Saturday, December 19, 2009

Seeing Through The (KL) Clutter


Didn't the govt blacklist these numbers? Who's going to take them down now?








There are green trees and there are man-made trees. I know which ones look better






One thing that all Malaysians are used to is clutter. I'm not talking about our work desks (although I could supply good blog material on that topic alone) but about our culture of encouraging clutter. Or tolerating illegal signage.

As the pix I've taken so visibly demonstrate, we are a messy lot. Signboards abound in every corner of our streets. From the humble papan plank to the larger and bolder illegal tarpaulin canvass. Anything and everything is advertised but of course, the lion's share goes to the few hundred thousand or so freelance lorry drivers with mobile numbers.

In any other (Western) country this sort of thing would have been torn down the minute after it was put up. Over here, it's become a household sport to put things up. It's like a race to see who can populate the newest lamp-post or tree bark with the most stickers or papan planks. Earlier this year I had to help out in putting up directional signage for the Australian Rules Football Asian Championships. I was amazed how every lamp-post I came across already had wires wrapped around its base so that signage contractors can do an 'easy-install'.

And screw aesthetics. These advertisers go for the dirtiest, nastiest way to brand themselves, often with a two-inch brush and a dirty piece of wood. Sadly, our enforcement brethren seem a little busy (enforcing other things?) to take note of this endemic riddling our suburbs.

Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself. You don't really have to go far too, sadly.

Signage clutter. Rubbish clutter. Sticker clutter. It's a KL way of life. Probably our answer to Scandinavia's minimalism movement. Now I'm just waiting for a coffee table book of the best of our clutter to appear. Calling all publishers..?

Food For Thought

Yes, it's been almost two months since my posting but a lot has happened at work in that time. I've been kept super busy, of course.

At least, one milestone was achieved on the home front. Casa Desa has its very own cafe and a place for residents to grab a quick and easy bite. It was a two-month process that I was personally handling, from getting in the prospective applicants and choosing the right one. In the end, the owner of Bakeroni (a well-known café in Taman Desa) won us over with her experience and passion. That wasn't the end of it though, as I had to make sure that we (Casa Desa) signed a rock-solid tenancy agreement with her and ensured a smooth setting-up period.

The launch went well and barring an episode where someone tried to steal the cafe's speakers after hours (!) business is on track. Residents seem happy, overall.

Yes, the food is a tad pricey but it is all about convenience. No more car trips to the shops over yonder, or forced walks to the nearby shops in the rain. Or expensive home-delivery. Just a walk downstairs for me! You can't really put a price to that, actually.

That's one more reason to brag about Casa Desa too.

Saturday, October 03, 2009

A New Horizon

Sometimes change is necessary and a bit painful. But you get over it sooner than you expect.

A new management company is in effect here after our gutsy Chairman of the Joint Management Body forced the old company to resign their services. Boy, she was really on their case for so many outstanding issues (defects, mismanagement, etc). I guess in the end, they just couldn't take it.

I don't want to air dirty laundry but the old management team were really bad. Incompetent is too understated to describe it. But this is where we find opportunities. We're like the Israelites being led out of Egypt by our version of Moses. Hopefully, unlike the Israelites there'll be no wandering for 40 years - just a straight road to the Promised Land of Casa Desa.

Someone uttered to me recently: "There's light at the end of the tunnel but it could be another train". I laughed. After spending one day in the management office today I think we're on the right track. Better processes and a better system. Might be time for another recycling day again to get the residents together. Hmmm...

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Times Are Changing. Are We?

Not long ago I did something I've been wanting to do since 8 March, 2008. I signed up for DAP membership at the newly-opened Taman Desa branch.

Oh gosh, you're probably thinking, he's getting political now. Not the case really. But I'm going to at least be bi-partisan.

Life was all about work and play until my brother-in-law Anan lent me a fantastic book around late 2004/early 2005. Entitled Natural Capitalism, it sort of awakened me to the world around my family and friends and drew my attention to sustainable living. Since that fateful month of March, I've also felt an urge to donate more time to political causes.

No, I'm not going through a mid-life crisis either. I guess it was just time to act like a concerned citizen.


Something I just had to do: Visit the DAP Community Centre and fill out membership.



First was getting elected to the Casa Desa JMB committee. Then it was the Recycling Fair at Casa Desa which was a great learning and motivating experience for me. Then there was my rally to the DAP cause. And after that, my decision to train Under-18s Australian Football at St John's voluntarily.

Lately, for some reason, I felt compelled to take part in the series of 1Black Malaysia gatherings at Old Town White Coffee - a passive protest where everyone wears black and discusses community issues openly. 1Black Malaysia is also a direct answer to the PM's 1Malaysia vision. Okay, I won't get into details here. Let Raja Petra write about that...

Truth is, the people and old friends I've been catching up with lately in line with these activities have taught me a lot. Just through exchange of information (through discussions) I see flashes of insight, sparks of inspiration and seeds for future ideas and action. I'm not sure yet but I know I need to get involved more with my community.

There's one thing that I still need to do and that is to register as a voter. That's far more important. You can be a member of a political party but you still need to vote to influence any outcome, right? So, I'm going to do that this month.

But I hope that, in this day and age, we can also make a stand about the way we live and how we can improve things. So please register to vote if you already haven't. Then, if you want to be political about it, you can make a stand.

For me, I'm Taman Desa's number 1 supporter and I think I need to improve things in Casa Desa first, and then hopefully in the suburb too. There are still a lot of issues that need to be resolved before this charming, popular suburb becomes a renowned one.

Just the thought of what's achievable is already making me feel better.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Food, Food, Food in Taman Desa

A while back I wrote about Cafe Libre in Taman Danau Desa (part of the Greater Taman Desa area many lucky people call home). Well, it wouldn't be fair to leave out all the great restaurants in this area. I'm not an expert in all the food outlets here so I've decided to make it easier by compiling reviews from various bloggers. Then, my dear friends you can make up your minds better.

As for me, you can simply find me at Cafe Libre still! The reviews are:

Restaurant Hao Wei Dao - Hong Kong-style dishes

Fat Rock Cafe - Cheap and tasty Chinese cooking

Ben Sang Ipoh Ho Fun - Ipoh broth noodles

Woo Pin Fish Head Noodle - one of my favourites

Woo Pin again - a second opinion

Boon Boon Cafe - good value dishes

Tiang Seng Pulau Ketam Steambot - unique steamboat

Tiang Seng again - a second opinion

H.L. Huat Restaurant - value Chinese and tasty dishes

Sri Neela's - good but pricey banana leaf

Paradiso - cosy Italian place

Mai Thai - one of my favourites

Seoul Korea - great value barbecue

Kajitsu Nihon Ryori - one out of many here

Okay, so there's a whole lot here. I've tried them all and love some a lot, love some a little. I'll let you make up your mind but one thing's for sure. Taman Desa has the best food in KL!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

In The Name Of A Good Cause


Some highlights of the day... participants and winners of the colouring contest...


Indah Water's En Ahmad Budaya taking a mundane subject...


...and having us in stitches several times as he entertained.












Finally, Bernard getting the money from Alam Flora for our recycled goods. I'm sure the next one will yield a lot more.


Gosh, this may sound sheepish but I felt proud having co-organized the first big community event in Casa Desa. Being a proud environmentalists I always believe actions speak louder than words. Thus, when fellow committee member Bernard proposed the Recycling Day I jumped on the chance to work with him.

Trust me, it was a hell of a lot of work. Organizing, learning, communicating and even putting in the hard work like carrying chairs and speakers from our cars to the condo.

We learnt a lot and that's the best thing about it: the next ones will be better and better. We had a few nervous moments though.

The morning started really well and we had most of the furniture set up in our vacant restaurant/common area by 9.45am. Then the weather threatened to intervene. The clouds got dark and started coming our way. After a few minutes it finally gate-crashed the party by introducing gale-force winds. The buntings and exhibition panels that Indah Water put up were inadvertent sail boards for a wind force right out of Wolfgang Petersen's A Perfect Storm.

Running for our lives, we grabbed everything and turned our outdoor fair into an indoor one. Within half an hour it was settled.

The colouring contest (organized by Bernard's wife Celine) next door was a hit with families but everyone seemed diverted from the Indah Water talk that was scheduled to go on so I ushered the parents and got as many people as I could to sit in. Some might have been moaning internally about a perceived 'lecture' heading their way. But Indah Water's rep En Ahmad Budaya gave a remarkable and funny explanation on the state of the nation's wastewater and the role Indah Water plays. The man himself is a hilarious character, part-comedian, part-educator.

Alam Flora, Hong Leong bank (who were our main sponsors), Streamyx and a few others played their part in the event. Committee president Lai Fong was there, as were other members Alifah, Ramlan, Jonathan and my beloved Nim too.

Of course, we wanted people to come down with their recycled goods; or we'd even go to them if they needed help. Which is what Bernard and a few committee members did, going from block to block. My good friend Charles helped me out too, although he found our second-hand book sale too good to ignore at times.

Due to some technical problems our planned movie screening didn't get underway but we managed to get people involved, meet some new friends and collect over RM200 dollars worth of goods to raise for our residents' leisure needs.

Malaysians can be a shy lot but it was great to meet a few people concerned about their neigbourhood. It's a start for us. And a good one at that.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Getting Down To The Nitty Gritty



Above: A pretty good bunch of people. I look petrified for some unknown reason. Below: It's all work at 10am in the morning on a Saturday!





It’s a scary thing, being voted into the Joint Management Body of a condominium. This is where you’re representing 2000 plus residents and their hard earned money that is being poured into making Casa Desa a safe and ideal home. Now I’m sure some of you who are lucky enough to own landed properties probably don’t give a hoot. And those renting out probably couldn’t care less except paying the rent each month. That’s perfectly fine.I wanted the responsibility out of curiousity and out of a need to make things better.

But its scary to have the responsibility. It really is.

Thank God the people elected alongside me are a wonderful, varied bunch of respectable citizens. And it starts with Wong Lai Fong, who was the secretary of the group when it first began (informally) but worked so hard and tirelessly that we HAD to give her the position. I mean, she worked 24/7 to make every building and maintenance fault known to us and to Faber Union, putting them on the backfoot from day one. From potholes to dangling wires, she had an eagle eye for spotting them that would make snipers in Swat Valley green with envy. I’m sure every time she comes around, the staff at the developer office go scrambling for cover. Or take a long toilet break.

Then there’s Jonathan, a la Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, with the toothy smile of an innocent boy and the wisdom of a sage. Can be as fiery as ol’ LKY himself too. Being the owner of another unit in nearby Danau Permai and involved in it’s body corporation he also had Faber Union staff wishing they never had their jobs.

But then again, while the staff at Faber Union have exactly been giving us 5-star service (not even 2, come to think of it) it’s not their fault.

Today, at our first Joint Management Body meeting with the developer representatives, much of it seems to be the fault of sub-contractors who can’t be traced or have problems responding to rectification work. And the problem with middle class condominiums like ours is that there are a lot of these to contend with.

I’m just happy to have the right people by my side. I’ll be content with looking after the residents/owners website which I believe is a great communication tool and can save all the unnecessary costs that go with printing newsletters and flyers, etc. I’ll be ably aided by fellow residents Kok Weng and Kenneth. As they say, things can only get better from here.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Recycling Day - 20th June


It might sound silly but this is something I've always wanted to do. Okay, considering my track record it's obvious that this is what I would do. Bernard, my fellow Casa Desa committee member is a like-minded person too, with his environmental engineering background to boot. Plus, it was actually his idea in the first place. Proceeds actually go towards eventually buying a ping pong table.

So if you're keen and willing, do come down and help recycle unwanted plastics, glass, aluminium and newspapers/magazines.

In fact, we're hoping to make Casa Desa a model residential project for people to look up to. Where waste is regularly recycled, or better still reduced and reused (that's the result of Bernard constantly remind me about the 3Rs; now I had to repeat it myself).

We discussed putting recycled bins around for people to do so at their own initiative, rather than to wait for specific days. I'm all for it. However, there was talk at the planning stages of our event that people would misuse the bins and throw solid waste in there too. Uuggh. Some councils go the the trouble of building fortifications to put the bins in - these look like immobile tanks or bunkers that could withstand a few drone attacks. I'm still wondering if some Malaysians are that bad. Or are we really just imagining all this stuff?

When we visited the management office last week, we were given their blessings too. The irony of it was that the lady at the office even told us we could print multiple flyers and distribute to cars and people that came in to visit! Maybe she missed the point. Probably, it was Saturday and she needed to be at home getting some rest. We just quietly pointed out that a posted sign at the guardhouse and at each block's noticeboard would be good enough.

We're also going to make sure that the soon-to-be-operating restaurant in CD, and other tenants, will have a grease trap installed in sinks and readily prepare recycle bins for customers in the premises.

I don't know. But I hope our recycling day effort pays off. That it becomes a waste effort rather than a wasted effort. Stay tuned for updates and the eventual pictures.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

A New Hope

It may sound a little melodramatic, and sorry to steal that title from Star Wars, but I think a new glimmer of hope has indeed shone on Casa Desa.

Okay, it's not that we were living in a slum or that we were conned out of our life savings, but most of us felt a little helpless without a formal body to lodge queries or complaints to Faber Union.

All that changed around 4.30pm yesterday when 12 council members were duly elected in a jam-packed multipurpose hall (air-cond anyone?) with plenty of voices adding to the agenda and overall discussions.

Congrats to Lai Fong, our hard-working secretary who is now promoted to Chairman. Ramlan is now Vice Chairman and the affable Willie is Treasurer.

What's great is that the 60 or so owners who were there seem to be Taman Desans, many of whom have been living there quite a while. I struck up a conversation with Leonard who previously lived in Danau Impian where I did too. He's been living here his entire life and added to the oft-quoted remark that Taman Desa is still a 'strategic location within Kuala Lumpur.'

Another big step is to have our first meeting today at 5pm and tackle the issue of illegal air-cond piping and the rectification that must be done before the condo's warranty period ends in November.

We started the day uncertain. We ended it knowing there's lots to do. At least, we're now heading in the right direction.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

A Liberating Experience




One of my favourite Taman Desa hang-outs, if you've read my Facebook/Twitter status occasionally, is Cafe Libre. Taman Desans, you must try it out at least once. This charming place, located behind the row of shops facing Danau Idaman condo, serves great coffee, great cakes and wonderfully affordable food. Most importantly, it serves its customers really well.

It starts with Jimmy, the young manager. He's friendly and polite without neglecting the art of customer service. His boss and owner, Yasmin, is just as affable. While I can't complain about the cosy yet modern environment Cafe Libre is set in, I enjoy coming here just to have a friendly chat, grab a newspaper and surf the net while waiting for the food and coffee.

Speaking of coffee, Jimmy is a true barister and will give handy advice to those wanting to know more about the art of brewing coffee. A recent, free talk-cum-coffee tasting had the regulars out in force.

Just like the eponymous bar in the sitcom Cheers, this is one place where people will know your name. Okay, maybe my name. Good friend and erstwhile futsal teammate Colin was sighted here once. His fellow business partners also drop by once in a while and it's always great to see. Sunday Star Chief Reporter Andrew walked in recently to both our surprise. Singer Farah Asyikin also came by, although she spotted Nim first (whom she knows well). Oh, and even a fellow committee member from Casa Desa took in the alfresco experience last weekend.

The mains are quite affordable, with Spicy Seafood Spaghetti, cooked in olive oil costing RM10.90. The Nasi Minyak, which Nim loves, comes with rice and a portion of lamb in an aptly oily gravy and costs a bit less. Cakes are priced less than what you'd expect from many branded cafe chains. And their quality coffee? Well, it starts at RM4.50 for an Americano and goes up from there, with many flavours to choose from.

I can't quite put my finger on one good point about Cafe Libre that alone compels me to visit each week. It's the whole package that really makes it the best place in Taman Desa to hang out. Just like a home away from home.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Casa's A Real Home

Casa Desa above and below ground>






Casa Desa’s been slowly flourishing. We’ve got a laundry service shop now, although I think they outsource the work as we didn’t spot any washing machines in the tiny premises. And most noticeably, the swimming pool has become the hang-out area for the residents. With lots of greenery around us, good barbecue facilities and a nature-themed pool layout it all looks homely enough.

I ventured down on with my new Panasonic Lumix camera, underwater housing and all, and took some pix. They turned our great. Nim was in her element – she loves the pool – and some a fellow committee member turned up with her daughter. I even managed to grab some priceless pix of a little maintenance problem (Faber Management take note!). But simply put, it was a great day and the shots turned out well.

What we next need is a proper café and perhaps a mini-mart. But let’s hope we use our creative imagination and put up a professional-looking business. With 5 years of experience in the branding/advertising industry I hereby offer my services free of charge to any fellow Casa Desa/Taman Desa resident submitting a proposal to management.

That’s right, you it heard it – free! I’ll help design the brand identity for your business and design the environmental signage that goes around the premises to make it look good and gel with Casa Desa. If you get the proposal then fine. I’ll might help design the menu too.

Casa Desa’s a great place. With the right effort it could turn out into a wonderful condo with an enviable reputation. But getting the image right is a crucial start. More to update!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

What's In A Colour?



I remember it like it was only yesterday. Michael and I were attending a pre-marital course and our facilitator was trying to play devil’s advocate, convincing us that there are problems that could crop up after marriage. One by one, the couples quizzed said they saw eye to eye on many matters such as children, religion and future goals. The frustrated facilitator cried out, “No, trust me! One day one of you will want to buy a Nissan and the other a Ford! There will be issues!”

I looked on curiously then, wondering how can a small matter like that possibly compare to our marital discussions about where to retire and what to do if say, our kid is born a homosexual.

Yet only a few months later, Michael and I were to learn that marriage is not all about compromise. As our facilitator said, one day one of us will want something and the other something else and we will have to agree to a common answer.

The subject of the matter was the colour scheme of our new home in Casa Desa.

When I saw our spacious pad, I had visions of a pale off white with a shade of green or blue on the wall, complemented with dark furniture, possible black leather sofa. I envisioned a clean, spartan look with simple, modern accessories like a patternless dark wood tower CD case and a simple black rack with square candles. Cool colours would channel inner peace to the occupants and leave guests feeling transformed to a place called Bliss.My definition of our perfect living room could be described as Calming, Sedate and Serene because to me, a home should give its occupant a sense of peace.

Michael however had other ideas. His eyes crinkle at the thought of having a cream or beige wall that gives a sense of cozy comfort. Rich red sofas, ideally peppered with throw pillows in hues of orange and yellow highlight the living quarters. The mood, according to him, should reflect the sunny life on a beach, like something he saw out of Cairns, Australia. The furniture should therefore be closer to rattan (than leather), the tables made of wood and the lighting should give a strong tungsten glow. His living room was Warm and Cozy because to him, a home should feel welcoming and homely.

Oh, how we argued over the interior design! We finally agreed to split the colour schemes so we both get what we want. What a mistake! It resulted in a living room painted the very watery blue (that I wanted) that gives the serenity to the place…. but highlighted by Michael’s harsh yellow lights that would have bounced off well on beige walls but look hideous on light blue walls.

The richly coloured abstract paintings we got from Bali also looked a bit off on the wall, the colours clearly not complementing each other. And to worsen the scenario, the red, yellow and orange throw pillows on our sofa look so ‘salah’ and out of place.

That’s not all. Since I ‘won’ the debate for the hall colour, Michael rationalized he should have the final say in our bedroom colour, which he has decided will be a calming blue. “What?” I think to myself. “We have a blue hall and now a blue room as well? That’s so wrong! A bedroom should be in warm colours to evoke the sensuous mood of a bedroom!”

That was when our old pre-marital course facilitator’s words rang loud and clear. You can’t always ‘compromise’. Sometimes, you need both parties to agree on the same thing, less the house end up looking like a mish mash of ideas.

So after six months of this odd colourization, I have decided to give up my vision of Peace and Tranquility, and settled for Warm and Cozy. Maybe I’ll have better luck at the next joint decision.

Come to think of it, the issue of Nissan versus Ford just might crop up.Hmm...

Sunday, January 04, 2009

For A Better Cause




First of all, here's a virtual toast to our new year and I really hope we all pull through better than the nay-sayers are predicting!

From a Taman Desa point-of-view, I think at least there is some hope for Casa Desa. We had our first committee meeting and it was great to meet fellow owners/residents from the blocks around us. Almost everyone had their gripe to add about how things could be improved and I must say that it was insightful. Nim and I don't have children yet so it was humourous (yet sobering at the same time) to hear parents complaining that the slide in the playground is too close to the concrete retainer that surrounds it. Kids sliding down may have to watch their speeds! Ditto with the swing as apparently its placement doesn't leave much room for the backswing. Oops!

It's a fact. Casa Desa, nice as it is, wasn't designed by Caesar Pelli. This means certain oversights have to be rectified and we hope Faber Union will take it in their stride and help us out. They'll look really close to the S&P agreement of course, but somethings that can, and should, be solved just need common sense solutions.

Oh yeah, and yours truly is now the Block C representative too!

Following the formation of the temporary committee (the formal one will be elected mid year as per regulations) some of us met up at fellow member Kenneth's place in Block B. We discussed the ongoing improvements that could be made to the Casa Desa web portal, especially making it more functional for all concerned.

For those who are interested, do check it out.


Let's hope things improve in Casa Desa. Being a newbie in property committees is making everything a learning experience. But hopefully I can put it to good use for the condo. And eventually for Taman Desa itself.