Behold .. The Beauty Of Kinta Valley

From the Kinta Valley. (l) Vanda hookeriana aka Papilionanthe hookeriana and (r) Fluorite in mineral form 

Checked out the exhibition ‘The Beauty of Kinta Valley’ held at Tin Alley heritage center and learnt fascinating facts about this valley.

Last weekend featured two eye-opening talks the about the Kinta valley. The first was titled ‘The Kinta Story’ by heritage enthusiast Fazil Shuhaimi Talib.

Fazil related about the early history of Hulu Kinta, where Ipoh is located, and about the role of Tun Kelalang. 

First speaker Fazil Shuhaimi Taib. Inset Panglima Kinta Mosque

In 1530 Tun Kelalang, son of Tun Saban from Hulu Perak migrated downstream of the Perak River and entered a tributary branch, the Kinta River and opened a settlement located in Hulu Kinta district.

The first Malay kampong was at Kampong Kepayang located upriver from Gunung Churuh (G. Cheroh), because that was as far north as the Kinta river was navigable.

The descendants of Tun Kelalang by marriage to the descendants of Sultan Mansur Shah afforded them to inherit the title of Panglima Kinta and ruled Hulu Kinta from Kg Kepayang as they were area chiefs and collected taxes.

Gunong Cheroh, the highest navigable point on the Kinta River. Kampong Kepayang is located a short distance upriver. 

(l) Masjid Paloh  in 1920 (r) Ipoh in 1930 surrounded by the many Kampongs 

Thus, before the entry of the British the area around Ipoh consisted of many kampongs and villages. Sir Hugh Low, the British Resident@1880, mentioned that Ipoh then was the largest centre of the Malays in the Kinta Valley.

If Fazil’s talk was enlightening the presentation by K Fletcher entitled ‘Kinta: On the Wildside’ was thoroughly refreshing.

K. Fletcher explaining the Wild Side of the Kinta Valley

Fletcher is a retired geologist whom made Malaysia his second home and became a Conservation photographer. He has lived here for 16 years.

His talk took the audience on a photographic tour starting from the Kledang Hill where he would walk for hours in the morning photographing the flora and fauna.

Wildly fascinating , giant palms and animals at the Kledang Range

His tour carried on to Ulu Geroh on the Titiwangsa Range where he showed photos of the Raja Brook butterflies and medium sized Rafflesia plants, the Kinta Weed found in plains of the valley  and the bounty of our limestone hills like 122 species of snails 34, endemic to one hill. Most interesting indeed.

..over at the Titiwangsa Range at Ulu Geroh  Rafflesia and Raja Brooks

... on the plains of the Kinta Wetland ... lovely Papilionanthe hookeriana

at Limestone hills ...Snails , mountain goats and bats 

There was also a wonderful display of rocks and mineral products from our limestone hills plus two stalls of orang asli art and craft.

Rocks on display ...Iron 

Emerald

Quartz

Orang Asli display 

Undoubtedly this first weekend was very informative and an overflowing of the richness and beauty of the Kinta Valley. Bravo to the organizers.

JAG

VAT69 50th Anniversary

'Dealing with Terrorist' demonstration

The VAT69 or Very Able Troops, formed in 1969 (probably that’s how they got their name) celebrated their 50^th anniversary yesterday 27 October, well it seems they have be celebrating for a while now at different places and this was the last of their celebration.  

VAT69 is the police special forces for counter insurgency operations something like the army.

CPO Perak  Dato Razarudin and Commander of Commando69 SACP Abdul Razak Yusoff 

Earlier on Saturday I was told that VAT69 Air Division was having a sky diving competition in preparation for an International Sky Diving event to be held in December also at Polo Grounds.

That might have been on Saturday but on Sunday two veterans told me that it was the 50^th anniversary. It did resemble that the whole of Ulu Kinta camp at Tanjung Rambutan was at the Polo grounds that morning. Whole families were picnicking under the shady trees while the parking lot along Persiaran Brash was lined with police trucks.

Present at the event was the CPO Perak Dato Razarudin and SACP Abdul Razak Yusoff 

the Commander of 69Commandos. There was sky diving demos and mock attack by terrorist staged.

Left pix veterans (l-r)  Bob and Sjn Hashim. (Right pix)  Rookie and Brown (field names)

Packing their parachutes after a jump

Looks like they ruled below the trees

Team Bravo takes a picture with their Commander

It was a VAT69 Day

It was good outing for a Sunday and I just happened to be present to document this group people called thee VAT69.

JAG

Diwali Greetings

To our Hindu readers .. Happy Diwali 2019

THE BEAUTY OF KINTA VALLEY

KINTA HERITAGE GROUP presents THE BEAUTY OF KINTA VALLEY

Highlights:

❇️Four weekends of lectures / talks by experts in their field

❇️ Showcasing a combination of photographs and artwork of it's birds, limestone hills, caves and scenery

❇️ Display featuring Kinta Valley minerals

❇️ Craft and products of Orang Asli in the Kinta district

❇️ Jabatan PERHILITAN Negeri Perak with "Save The Tiger" exhibition from 26/10 - 3/11/2019

 

LIST OF TALKS/LECTURES :

26.10.2019 - 3.30pm  Fazil Shuhaimi Talib – The Kinta Story 

27.10.2019 - 4pm  K Fletcher -  Kinta: The Wildside 

2.11.2019  - 3pm   Qayyum Bin Roszee - Owls of Kinta Valley and Birds of Malim Nawar  

3.11.2019 - 7pm  Chan Kai Soon- Introduction to Birds of Kinta Valley 

9.11.2019 - 3pm  Joanne Tan Pei Chih- Highlights of the Limestone Flora of Kinta Valley 

10.11.2019 - 3pm   Goh Hsiao Mei - Community Heritage Engagement in Malaysian Archaeology:A case from the Prehistoric Rock Art Site of Tambun 

16.11.2019 - 3pm   Colin Nicholas -  Colin has yet to decide on the topic 

17.11.2019 - 3pm  Omar Ariff Kamarul Ariffin - A photo journey through Kinta Valley-How and Where 

*Free admission

Date: 26th Oct - 17th Nov, 2019

Venue: Tin Alley, 1 Lorong Bijeh Timah, Ipoh   Tel:012 5169911

Co-organize by: Kinta Heritage Group X Tin Alley Curated Space

DJY (Datin Janet Yeoh) Charity Team – Doing Good For Community

Datin Janet Yeoh (standing 7th form left) with the DJY Team and Orang Asli residents. Patrick Ong (standing 2nd from right in white cap) and Sean Chan (front row 1st from right) 

A month ago I was alerted by my charity activist friend Patrick Ong, who mainly aids the Orang Asli families around the Kinta Valley, of a group distributing aid at Tg Tualang.

“Today v had a successful trip to OA Kg Ayer Tenak, Tg Tualang ..with superstar's mama leading her team wearing t-shirts with d logo, DJY …Datin Janet Yeoh came in her Porsche!... She tried riding on my old Proton Arena! What an experience 4 a grand old mama in her 80s! … 80 packs, comprising, cooking oil, soap, slipper, bee hoon, colgate n 10kg rice, was distributed to d poor.+ clothes” … read a text from Patrick.

The DJY Team came with Sean Chan of ESS Engineering  who contributed  4wheel-drive vehicles to carry the goodies and proposed to fix the wiring for three OA houses.

Distribution time at Kg Ayer Ternak, Tg Tualang. (Left pix) Patrick Ong and Datin Janet . Some of the 80 packs of goodies

Several stops were made to distribute the goodies

The DJY Team and the team from ESS Engineering with a resident from Kg Ayer Ternak.

That ‘superstar mama’ which Patrick was referring to was Datin Janet Yeoh, the mother of international actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh.

I had so far seen Datin Janet in evening dress handing out prizes at public functions and this was a first seeing her in trousers handing out goodies to the Orang Asli.

I subsequently contacted Datin Janet to enquire about Team DJY and learnt that it was now 4 years old.

Janet who is 80 this year said at the time she was free at home and needed something to occupy her time. That was when she decided to start a charity.

“I am old but I can walk, think and still can come out to help people so I started DJY Charity Team.

It’s a small team of just 13 members. We contribute Rm100 a month including my daughter Michelle and do charity in cash and kind every month mainly to the Old Folks Home.

Sean Chan, of ESS Engineering said the trip to the Orang Asli was an annual affair.

The Team pose with their DJY T-shirts 

..and at their 4th Anniversary dinner earlier

“We always work with Patrick Ong who knows the OA families and their needs. DJY Team would donate the major portion and ESS will contribute with cash and kind like logistic support and expertise to contribute to the community of orang asli”.

Overall it’s was a fun and win-win outing on a weekend for everyone including my staff.

JAG

MBI's Drain Contractors (2) - Canning Garden

Canning Garden ....

I saw these MBI Drain Contractors at Canning Gardens this morning. Appears to be doing a good job. 

Said their coverage is the "11km triangle and covers the whole of Canning". Presume it to be the circus's of Simee, Hilir and Canning/ Keliling.

At Jjn Haji Wahab

I imagine some roads will be difficult going eg this stretch at Jln Hj Wahab which was neglected for a very long time by MBI. One can hardly see the drain at all. 

Jln Chow Kai

I wonder if MBI will consider the side walks like this one at Jln Chow Kai. The uncollected refuse from years of neglect ultimately grew to the same height as the culvert. It's the same throughout the street. 

JAG

Fine Dining - Chinese Cuisine - Hunger Memories

Smoked Duck

Wan Ton Meen

Ostrich Stew

Washed down with Singleton. 

Verdict: Gastronomic

JAG

MBI's Drain Cleaning Contractors .... One Off or Regular Maintenance

After the weekend 'Bersih Simee project' .......  on MONDAY we have MBI's Drain Contractors. Puncak Emas Infra sub-con the work to these '8 workers' to clean the drains/ longkangs' throughout Bercham.

It was long list so i expect i will see clean drains in Bercham in a week or so. We'll see .

Their contract is only to clean drains and clear the refuse collected till the end of the month ....(and does not include tidying up the sidewalk) 

The result of the work done ...... BUT .....

.....the refuse was not cleared the same day .....this was taken Tuesday the next morning. Many months of refuse waiting to be collected.

Q: Will this be One Off or Will This Be A Regular Maintenance.

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Update at 230pm/ 15 Oct : Refuse was cleared by contractor truck.

JAG

Pilot Project: Free Trash Bins For Simee Residents

October 13, 2019 – More than 700 trash bins were distributed free of charge to every home in Simee using funds channeled from the Offices of the Ipoh East MP and Canning State Assemblyman.

A ceremony to handover to residents of Simee was officiated by YB Wong Kah Woh, MP of Ipoh East and attended by Mayor Datuk Ahmad Suaidi and YB Jenny Choy Tsi Jen, Canning assemblyman.

The initiative, which is a joint venture with Ipoh City Council, also includes about 100 shop premises in the area.

The trash bin for each house is 120 liters and for the shop premises is 240 liters.

An ambitious pilot project which is expected to help the Ipoh City Council create a clean environment and educate the public on the practice of maintaining hygiene as a culture starting from home and thus fostering a community that values the cleanliness and beauty of the environment.

Congratulations to YB Wong and team for their initiative to tackle this long standing problem of community cleanliness. Let’s hope the pilot project is very successful so that MBI will emulate throughout Ipoh.

JAG