Kite fest returning to Bintulu

Kite fest returning to Bintulu
More local participants expected to sign up for event in August

By PHILIP Him

INTRODUCED in 2005, the successful Borneo International Kite Festival has put Sarawak on the world map.

Organised by the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), the event is held annually at the town's old airport.

Hundreds of participants, locals and foreigners alike, have been showing their skills and talent by flying beautiful kites with the Bintulu
skyline as its backdrop.

Apart from the local and international competitions, visitors were also treated to traditional kite making workshops hosted by experts.

Last year, a remarkable feat was achieved by the participants when a total of 1,655 ki~es were flown simul- taneously for 20 minutes.

This spectacular aerial display was an attempt to enter the Malaysia Book Of Records with an initial target set at 1,500 kites.

Held for its fifth consecutive year, the Borneo International Kite Festival will be held from Aug 2-9.

More local participants are expected to sign up this year as the organisers has started laying ground work and kicking off the event's publicity campaign.

Last year, some 105 participants from 13 countries took part.

The BDA is hoping to receive a higher number of part!cipants this year despite the current economic slowdown.

Indonesia had the largest contingent of 35 participants last year. Other international participants were from China, Japan, Singapore, India, Australia, France, New Zealand, Korea, Taiwan, Brunei, Philippines and Thailand.

The kite festival also serves as a meeting point for enthusiasts and competitors from all over the world where knowledge on the hobby is shared.

On the local front, the event is also to promote and preserve Malaysia's traditional kite, the wau.

the lush greenery of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM)

Up close with nature
THE Green Fest, The star's annual event to mark world Environment Day, returns to the lush greenery of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) this year.
And like in previous years' events, visitors can get the chance to revel in nature plus learn about ways to conserve the environment.

These are some of the activities lined for the event on June 7 2009.
* Philips Malaysia will offer tips on energy conservation and give you an energy-saving light bulb in exchange for your old one.
* Get to know the conservation work of the Worldwide Fund for Nature and the Malaysian Nature Society. You can support their efforts by signing up as members or giving a donation. WWWF will also be collecting signatures for its turtle conservation campaign.
* Learn about the research work of FRIM scientists on forests as well as wild flora and fauna.
* Kids can sign up for the Kuntum colouring competition, join the T-shirt painting event or have their faces painted.
* Try making music from all kinds of everyday implements, with help from members of the Drum Circle.
* Join the guided walk along one of the many jungle trails found in FRIM, to get a real close look at the many wonders found in the forest.
* For a bird's eye view of the forest, go on the canopy walk. This 20Ore-long suspension bridge brings you up to the tree tops for a superb view of tree canopies and the city skyline.
* Permanis will give away a bottle of Revive to the first 200 people who bring in recyclables.
* Sampling and redemption of Marigold drinks.
* Entertainment will be provided by TV3 and Suria FM.

* The Green gest is sponsored by Bonuslink and Philips Malaysia.

Korea's Break Out troupe wow Kuala Lumpur audiences and leave them in stitches.

Korea's Break Out troupe wow Kuala Lumpur audiences and leave them in stitches.

AFTER WEEKS of anticipation, Break Out finally stormed into Malaysia for a hugely successful debut. The Korean extreme dance comedy theatre staged four shows over the weekend to enormously appreciative audiences at Dewan San Choon, Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur.

Created by Yegam and Sevensense, Break Out is directed by Jeon Jun-Beom and tells of five jail- breakers who yearn for a taste of freedom when an ancient sacred text falls from the sky into their midst. The magical book has mysterious powers that cause everyone in its vicinity to break into dance or launch into inspired beatboxing.

The 75-minute action-adventure, which boasts Korea's leading B-boys from international award-winning crews, impressed with top-notch B-boy skills.

I had the good fortune of watching Break Out in Seoul three weeks ago, courtesy of the Korean Tourism Organisation. And what can I say?
My first taste of the high-energy performance had me completely hooked. After the show ended, I wished I could hit a replay button somewhere so I could watch it all over again.

Although the show in Kuala Lumpur had a slightly modified set of props and a completely different set of performers, l'm glad to report I enjoyed the show just as much.

The Kuala Lumpur stage was barely able to contain the quirky characters as they went about trying to break out of prison. The fun factor was raised further as the action often spilled off-stage and involved some hilarious audience participation.

The set design is truly ingenious for the production has but a single prop, which is innovatively designed to be a life-size pop-up book. With the turn of every gigantic page, the audience is taken through the different stages of the jailbreakers' madcap escapade starting with their rip-roaring break out from prison through cut-away tunnels to a boisterous hospital and then a comical convent.

Highlights of the show include the side-splitting tunnelling episode, where the performers had tiny puppet versions of themselves strapped to their heads as they made their way through the narrow mute.

In hot pursuit of the five jailbreakers - old man Gray, brawny Lump, silly Joker, perverted Tricky, ladies' man Dandy- were prison warden Gundog and special agent SWAT.

The B-boys who performed in Kuala Lumpur were Kim Yong-Nam (Lump), Son Hyuk (Gray), Cho Min- Chul (Dandy), Han Chul-Hee (-Tricky), An Yong-Chan (Joker), Park Jae-Hong (Gundog) and No Seung-Min (SWAT). Three beautiful women played by B-girls Kim Jin-Hee, JangJi-Hee and Son Sun-A, portrayed a trio of wardens, cops, nurses and nuns.

Young children were heard giggling non-stop during the dance troupe's amusing antics, throughout the family-friendly show while B- boy fans were constantly cheering to their every spin, flip, roll, glide, pike, flare, halo and freeze.

Break Out struck a delightful balance between extreme dance and slapstick comedy wowing the audience with superb comic timing as well as lively acrobatics. Add to that some very infectious beat-boxing and a heart-thumping score, and the troupe had the audience completely won over.

Along with Nanta (kitchen percussion comedy) and Jump (extreme martial arts comedy), Break Out (extreme dance comedy) is the latest must watch for fans of Korea's non-verbal performances.

A roar of approval erupted as the 10 performers took their curtain call, but the show was yet to end as the exuberant audience immediately launched into chants for an encore. Lump (Kim) and SWAT (No) emerged with a round of brilliant beat-boxing before the rest of the troupe joined them on stage with another frenzied round of breaking. * Organised by Korea Tourism Organisation, the Break Out charity performances are managed by events management company GF~, presented by Korea Sparkling and sponsored by LG. The show has the support of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture Malaysia, the Venang government, the Malaysian Association of Hotels and the South Korean Embassy. Media partners include Star Publications (M) Bhd, 8TV and One FM. Following the four shows in Kuala Lumpur last weekend, Break Out will stage another two charity perform- ances in Penang at Dewan Sri Vinang tomorrow (May 27) and Thursday (May 28) at 8.30pro. Net proceeds of the Kuala Lumpur shows were donated to the LG Cleft Lip Project and those of the Penang shows will be channelled to D'Home Mental Health Association. Tickets are priced at RM63 and RM93 and available at authorised Axcess outlets or via their hotline (03- 7711 500) as well as G Hotel (Gurney Drive, Penang) and Dewan Sri Pinang (before showtime) or via Asthy Tan (017-606 6788). Four 42" LG television sets were given away to lucky ticket-holders at the Kuala Lumpur shows, with another two sets up for grabs at the remaining charity performances.

No more fireflies in six months?

Firefly

Firefly

loss of sanctuaries and tourist spots By CHRISTINA TAN

SHAH ALAM: The entire firefly population in Kampung Kuantan and Kampung Bukit Belimbing in Kuala Selangor is facing wipe-out in six months.

"All the fireflies there will be gone for good by the end of this year if no measures are taken to protect them," said Selangor Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong.

The Selangor Government had issued a stop-work order for all activities in firefly sanctuaries along Sungai Selangor yesterday, she said.

She said the decline of the firefly colonies in the two popular tourist spots was at a very serious stage, with half of them already disappeared.

"We have identified seven critical areas in the two villages where the firefly colonies in four spots are already gone," she said after the weekly exco meeting here yesterday.

Last month, The Star reported that the days of firefly watching would be over because of land clearing which has damaged the habitat.

Wong said that massive cutting of trees and improper development along the river were the main reasons the fireflies were dying.

Furthermore, some areas along the river bank had been turned into oil palm plantations, she said, adding that there were also factories and restaurants operating too close to the river.

"A total of 38ha of land along the river has also been cleared," she added.

Wong said the fireflies, whose lifespan is only three months, could not survive in such an environment where there was only polluted water.

She also said that there was no river reserve along the river and part of the land had been sold to individuals.

The state government, she said, would gazette the land along the 20km river into a buffer zone.
It had also identified 52 landowners along the river and would take over the land from them as soon as possible, she said.

Wong said that the state government would also start to replant trees such as sagu, berem- bang, nipah and rembau immediately to rebuild the habitat of the fireflies at the critical areas.

The state government was establishing a fund to get the private and public sectors involved in preserving the firefly sanctuaries.

Related Link : Save Our Environment, save the world

Dying Sungai Golok(kolok) wooing Malaysian tourists again

Sungai Golok: The problems in southern Thailand has taken a toll on this border town which has now become a ghost town awaiting an even painful end.

Once known for its vibrant nightlife, the sporadic bombings in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala have made Sungai Kolok the last place Malaysians would want to visit.

However, district police chief Col Tangusat Wangsupa insisted that the town is safe for tourists.

"If you feel unsafe, I can arrange for one of my men to accompany you around the town any time of the day," he said during a goodwill visit by Malaysian journalists and Kelantan tourism representatives.

"I have my men at every corner of the street on a 24-hour basis.

"It is perfectly safe," he said, adding that visitors should not be intimidated by their presence.

Tangusat added that local tourism had almost come to a standstill because of the unrest.

The trip was organised by the Kelantan Tourism Action Council, led by its chairman Datuk Abdul Aziz Derashid.

It aimed at boosting both the Kelantan and Thai tourism sectors.

Sungai Golok was once popular with Malaysians who made up almost 9070 of the visitors.

A mere 45-minute drive from Kota Baru, this cowboy town was also a shopping haven which drew more Malaysians on weekends.

For shoe seller Siti Ratcheni Soma, 28, business has been so bad that she is thinking of doing something else.

"I see fewer and fewer people coming over here.

"The presence of the police and soldiers does not help at all." she added.

Noraini Hassan, a local resident, shared the sentiment. She hoped that Sungai Golok would return to its glory days of being the second Haadyai.

"Nowadays, you only see locals here. They are not big spenders like Malaysians," she said.

"If this goes on, I believe that this town will die before the year ends and all of us will suffer."

Narathiwat deputy governor Nipon Narapitakul said government agencies were making efforts to pull in the tourists to the provinces through a promotional blitz.

"We will woo our friends in Kelantan to come here.

"I assure them that it is safe to come here as the violence has gone down."

Padang Chetty part of Klang's history

He says name change doesnot reflect well on the state govt
Story and photos by ELAN PERUMAL
elan@thestar.com.my

FORMER national coach C. Paramalingam has rapped the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) for its plan to change the name of Padang Chetty to Laman Sukan Majlis Perbandaran Klang,

The 74-year-old hard-talking man said the field had been the training ground for numerous national hockey players who had made it to the Olympics and the World Cup.

Param said the idea of giving it a'new name did not reflect well on the state government.

"Historical treasures especially those from the pre-independence era must be retained as
a gift for the younger generation.

"Padang Chetty is part of the history of Klang and its name should not be changed," he said.

Recollecting the old days, Paramalingam, who is popularly known as Param, said he had personally trained, played and coached at the field.

Padang Chetty, he said, had hosted various hockey tournaments and leagues in the past.

"This field has a rich tradition for creating great players who represented the council, state and nation.

"Some of them have become coaches while others are still with the council," he said

He said Padang Chetty used to be the centre of activities for the town's youngsters who played hockey, football and cricket.

"The name Padang Chetty came about from the huge population of Chetties who stayed in the area.

"The Chetties who came from South Inclia used to carry out businesses not far from here," he said

According to him, Padang Chetty existed long before the Stadium Kota Raja (Padang Sultan Sulaiman) was built.

"I know teams and clubs are still holding their training sessions at the field," he said.

Klang Consumers Association president. A. Devadass also criticised the council for attempting to change the name of the field.

He said the council should be worrying about providing the best standard of service to the ratepayers instead of going about changing names of the streets and places.

"They are wasting their time doing crazy things like this," he said.

Toast of the town in Kluang

When in Kluang, you don't have to go all the way to the Railway Station for a taste of its famous kopi, kaya toast and other signature items

“Do beh chia mea?” i was puzzled by this question on the litlte menu. After asking for a translation, I learned that it's Hokkien dialect for “What would you like to eat?"

My eager but silent reply was "everyihing". But I politely settled for a little of everything instead. It's hard to resist the classic kopi, kaya toast and every other specialty at Kluaog Rail Cafe, a new branch of the famous Kluang's Railway Station Coffee Shop that has been whipping up the goodies for 68 years!

Just Like The Rail Thing

It's obvious that "racial segregation" is unheard of here. Coffee shops such as this are still places where friends of every race swap stories or seal business deals over cups of coffee.

Chinese, Malay and Indian youths, office workers and families and even Europeans employed by multinational companies in Kluang and gatu Rahat are frequent patrons who appreciate the cafe's ambience and array of food. Some are such regulars that they order without looking at the menu.

Jack Lim, a fourth generation tim of Kluang's Railway Station Coffee Shop, has taken over a corner shop in Kluang new town, turning it into the "Toast Of the Town".

Its nostalgic railway theme and decor is keeping in line with the "rail tradition" of the original coffeeshop that operates at the Kluang Railway Station.

There are wooden tables, stools and plank waits with wire-net windows and lots of natural light, but in air-conditioned comfort. Pointing upwards, Jack proudly drew my attention to double railway tracks suspended from the ceiling!

As i lingered over my cup of aromatic Kluang Rail coffee, I watched Jack exchange greetings with familiar customers Two obviously good friends studying the menu and discussing choices, made a pretty picture of what it meant to be truly Malaysian. Heads close together, the Chinese lady's cudy head nodded in agreement with the Malay lady whose head was covered by a modest pink tudung!

The affable jack said: "People are just comfortable here, sitting and eating together." The right mix of trendy ambience, mouthwateriog menu and fair prices is clearly bringing people back for more.

What's Special

From toast and sandwiches to noodles and rice, there are choices of Eastern and Western favourites to suit every taste.

For me, roti khowJn (with kaffwin spelt the old way) was simply irresistible. Melting butter and kaya oozed out from charcoal-toasted slices of bread and buns, served in white and wholemeal choices. It's the perfect "marriage" of butter and kaya in a combination that titillates, bite alter bite.

Served on greaseproof paper, nasi lemak and mee siam were fond favourites while spity mee rebus and curry noodles looked equally yummy. I savoured Rail Sandwiches made of mantou (plain pau) filled with sardine, tuna or sambal ikan bilis with crispy cucumber and pungent ordon slices.

I was glad I saved some space for a superb sweet ending, a rich blend of creamy coffee with Milo and vanilla flavours in the cool Railway Float and a wedge of Rail Chocolam Brownie topped with vanilla ice-cream.

How To Get There

Kluaog Rail Cafe is located at No. 33, Jalan Mangeggis and open daily from 7am to 10pm. Closed on Mondays, You can reach Kluang either by rail or by road on the scenic route from Johor Baru or via the North-South Highway and exit at Air Hitam toll to Kluang town.