The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
| Thousands gather for Wesak Day Posted: 24 May 2013 08:03 PM PDT BATU PAHAT: Some 1,500 Buddhists took part in a procession to mark the Wesak Day celebration here. The event started at 7pm on Thursday night at the Batu Pahat Buddhists Society premises where devotees gathered for chanting and prayer sessions. They accompanied three floats for a 4.8km walk around town after a candle lighting ceremony. Holding candles fitted with paper lotus to signify the significance of the flower, the devotees began the journey from Kampung Merdeka about an hour later. The procession passed through Jalan Mohd Akil, Jalan Pengkai, Jalan Sultanah and Jalan Pegawai before returning to the society premises. Also present at the event were representatives from the Malaysia Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism. Organising chairman Tan Kim Chuan said the Wesak Day was to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and the passing of Gautama Buddha that reminded Buddhists to embrace the Buddha's teaching and apply the understanding to everyday life. He said the celebration in Batu Pahat also covered medical, education, environmental awareness, charity activities and others. "We have organised a series of activities in line with this year's theme that promotes prosperity and well-being of the country and people. "We hope the people will understand the teaching of Buddha and together work towards building a harmonious, healthy and united nation regardless of race. "Only a peaceful and prosperous nation is able to protect its people," he said. |
| Market traders protest relocation Posted: 24 May 2013 08:04 PM PDT BATU PAHAT: Thirty-one vegetables wholesalers held a protest on Thursday against relocating to a new wholesale market in Taman Murni, about 5km from their current location. They signed a petition, requesting the Batu Pahat Municipal Council not to move them to the new premise from the market in Jalan Pasar. Cheng Chee Wee, 40, said the road leading to the new facilities was too narrow and winding for large number of trailers or lorries travelling in and out the market to reload and unload goods. "The new wholesale market is too far from the town and located within the industrial zone. It is more suitable for industrial premises not a wholesale market for public. "Besides, the individual stalls prepared for traders are too small. We need a bigger space and cold room to keep our vegetables," he said at a press conference organised by Penggaram assemblyman Gan Peck Cheng at DAP service centre here on Thursday. It was announced in 2011 that the Federal Government allocated RM9mil to build the market and upgrade existing facilities. The new venue for wholesalers, built on a 0.95ha land, would cost RM3mil to construct four buildings with loading bays and storage areas and was estimated to be completed soon. When asked why the wholesalers only raised their protest at the end stage of the wholesale market project, Loh Leong Yoon said they were not aware of the plan to relocate them to Taman Murni. "No one informed us about the project. We want a dialogue to know more," he said. The wholesalers claimed that they came to know about relocating to the new location after receiving an invitation letter from the council on Tuesday to attend ballot sessions for distribution of stalls at the new wholesale market. Another wholesaler, Woon Lai Kim, said she wanted the wholesale market to be built in the town areas for their convenience and their suppliers and customers. "The location is not suitable because it is too far away. We are rushing against time everyday to keep our business volume, time is precious for us," she added. Meanwhile, a group of fish wholesalers who were also present at Gan's press conference said they did not attend the balloting session as well because they were not satisfied with the council that said to have put them at the back of the market. "We have four blocks and why are vegetable wholesalers taking both the front rows that are facing the main road? "Our fully loaded fish boxes are very heavy and the weight of each box can reach up to 300kg. It is difficult for us to push the boxes further in," he said, adding that the best arrangement was for the fish wholesalers and vegetable wholesalers to occupy one front block and one at the back each. The council has had to change its plans to construct a new wholesale market and rebuild the existing 40-year-old Batu Pahat market simultaneously, after a number of traders were against a proposal for both projects to take place at the same time. The construction of the new wholesale market, located 5km away from the old market, started in June last year. However, the demolition of the old market in Jalan Pasar will only take place after the new wholesale market is completed. |
| Posted: 24 May 2013 08:05 PM PDT THE opening of new highways in and around Iskandar Malaysia in the past seven years have improved accessibility and connectivity within the economic growth region. It has prompted many developers to start looking for land in the once less popular areas within South Johor to start their new projects. While others, which already have existing projects in the less popular areas, seeing the improvements in road networks are beginning to re-evaluate their business strategy. On that note, I&P Group Sdn Bhd has now started to offer new commercial and residential properties at its on-going Taman Rinting housing estate in Pasir Gudang, Johor. "The last property launch at the scheme was about five years ago and we are now seeing Pasir Gudang becoming popular among property buyers,'' said marketing sales and product general manager Arry Nazroun Ahmad. He said this in an interview with MetroBiz at the launch of the company's Laman Rinting 27 units of three-storey shop offices and 65 units of SinarLink double-storey link houses at Taman Rinting on Sunday. "The take-up rate for the three-storey shop offices is good because buyers are looking at the long-term growth prospects of Pasir Gudang,'' said Azry Nazroun. The units of shop offices on a 2.02ha site with a built-up are between 5,157 sq ft and 8,615 sq ft are selling between RM1.2mil and RM2.27mil and expected to be completed in the second-quarter of 2015. The double-storey link houses on a 7.68ha site are selling between RM448,868 and RM694,868 per unit and are expected to be completed in July 2014. He said the opening of the Pasir Gudang Coastal Highway had improved travelling times between Pasir Gudang to Johor Baru city centre and Singapore. Taman Rinting was launched in the early 1980s covering 335.88ha of which 65% have been developed and it keeps the company busy within the next five to six years to fully develop the township. Azry Nazroun said prior to the opening of the Coastal Highway, Pasir Gudang was only accessible via the Pasir Gudang Highway. He said previously many would also associate Pasir Gudang with its infamous traffic congestion, but the opening of the Coastal Highway had changed the situation. "Now there are more reasons to buy properties in Pasir Gudang as it is becoming more attractive as connectivity and accessibility is no longer an issue,'' he said. Arry Nazroun said the new highway which cut through Pasir Gudang and Permas Jaya areas would bring progress and vibrancy; hence rejuvenating developments within the areas. Pasir Gudang is located within the Eastern Gate Development Zone of Iskandar – the other flagship development zones are the JB City Centre, Nusajaya, Western Gate Development Zone and Senai-Kulai. Launched on November 4, 2006, Iskandar is located in the southernmost part of Johor covering 2,217 sq km – three times bigger than Singapore and two times the size of Hong Kong. Iskandar is the country's first economic growth corridors, others are the Northern Economic Region, East Coast Economic Region, Sabah Development Corridor and Sarawak Corrdior of Renewable Energy. From 2006 until March 31, 2013, it has attracted about RM111.32bil in total cumulative committed investments with the target of achieving the RM383bil investments by 2025. "There will be more new launches in Taman Rinting in the next one to two years as we can see progress are taking place in the Eastern Gate Development Zone,'' added Arry Nazroun. He said in the fourth-quarter of 2013, the company would be launching 189 units of double-storey link houses with a built-up area of 1,800 sq ft, with the indicative selling price below RM400,000. "Demand is actually good for residential properties priced below RM400,000 and we want to tap on this segment,'' added Arry Nazroun. He said the company was targeting smaller and medium-size families for the 24ft by 70ft houses and the existing owners of single-storey houses within Pasir Gudang to upgrade to a bigger house. Arry Nazroun said also in the pipeline for Taman Rinting was a mixed development project high-rise and landed residential properties and commercial properties on a 24.28ha site sea-fronting land overlooking Singapore. "This mixed development parcel is going to be the Jewel in the Crown for our Taman Rinting due to the sea-fronting site,'' he said. Arry Nazroun said other new launches to take place this year would be the 116 units of 24ft by 80ft single-storey and double-storey houses at Taman Pelangi Indah this July with the indicative selling prices between RM380,00 and RM490,000. He said the company would also be launching the last phase of the residential property development at D'Serambi in Taman Perling either in the third or fourth-quarter of 2013. The properties are 35 units of 24ft by 80ft and 26ft by 80ft double-storey link houses on a 1.61ha site, with the indicative selling prices between RM680,000 and RM730,000 each. Arry Nazroun said those looking for high-rise residential living should look at this space for our serviced apartments in Taman Perling to be launched in the last-quarter of the year. He said the high-rise project would comprise of two 25-storey blocks made up 576 apartment units with three floor sizes – 710 sq ft, 800 sq ft and 1,200 sq ft with the indicative selling price of RM600 per sq ft. "The project's strategic location will be its main strong selling point as it was located just metres away form the Second Link Crossing to Singapore,'' said Arry Nazroun. I&P Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasionanl Bhd and were formed with the merging of three property development giants in May 2009. The group has successfully developed several major and well-known projects notably Bandar Kinrara, Alam Impian, Temasy Glenmarie, Alam Damai, Bandar Baru Seri Petaling and Bukit Damansara in the Klang Valley and Taman Pelangi Indah and Taman Rinting in Johor Baru. For details on the company's projects in Johor Baru – call 07-2181 800 or visit the website: www.inp.my or visit its sales office at Level 1, Bangunan Pelangi, Jalan Biru, Taman Pelangi, Johor Baru. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Metro: South & East To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan