernobyl here. Our lives are as precious as those in Australia. Please, pack up and stop polluting us, will you?

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Singapore trip

Four of us (KC,CF,NC and I)went to Singapore on 5th and 6th this Month. We went to 2 casinos to try our luck, and the result was expected although my horscope forecasted otherwise. But the visit to the casinos was mainly to see how they were like, so the loss was unimportant.

Another purpose of the trip was to visit 4th aunt at Johor Baru, 2nd and 3rd aunts and 4th uncle in Singaopre. 4th aunt didn't change much but her husband was rather weak after bone surgery. He was lying in the bed-room and just smiled when I walked into the room. 4th aunt told me he seldom came out of the room, almost lying the whole day. I was not very sure if he recognized me.

3rd aunt looked much older and shorter, to my great surprise. I remember she was not like that when I met her at Subang when Dad passed away less than 3 years ago. She has problem walking now after two falls, onc in the toilet. I don't think she is able to come and visit us at Subang again.

2nd aunt is still very healthy, talking loudly and at high pitch.She showed us some of her pretty pictures taken at the age of 20 something. The two young ladies present really admired her. But for me, the pictures were not new as I had seen them hanging in our old house. She complained about receiving late New year Card every year from Hoe Soon family more than 10 to 20 days after CNY in the past 20 years! I couldn't figure out the reasons anyway. I am not sure whether we should blame Pos Malaysia for its inefficiency or else. I think only Hoe Soon or his family members can offer an explanation.

4th uncle looked better than I expected as he had undergone 2 operations recently due to colon cancer. He said it was very messy after the 1st operation, taking 3 months to have another operaion. His wife is planning to go to Australia to see her brother. They insisted taking us for lunch at a grand MTUC restaurant. We drove back to KL after lunch.

Our 2 daughters are really great by cooperating in driving, one looked at the map while the other was driving. Not much mistakes were made. The trip as a whole was interesting. CF took some pictures with our relatives during the trip. I hope she can share some photos with you soon.

p.s. the picture shown bottom left was drawn by Lao Xi Ku...impressive!

XIAMEN TRIP - Updates

The Xiamen trip which was proposed for the May school holidays apparently clashes with Nancy’s work commitment. By consensus it has been rescheduled to the yearend holidays.

A schedule to suit everyone is probably very difficult to arrange. Nevertheless, by setting a date well in advance, people who interested can hopefully plan to leave those dates free.

The yearend school holidays starts on the 10th November 2012. The 13th & 15th of Nov are public holidays being Deepavali and Awal Muharram respectively. Hence, the week starting from 10th Nov – 18th Nov would be most ideal.

Whether the Xiamen trip would be a conducted tour or a self organized tour is still subject to discussion. However, if the dates are agreeable, those who are keen should register their interest. This is in anticipation that if and when there are air tickets or tour promotions we should take the opportunity to buy.

simon 8 feb 2012

Happy Birthday, Simon.

Angela 5-2-2012

4D3N PENANG CAMERON TRIP - PART 2

After being led astray around George Town by a confused Karen (the GPS) we finally found our way to the Penang Bridge. The drive down the NS highway to Simpang Pulai was quite uneventful. Compared to the old narrow winding road from Tapah, this alternative route up to Cameron Highlands felt like a super highway. With light traffic on the road it was a joy to drive as you can easily zip up the hill all the way in 3rd gear. However, upon approaching Kampung Raja the nightmare began.

The stretch between Kampung Raja and Brinchang is only about 12km but it took us a nerve wrecking 2 hours, which worked out to a crawling pace of 6km/hr. With the countless numbers of vegetable, flowers, strawberry, butterfly and bee farms, chocolate factories, tea plantations, outlets, stalls, cafes and shopping centers dotted along the whole stretch and the thousands of visitors and vehicles cramped into the arteries of narrow country roads, it does not take a rocket scientist to see where the problem lies. With tourism booming exponentially, Cameron Highlands is bursting at the seams and the old infrastructure system just could not cope. So where has all the money gone? Another reason for ABU!

When we finally got out of the massive traffic jam and chaotic madness and arrived at the tranquil Hill Top bungalow, the exhilaration was like reaching a surreal haven. It was love at first sight. The quaint little Tudor style bungalow was a picture perfect sight. Very much like something you see in the movies or in a glossy magazine. The 100 year old house is sited on top of a hill with sprawling lawn, beautiful flowers blooming in the garden and surrounded by 7 acres of natural vegetation. I would happily retire there. Replace the antiquated plumbing and get the open fire place working. On second thoughts, maybe just a little cottage with a small patch of garden will do.

The freshly baked scones with strawberry jam and cream and a steaming cup of Earl Grey was something to die for. That by itself was worth the long journey up to the Cameron Highlands. Mr. Chong the caretaker cum chef at the bungalow claimed that it is impossible to bake scones of the same soft texture in the hot and humid lowlands like KL. I do not know whether there is any scientific basis to his theory, but it seems a good excuse to use for my not too successful scones.

Some of the fruits and vegetable sold in Cameron Highlands were not really cheap. Pick your own strawberries went for RM40 per kilo. Sweet potatoes were sold at RM8 per kilo. You can get these items at much lower prices in any Supermarket in KL. On the other hand, a big Chinese cabbage at RM5 was reasonable. Nevertheless, if we did not fill up the car boot with loads of vegetables, the trip back from Cameron Highlands would be somewhat incomplete. Or so says the wife.

simon 3 feb 2012

4D3N PENANG CAMERON TRIP -PART 1

We took off from KL at 7.30AM on the 2nd day of CNY. Traffic on the NS highway was smooth flowing. By 9.15AM we were already in Ipoh buying pomelos and looking for a place to eat breakfast. There was a big crowd at the popular Nam Heong coffee shop when we arrived. We had to jostle our way in and hustle for a table. On a positive note, the Sar Hor Fun and Ipoh white coffee did not disappoint and helped to make up for the minor inconveniences.

Continuing the journey north after breakfast we discovered through Facebook the bad news. My B-I-L’s house in Sibu was broken into the night before. He and the wife decided to fly back immediately. So the first destination in Penang was the Airport. Fortunately, they managed to get tickets for all the connecting flights home on the same day. The group of 10 was thus reduced to 8. The holiday mood was somewhat dampened especially for the children.

It was a scotching hot afternoon as we negotiated through heavy traffic to the Bay View Resort in Batu Ferringhi. After resting for a couple of hours in the comfortable family suite we went down to the beach. I have been to nicer beaches in PD. Nevertheless, ML and her cousins had a whale of a time perfecting the jump for the photo shot and the earlier gloom soon dissipated.

The trip from Bay View to Gurney Drive for dinner, which should takes 15 minutes, took us more an hour. It was a nightmare to drive through the gridlock and a true test of patience. The traffic situation was probably made worse by Ah Jib Kor’s just concluded CNY open house at Marina Bay. The Hawker Centre in Gurney Drive was also packed to the brim. There were long queues at the more popular stalls. The much talked about Penang Hawker food of Assam Laksa, Fried Kway Teow, Rojak, Pasembur, O Chien, Chendol, etc were actually not such a big deal. One can easily find the same dishes in KL that taste just as good.

By the time dinner was over it was 11pm but the traffic had not eased up. Having heard so much about the lights of Kek Lok Si Temple, we decided to make our way there. Unfortunately, the quirky Garmin GPS had to screw up at the most inopportune time. We ended up lost. Going around in circles we finally decided to call it a night. By the time we arrived back to the hotel it was already 1.00AM.

Early next morning, despite the huge crowd, we managed to ride the funicular car up to the Penang Hill or Bukit Bendera. At 800M above sea level, even though the sun was shining brightly the breeze was actually quite cool. Still in a festive mood we decided to get some tattoos. The tattoos were painted on with indelible ink and last up to 10 days.

The 45 minutes long conducted tour of Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion or more commonly known as the Blue Mansion was quite informative and entertaining. The guide started with a brief biography of the Chinese tycoon and explained in detail the Feng Shui considerations in the layout and design of his house and what each artifact and deco meant. By contrast the visit to Khoo Kongsi was a disappointment. As part of the World Heritage site, the buildings there were by no means historically less significant. What was sorely missing is a well informed guide to take visitors around.

After 2 rounds of Assam Laksa and fried Kuey Teow no one was keen on more hawker food. The Ship Restaurant in Batu Ferringhi was within walking distance from the hotel. Surprisingly the service was prompt and I loved the warm bun they served for starters. After dinner we took a stroll around the busy night market.

We headed out to Kek Lok Si Temple again after 11.00PM. Traffic was slightly better and we did not get lost this time. We were surprised that we could actually drive right up to the temple on the hill. The temple ground and buildings were all beautifully lighted up and was a sight to behold. After about 20 minutes and before we could tour the temple grounds, the monks started locking up the place and switching off the lights and we had assumed that it was open 24 hours. Luckily we were there just in time otherwise it would be another wasted trip.

simon 2 feb 2012