KINTA CHRONICLES

Friday, July 21, 2017

Ongoing Perak Clean Campaign. Taman DR Seenivasagasm

The Ipoh City Council held the ongoing Perak Clean Campaign by holding a gotong royong at the DR Seenivasagam Park.

A significant turnout by the council’s workforce was on hand at the park from 7.15 this morning including Mayor Datuk Zamri Man, Council Secretary Mohd Zakuan Zakaria and councilors.

They were seen sprucing up the Japanese Garden, clearing fallen trees and leaves throughout the entire park grounds.

Commenting on the campaign thus far Zamri said that the council had to date cleared 9,642 illegal dump sites weighing 2,900 tons of waste.

“From that they had issued 2100 compounds amounting to Rm 442,900.00.

JAG

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Rafizi Ramli in Taman Perpaduan , Tambun

I went to see Rafizi Ramli last week when he came to Taman Perpaduan in Tambun. A good speaker that helps one comprehend why the country is in a mess.

The crowd listening attentively to every word said. The crowd, possibly numbered 200 or more but all must have returned enlightened.

The topics he touched on such as why he will abolish GST, foreign workers taking locals jobs, low wages were some of the topics relevant to all of us. It made sense the solutions he had put forward.

Haven't seen them in a while, Nizar Jamaluddin and M.Sivakumar and so too former BN member Hamidah Osman.

Perak Royalty Graced A Golf Event

Raja Muda Perak Raja Jaafar and Raja Di-Hilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain.

At the ‘Hari Raya Golf Aidilfitri 2017’golf game held at the Royal Perak Golf Club last Sunday 16^th July was a right royal affair.

The event was graced by Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Muda Perak Raja Jaafar and Duli Yang Amat Mulia Raja Di-Hilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain who duly presented the prizes to the winners of the match.

Raja Muda Raja Jaafar presented to the Overall winners.

Raja DiHilir Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain presented the winners of the A Medal

The A and B Medal Winners

The RPGC Organising Committee.

My memory might have failed me but I don’t recall ever seeing two families of our Perak Royalty grace a non-state event, wonderful.

JAG

Monday, July 17, 2017

I Met ‘Jack Sparrow’ At The Honda CR-V Launch

"Introducing the Honda CR-V' by Jack Sparrow

Jack Sparrow was the most unlikely person I could have met at of-all-places the launch of the new Honda CR-V at Ban Hoe Seng Auto showroom last Saturday.

Potential customer Raymond Tan and family

Shanghaied by Jack Sparrow....Christine Digiovanna

The Honda CR-V was the main attraction but it had competition from Jack Sparrow impersonator aka Jamie Chang who regularly appears at these Honda launches.

Sales personnel and children were not spared

Both the young and old were taken aback at the impersonator of the Jack Sparrow calling out to him to take a photograph to show to their family and friends.

The shout outs carried over to the lunch which was provided for the guests who came for the launch.

Lunchtime guests were not spared the antics of Jack Sparrow

An unlikely encounter but it was so fulfilling and fun it was for a change.

'I'm looking for this man', Jack Sparrow

JAG

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Over-Commercialized Concubine Lane, A Lost Heritage.

Rene Enriquez's earlier sketch of Concubine Lane and......

Concubine Lane which has been around well over century has sadly given up its image to over-commercialization.

....a few months later, an old building with new paint.

“It has been destroyed by over – commercialization” said Khor Seow Hooi an avid artist who has done thirty paintings of Concubine Lane from earlier times until recently.

“I used to come in the mornings and watch the residents hang their birds for an airing for a few hours.

Concubine Lane by Khor Seow Hooi

“Now they place umbrellas and stalls on the lane. It covers the building and hides the structures that gave concubine lane its character. It has destroyed the image of Concubine Lane” said Khor.

Umbrella's and stalls hide the image of Concubine Lane

Officially known as Panglima Lane, it earned its reputation due to the rich tin miners who reputedly kept their second wives here.

It had in recent years been a focal point of visitors who never failed to scout it out due to its notorious reputation.

Its narrow lane and old time structure evoked an image of Old town making a walk down its short lane a nostalgic experience.

But that feeling is now become a memory as heritage has given way to commercialization.

Another artist, Rene Enriquez who regularly sketched buildings around Ipoh had done a sketch on the eastern entrance to Concubine Lane.

“I sketched it a year before. The building with the “Big John’ sign still evoked that Old Town feel of nostalgia.

“I was taken aback just a few months later. Now it’s an old building trying to look good with new paint. Somehow it doesn’t blend in with the theme Heritage”

Another artist from the Urban Sketcher Ipoh group, Steven (not his real name) said all the original structures are gone.

“It’s pointless now as it doesn’t look like Ipoh in the past, it’s all like ‘rojak’ now. It can only be similar but it won’t be the same”.

All agreed that the lane was congested with stalls that sell common items, which can be available at any night market, and hoped the relevant local authority would look into the situation.

JAG