The Ugly Side of Misused Public Funds

Taman Desa has plenty of good points. But there's an ugly side that we sometimes can't ignore. It seems we have our own White Elephant to add to the list of the many that exist in Malaysia. White Elephants are abandoned buildings of course, and I'm referring to this school just across from the Plaza Danau shops.

When it was being constructed almost a decade ago it seemed like an avant garde school, perhaps of even international grade. It certainly didn't look like your typical sekolah kebangsaan. There was a buzz about it from residents who had something to look forward to as another bragging point for our suburb.

Sadly, the school never was completed and it stands today as another monumental reminder that our civil service is lacking in planning an accountability. It's been used for filming by production crews lately, but that's about it. The disrepair is amazing and the photos say it all.

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The ironic and saddest sight would be the one showing a homeless man who obviously made one of the classrooms his makeshift accommodation. To block out the sun's glare he has used this banner below.

I hope someone reads this and can do something about it. It has all the potential for a useful public or even private enterprise. Not it just stands as a reminder of waste of the highest order.

Election Matters

Police making their presence known right after dawn

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The rush was on at 7.45am for the 'early birds'

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5 minutes to 5pm and this couple get their chance to finally cast a vote'

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Taman Desa was full of life just after dawn this 5th of May. A crowd of people joined me to line up at SMK Perdana Taman Desa as we waited impatiently to make one of the most important choices of our lives.

I was up even earlier.

As an eager, first time volunteer, I had already arrived at 6am in the morning to get the DAP pondok panas ready for action. A small group of us were involved and we helped point people to the right voting stations around Taman Desa (as the stations are mainly in schools, people inevitably got lost finding which of the 3 schools in Taman Desa was which). By 7.20am there were enough people to form a 50m queue outside the gates of our school. I joined in and at 7.45am the gates opened.

My vote was cast and I was on my way out by 8.15am, passing by a couple of familiar faces on the way out.

The shop-lot eateries up the road were full of people who had either just voted or were about to. There was a lot of hopeful chatter - we were sure Seputeh, of which Taman Desa is a part of - would continue to carry as a DAP stronghold - but there was fear about how neighbouring constituencies would perform.

It was back home to Casa Desa for a short nap. Then back to the pondok at lunchtime to continue my duties. Surprisingly, voters continued to arrive in sizeable numbers. Even one of my close buddies from work dropped by. Coincidentally, he was also registered to vote and did his bit in no time. Throughout the afternoon folks idled around to chat with us and share updates from our smart phones every now and then. Even a thunderstorm didn't dampen voters and they continued to trickle in right up to the last few minutes before 5pm.

Taman Desa continues to be the staunch home of DAP supporters, there's no denying it. A lot of us were hopeful of the future that day, even though the results were ultimately disappointing. But life goes on in Taman Desa. As it always will.

Guarded and Gated: Taman Desa's Lock on Safety

I don't know about you but it's been a long time now since the first controversial 'pondok' sprouted a few doors down our condo and 'guards' appeared manning its boom gate. I thought Taman Desa was relatively safe so this was a surprise. But I should have seen it coming. Back in 2005, we already had motorcyle-bound security that provided 24-hour patrols to some effect (they weren't very helpful as some roadside car burglars would break windows, steal stuff and then easily out-speed them with faster bikes). I hoped the patrols would be better-equipped but I certainly didn't expect permanent structures, barriers and a plethora of booms that barred your entrance to what is essential a public space.

The alleged illegality of the actions don't trouble me as much as the fact that people do accept them. We've become tolerant of the fact that crime is not abating. There is a perception that we don't feel safe anymore to trust our fate in the police.

But seriously? Boom gates?

Anyway, they are almost everywhere in Taman Desa now and the quality of the work by the attendants has been patchy. In the last couple of weeks, they suddenly improved and took down registration plate numbers religiously before letting cars pass in-bound. The funny part is that out-bound cars only need to press a button that allows the boom gate to open automatically. I don't know about this last part as, if I were an escaping burglar, this means I would have an easier time getting away from my victim's suburb!

I don't know if anyone has stats to show that this whole scheme has helped drive crime rates down in Taman Desa. The truth is that things have traditionally been very quite here. People were careful and supportive of neighbours. They still are, I'm sure. However, the act of gating our suburb's many entry points is communicating a perception that we fear for our safety enough to act this desperately. We've lost the art of the old Rukun Tetangga or Neighbourhood Watch. We've almost stopped becoming the vibrant community we were a long time ago. Don't get me wrong. Taman Desa is still a great place to live in if you're in Kuala Lumpur. But now we're like other similar communities. And it's sad that we lost our unique identity.

Taman Desa's Perfect Storm

If you happened to be in Taman Desa on the 25th of January this year, you would have seen something pretty amazing at around 6.30pm. Out of nowhere, a storm hit Kuala Lumpur and Taman Desa seemed to have borne the brunt of it. Picture a scene from the movie The Perfect Storm (George Clooney's epic battle against an Atlantic storm) and simply take out the waves. What's left were hurricane-like winds that literally tore roofs of buildings and uprooted trees. I only realized it after driving home to find my preferred entrance to Taman Desa (via the Waterpark) blocked by trees. Then I found the lakeside entrance also blocked. Finally, I had to enter via Taman Bukit Desa and navigated my way through the main street - Jalan Desa Utama - as a drizzle continued unabated. The sight of huge trees uprooted and leaning on house walls was humbling. Then came the sight of felled lamp-posts and low-hanging cables. Trees criss-crossed the road, making the journey look more like an off-road trail in the rainforest. Here's a glimpse of what I took:

Rain made navigating a real challenge for motorists

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Cables and debris forced cars to slow down

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Inevitably, we all encountered a jam as we made our way closer to Casa Desa

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This guy had a very lucky escape

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The other down-side is that - with the time it took to get home from work - a planned attendance with some other relatives for our CNY dinner had to called off. Here's a glimpse of the wreckage the day after. It was taken on the same street as I made my way to work:

Small trees weren't spared the damage

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The scary part was seeing lamp-posts bringing down live cables with them on the road

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I used to buy fruits from this seller. Thankfully, it was business as usual a couple of days later

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One of Taman Desa's best-known features is its leafy ambiance. Large trees can be found all over the place, providing a useful shade for pedestrians and a welcome verdant view that few KL-ites would enjoy (you'd have to reside in the fringes of the city to really see something better). The recent windy calamity highlighted an obvious weakness. But I doubt anyone will be spooked by this. The trees will continue to be a part of the suburb, and nature will continue to sometimes mete out a forced trim or two.

Getting Caught in the property boom

Is Taman Desa part of the Property Bubble?

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I was in the Casa Desa gym today and I overhead two guys talking excitedly in Cantonese. Now, I know a little Cantonese but by the names these guys were mentioning it was clear they were talking about properties worth buying nearby. And about property prices in general. Go around town these days and you'll pretty much hear the same topic being discussed at mamak stalls, office canteens, family gatherings and meeting room small-talk. Everyone is either keen on investing in property - both commercial and residential - or keen on attending a property investment seminar. Some, naturally, are into both.

It goes without saying that Taman Desa comes into the conversation due to the rapidly appreciating property prices here. Our own condo has nearly doubled in price since we moved in three years ago and real estate agents keep spamming my mobile with SMSs about 'potential' buyers. It's annoying about I'm not the only person getting such attention. Check out the Absolute Taman Desa Facebook page by the way, where you'll see similar complaints.

Anyway, condos are now launching in KLCC reaching the RM1,500 p.sq ft threshold selling price already, while in the inner suburbs a luxury condo can already fetch RM1,000 p.sq ft. Don't even dream of landed properties being less than that. Simple terrace houses within the KL and PJ area can go from RM600,000 upwards and the general price for an average semi-D will break the million mark. You have to go to Shah Alam to find cheaper semi-Ds under a mill.

Bubble or not, I think a smart colleague of mine who works in Finance said the simplest, smartest thing about surviving your investment. What will withstand the test of the bubble being burst and speculations gone bad are three simple things: location, location, location. Just get the best location you can find. Unless, you plan to make it your permanent home.

Thus, spend wisely. And that means you'll probably end up investing in Taman Desa! But who knows how much the prices are going up? It's your pick. I already made mine.

Another Great Reason

No hypermarket opening is complete with the directional buntings

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This place is huge, and the residences are yet to come too

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I'm not a huge fan of Tesco but I do admit that as far as hypermarkets go, they've got a good brand and a good service offering. (I prefer Cold Storage but that's only because they've got a wider range of gourmet foods).

Thus, what started out as just rumours apparently became true when I saw what an advertising balloon in the sky above a huge building under construction near the Taman Desa intersection. It then dawned on me that Tesco was well and truly in (our part of) town. It opened for business this March in the Scott Garden mall.

Previously, Taman Desans had two choices: the local supermarket in nearby Danau Desa known as Sri Kota (which my parents always mistakenly refer to as 'Kota Raya') and the other choice, Carrefour or Jusco, in Mid Valley. Most people would try to avoid the latter due to the jam on weekends and the long queues at the check-out lanes. You'd really only want to go there if you had other things to do in 'one shot' as well.

But we checked out Tesco and it seems to be convenient in so many ways. Firstly, the parking is free. For now. Secondly, the carpark has great indicator lights for vacant lots that you can spot a mile away and even tells you which areas to find your vacant spot in. Thirdly, Tesco is famous for their generous number of lanes which reduces waiting time. Fourthly, Scott Garden is just mere minutes from our condo - you could even walk there if you wanted. Finally, it offers a tremendous breadth of goods that you just can't get in the smaller supermarket.

Granted, many of us will still use Sri Kota if we only want a couple of items. For now, Tesco has made a difference for those of us in Taman Desa.

Food Boo-Boos... Anyone need a copywriter?

Cheeky sense of adult humour? I doubt

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Someone invented an edible lamp!

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So we know that some people just can't spell, and they happen to be the printers/designers for lots of restaurants out there in Malaysia. (Note: never blame the owner of the restaurant unless they're the ones who were the actual copywriters).

As a former copywriter myself, I have to cringe when I see these mistakes creep into our vocabulary. Why couldn't they just check with a friend or go online and Google the damn word they loved so much.

I do remember one time seeing the signboard for a shop in Taman Desa that said Puer Tea and I almost wanted to write to them to ask if they knew they made such a blatant error? Then I made a check of my own one day and found out that puer is a brand of tea leaf!

Okay, but back to the merits of copywriting. I hope you folks out there got a small laugh and learn that we need to improve our branding awareness - even if its a small stall that you run.

Lifting the Kimono - OBD's Secret Restaurant

Modern styling is evident from the ground floor

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Matsuba restaurant is tucked away on the right-hand side of the pool

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It was packed on a Sunday night. This was taken before we left, long after dinner time!

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Many people know about OBD Garden Tower in Taman Desa. One of the pioneering condos in our suburb, it stands prominently in white and was constructed NOT by Faber Union, which is a good thing indeed. Famed for having its Japanese residents it is kind of cloaked in secrecy-cum-good security.

My Mum and Dad were intrigued by the restaurant that started advertising itself and eventually tried it out. After more than 11 years of living in Taman Desa (since I returned from Oz) Nim, Elle and myself accompanied the parents and our cousin Diane to try it out.

The first thing that strikes me is how beautiful and clean the condo is. This one almost sparkles. The interior common areas clearly show off the Zen-style architecture that is minimalist, yet so distinctive of what we have seen of Japan. The pool is wide and at the centre of the property. Next to it, lies the restaurant.

It was packed and slightly noisy. Typical of a Sunday. We took our seats and ordered. As usual I tried out the bento set comprising of Unagi which was very reasonably priced (RM20?) while the others tried their own sets too. It was air-conditioned.

Service was prompt and our meals got the proverbial thumbs up.

We didn't really go anywhere else but toured more of the common area on our way out to the carpark. Two well-maintained tennis courts were occupied.

Overall, I'd say OBD is a true pride of Taman Desa and a model for other developers. I'm not sure but it must be pricey, either for buying or for renting. Which is the way it should be, I believe.

Seeing Through The (KL) Clutter

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

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

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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.

Salute To The Colonel

Is it a momentous occasion for Taman Desa or just one of resigned cynicism? It really depends on your age but the call for review is simply due to KFC's impending arrival to our suburb. It's a sign of things to come. Taman Desa has blossomed so fast that it really was a case of fait accompli.

Ironically, the corner where KFC is appearing has had a checkered history. When it first opened, a rip-off chain called KLG actually had the nerve to open there. Apparently KLG has over 30 outlets in Northern Malaysia and wasn't really meant as homage to the Colonel more than it was to capitalize on his popularity. KLG served similar items but with a notably slack food presentation, lousy overall branding and over-salty taste. Surprisingly, it drew a large crowd in its first month, then (unsurprisingly) petered out as fast as a hurricane over a mountain range. To use Aussie slang, KLG 'gave up the ghost' six months later and was hardly mourned by Taman Desans (except Mike C who loved their Chicken Burgers).

Extensive renovations ensued and a Japanese restaurant took over. It was relatively cheap and welcome but it was hardly authentic. The response, though, was energetic (Taman Desans are opportunistic kia su people who will give things a try) and business flourished for about three months. Somehow, the novelty factor wore off and the owners then realized that there were half a dozen similar restaurants in the suburb run even more authentically. This, potential patrons were aware of too. Ten months later and the restaurant also sank into oblivion.

Mike C and I had joked that KFC would do well to copy KLG and make a move to Taman Desa. Maybe in the same spot. And whadya know, they apparently surveyed the empty lot in the past five months and thought the same thing.

It was just a few days ago that the signage finally went up and Nim told me. So the answer to the early question? Well, I think most of us will appreciate KFC coming here. They'll be a lot cleaner than the previous tenants, who also attracted riff-raff to the area. And, if you're gonna have fast food at least the quality is now available (just stay away from the dangerous fries and whipped potato, that's all). Mike C will also enjoy better Chicken Burgers now while I'll be happily eating away at Hot N Spicy Chicken and peeling off two-thirds of the skin.

Mike C and I have joked about opening up our own Coffee Bean outlet to really exploit the opportunities in Taman Desa. That may well come. In the meantime, we're going to KFC when it first opens and salute the Colonel for coming to town.