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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Ayer Hitam has good bargains, it lacks affordable living
RM24mil allocated to buy rubbish bins with wheels for Raub residents
Dozens of donors give out rice and cash to 400 poor and needy

Ayer Hitam has good bargains, it lacks affordable living

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:47 PM PST

AYER HITAM: This town is a popular stop for tourists plying along the North South Expressway looking for good bargains of handicrafts and pottery.

Located about an hour's drive from Johor Baru, many couples, who are planning to tie the knot, also throng this town looking for decorative items, plastic flowers, baskets and other handmade items for their wedding.

This parliamentary, which is carved out of the state seats of Yong Peng and Semarang, is also popular with street peddlers mainly old women moving around the coffee shops selling their organic produce including carrots, ladiesfingers and others from nearby farms.

Yong Peng which was once regarded as a "black area" during the communist insurgency in the 1950s, is also popular with its noodle dishes, as a fruits collection centre and also a "favourite stop" for bus drivers plying between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

While the easy access to the highway has brought about a lot of economic spillovers and development to this area, the local residents are concerned about the bread and butter issues including higher cost of living, increasing housing prices and job opportunities for young people.

For housewife Junaidah Hassan, 36, the Yong Peng town lacks affordable houses for those in the low and middle income.

"Some of us are forced to just rent a house as it is too expensive to own a terrace house in the area," she said.

Juniadah said she and her husband had been looking for a house for their family for the past one year since they have moved to the town from Johor Baru last year.

"At first, we thought a small town like Yong Peng will offer cheaper properties for those from the lower income group.

"To our surprise, most of the houses in the town area are terrace houses and all of them cost between RM100,000 and RM200,000 or more. We cannot afford," she said.

She added that her family had decided to move to Yong Peng and even became the voters here to get closer to her family in Paloh and her husband's family home in Labis.

"Besides, Yong Peng offers a better business opportunity because many tourists stop here for food," she said.

Her husband is a satay seller and presently all their income is used to support the family comprising five schoolgoing children, she said, adding that she hopes to own a house in the area one day.

"My husband is only a satay seller and his income is not enough for us to own a house here.

"It is very difficult to find a unit below RM100,000 and for all families, a home is a basic necessity.

"I hope there will be low-cost housing built in the future for those who are unable to afford medium-cost houses that cost around RM50,000," she said.

Kasmo Ahmad, a 74-year-old retiree who has been through Malayan Emergency era and effects from World War 2, said nothing is more important than living in harmony society.

Born and brought up in Kampung Kangkar Baru, Kasmo said the life in his village was good as all races were living together happily.

"I see better changes in the past few years when the local community leaders are having more community actitivities where more people meet more often and get to know each other better.

"Lately, I notice more people in my village visit their neighbours and friends of different races during festive seasons and during normal days.

"I don't see much of this visitings in years before and I feel it is a good effort and should be continued," he said, adding that unity is very important especially for multi-racial Malaysia.

"Those who had been through uncertainties in the past would definitely appreciate peace and harmony more," he said, adding that people in small village do not face much of other issues such as cost of living, crime rate and traffic jams.

"It is a peaceful place and life is quite laidback here," he added.

Farmer Tai Seng Cheng, 53, said local infrastructures and facilities are important to the residents in Yong Peng and Ayer Hitam as it affects their lives directly.

"We need a proper road to transfer our vegetables and crops to the markets and a good drainage is important so that it prevents our areas from flooding," he said.

He said roads have been improved and floods reduced following major flood mitigation projects carried out last year in Yong Peng and Ayer Hitam town area.

Tai said he hoped all the infrastructures would be maintained from time to time to ensure they were in good condition.

He added that he hoped infrastructures would continue to develop here as it would help the local economy to grow.

Housewife Ngor Seu Lee, 52, said the Yong Peng and Ayer Hitam are having more senior citizens nowadays.

Due to lack of job opportunities for the young people, she said many were forced to travel to big cities such as Johor Baru, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for jobs as there were more jobs with higher pay in the urban areas.

"It is a pleasant and peaceful town with low crime rates and we feel more job opportunities for our children will make it a perfect place for living," she said.

Ngor suggested that the government could further develop the existing industrial area in Yong Peng to attract more investors to set up companies here.

Rubber plantation small holder K. Anthemuthu, 58, said he was happy with the currently system by the government that helped many underprivileged people.

"The welfare aid and free medical treatment at the government hospitals and clinics are excellent.

"Many of us here in Ayer Hitam are small time plantation holders and we always want to see continuous economic growth and good commodity prices. Good economy will keep everyone happy," he said.

Anthemuthu added that he was glad to see the government taking efforts to solve flood issues in Yong Peng and Ayer Hitam, which were among the worst hit areas in the state during monsoons.

R. Kannan, 52, a cendol seller in Jalan Besar Yong Peng, said business had been good and he noticed tourism in Yong Peng and Ayer Hitam was booming.

"More tourists, especially foreigners are visiting the town over the past few years.

"I would say life is quite good over here, we can live comfortably as long as we work hard as there are so much of business opportunities available here," he said.

Businessman Chew Long Fatt, 51, said pipe water used to be the concern of Yong Peng residents.

He said the latest complaints came six months ago.

"The water was murky and had a bit of smell and many residents complained that their water filters at home were very dirty," he said, adding that the complaints had been raised to the relevant agencies for actions.

Chew said tests had been done by the authorities and they were assured that the water was save for drinking.

"We feel that the muddy water came from old piping and now the water is clean," he said, adding that the residents here used to face acidic water supply many years ago.

Handicraft trader Wang Sin Ee, 34, said he hoped the government would further promote Ayer Hitam as a tourist destination.

"Besides, Singapore it should be made know to people in other parts of the country and even international tourists that Ayer Hitam is a special place that has its niche market that is handcraft products such as artificial flowers and ceramics," he said.

Wang said the traditional handicraft stalls along Jalan Johor had been in existance for the past 50 to 60 years.

"There are plans by the government to relocate the stalls to the new township and we hope such plans can be reconsidered because the stalls along Jalan Johor is a heritage and unique to visitors because they are stalls not in premises.

"It is visited by people of all races," he said, adding that he was afraid that relocation could affect the livelihood of the traders.

It was reported earlier that traders at Jalan Johor would be relocated to a permanent business location soon.

The Ayer Hitam constituency has largely a Malay population. It has a total of 41,550 voters as of end of last year and the racial composition of its voters is 57.57% Malays, 38.47% Chinese and 3.95% Indians and other races.

RM24mil allocated to buy rubbish bins with wheels for Raub residents

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:50 PM PST

RAUB: The Government has allocated RM24mil to purchase rubbish bins with wheels to be distributed to the people, Raub MP Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said.

Dr Ng said each of the rubbish bin costs about RM170 in the market.

"In Raub, more than 13,000 residents who have settled their assessment fees would receive the bin for free.

"I urge them to take good care of it by writing down their name and address to prevent any possible theft," she said told a Chinese New Year gathering in Dataran Raub recently.

Dr Ng, who is also the Tourism Minister, said the distribution of the rubbish bins would help to maintain cleanliness and spruce up the surroundings.

In addition, she said the various tourism products in Raub such as homestay programmes would attract the influx of visitors.

"Today, we again show to the world that Malaysia is a peaceful and harmonious country in which the people of all races come together to celebrate a major festivity.

"This is also the aspiration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to foster unity and love for the country in line with his 1Malaysia concept," she said.

Dr Ng said she was optimistic that the Year of the Water Snake would bring more progress and prosperity to the people and country.

Last year, the homestay programmes in Pahang generated a revenue of RM6.5mil compared to RM3.5mil in 2011.

Under the 10th Malaysia Plan, a number of development projects were approved including upgrading of tourism facilities for the benefit of the people.

Later, Dr Ng presented red packets to the children and mingled with the crowd.

Some 8,000 people from all walks of life attended the event which saw performances by several local artistes, lion and cultural dances, Chinese acrobatic show, a fireworks display as well as lucky draws.

Also present were Dong assemblyman Datuk Shahiruddin Abdul Moin, Batu Talam assemblyman Datuk Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram, Pahang Wanita MCA chief Senator Datuk Lim Nget Yoon, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg Mirza and Pahang Tourism Ministry Office general manager Idros Yahya.

Dozens of donors give out rice and cash to 400 poor and needy

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:52 PM PST

MALACCA: Heritage City's Long San Kong Temple with the help of a dozen donors and sponsors handed out rice and money packets to over 400 poor, needy and senior citizens who came from various places within the Kota Melaka parliamentary constituency.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam who was invited as the guest-of-honour thanked the temple under the leadership of Michael Soh and Lim Seng Ann for organising an event like this in conjunction with the Lunar New Year.

Mohd Ali also praised Barisan National (BN) Kota Melaka Parliamentary Supporters Club chief, Muhamad Ahad for spearheading the numerous programmes with the people in the Kota Melaka including reaching out to temples and non-government organisations.

"I am indeed very happy to meet so many residents living in this part of Kota Melaka constituency at this event," he said.

Later, Muhamad in his speech urged those present to understand the importance of caring for each other especially in family circle and said the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, Chap Goh Mei was a good time to share loving kindness.

He also added that under a caring leader, Mohd Ali has successfully "united" and brought together people from different races in the state.

Muhamad urged those present to emulate the righteous leader. He illustrated how the traditional Chinese rice dumpling was created to honour an honourable in China's history, the divine Qu Yuan who a once home minister and later a self-trained poet.

According to the record, the famous pioneer poet of ancient China, Qu Yuan, who was then a minister of his home state, advocated reform to his state of Chu, which angered the King.

The King continually refused to listen to Qu Yuan's advice and instead banished him from the state of Chu.

In exile, Qu Yuan wrote poetry expressing his concern for his country and people and when Qu Yuan heard that his home had been invaded, he committed suicide by drowning himself in the famous Ni Lo River.

The people of Chu rushed to the river to rescue their beloved leader but too late to save Qu Yuan. Subsequently, they splashed furiously and threw steamed rice wrapped in reed leaf into the river as a sacrifice to his spirit and to keep the fish away from consuming his body.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Jumaat, 1 Mac 2013