335. GALLERY DEDICATED TO LAT

iPOH (MALAYSIA):The Ipoh City Council has decided to pay tribute to the “original Kampung Boy” - cartoonist Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid, better known as Lat, who grew up in Kota Baru, on the outskirt of the city.

Mayor Datuk Roshidi Hashim said “Galleri Kartunis Lat” would be promoted as one of the city’s 10 icons but declined to reveal the location of the gallery except to say that it would be run by a non-governmental organisation.

“We chose Datuk Lat for his overwhelming contribution to the growth of the cartoon industry and in making Kampung Boy one of the most loved characters worldwide,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after chairing the Ipoh Council’s full board meeting here yesterday, Roshidi said it would give its full support to the NGO to ensure that the project takes off.

Roshidi said the council would leave it to Lat to decide if he wanted to put his drawings of Kampung Boy in the gallery.

“It (Kampung Boy) is after all his right,” he said.

(Taken from www.thestar.com.my)

334. BIG PLANS TO LIFT PERAK ECONOMY

IPOH (MALAYSIA) : Perak will focus on agriculture and resources, tourism, renewable energy, education. marine, shipbuilding and heavy industries sectors to boost its economy under the Economic Transformation Programme.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said Perak's strengths were in its natural resources - minerals for mining activities, abundance of agriculture land and biodiversity for tourism.

“Currently, most of the related economic activities are skewed towards the lower end of the value chain, hence limiting the potential returns that Perak can reap from these resources,” Zambry pointed out.

Moving forward, Perak will look into the overall value chain and identify higher value-added activities for the local players to start venturing into.

Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir hopes the Federal Government will allow Perak to set up its own low-cost carrier terminal in the northern part of the state.

At the same time, the tourism sector will be strengthened by improving the existing products and forming a thematic tourism circuit.

Zambry planned to create an additional 10,000 jobs annually with more emphasis on skilled and semi-skilled human capital.

“We understand that the bulk of the demand for the manpower in Perak will still be on unskilled labour,” he said

During an interview with StarBizWeek, Zambry announced a few developments that were taking shape in the state.

Animation

The Perak Innovation & Creative Resource Centre (Pincer) is collaborating with Spacetoon International to launch its box office 3-D movie Mentera some time in August.

Costing some RM20mil, Pincer marks the state's foray into creative content. The centre will not only become an animation centre, but will also be involved in merchandising.

For its joint venture with Spacetoon, it has pumped in some RM8mil for the production of Mentera.

“We have been working together for three years. It was a long and painful exercise to convince them to come. But now we are in the post-production stage. We believe that returns will be forthcoming,” he said.

Zambry added that one of Perak's NKRA was for the development of information technology, which will be carried out through animation.

“We have identified creative content as a way to stop some of the migration of talent overseas. We are initiating more strategies to get these talent back,” he said.

Pincer is located behind the Perak Techno Trade Centre in Taman Meru, Jelapang near Ipoh.

LCCT

Zambry said initial discussions with the Federal Government for Perak to set up its own low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in the northern part of the state has taken place.

“We hope the Government will give it due consideration. The site is expected to take up 4,000 acres in the vicinity of Parit Buntar and Taiping, which is in the area of the Northern Corridor Economic Region.

The construction will likely cost half a billion ringgit, and it will be funded by the private sector,” he said.

Zambry, together with Perak Sultan Azlan Shah and Regent Raja Dr Nazrin Shah have formed a team to lobby for the LCCT.

He emphasised that the LCCT was not meant to compete with Penang, but would complement it.

Zambry said in five to eight years, the LCCT could possibly handle five million passengers a year.

This would bring about economic activity and make Taiping and Parit Buntar a new growth centre.

Education

More colleges will be set up to boost growth and investment in the state.

“The Premier International Medical University will be set up in Perak and will be run privately by a group of companies. One of the companies involved is a leading firm in the education field,” said Zambry.

He said Perak had approved 60 acres of land to SEGI College to build a health services campus for a university college along the Ipoh-Lumut Expressway.

(Taken from www.thestar.com.my)

333.BANYAK IKAN…

Kata Orang Kuala Kangsar, "Huh, tempat kami banyak betul ikan, baling aja kail... ikan pun magut."

Kata Orang Kampong Gajah, "Tempat kami lagi hebat, kuak aje ayo... nampak ikan."

Kata Orang Parit, "Itu takde herannye, tempat keme kuak ikan... Baru Nampak Ayo."

Ini cerite Orang Parit le…bukan cerite teman...hehe

332. LENDING A HAND TO PERAK'S POOR

The Perak government via Yayasan Bina Upaya Darul Ridzuan aims to create sustainable livelihoods for 40% of the state's population who currently live below the poverty line.

Perak has 2.6 million people, of whom 40% have a monthly income of below RM1,500. These people also have dependents. Right now, there are some 20,000 names registered under this category with Yayasan Bina Upaya.

This body has been mandated by the state to spend RM4mil per year to provide micro-financing to deserving recipients.

“Initiated last March, this scheme will give out loans ranging between RM1,000 and RM20,000 to qualified recipients,” said Yayasan Bina Upaya's Chief Executive, Khairul Azwan Dato' Harun Saruji.

So far, a total of RM 900,000 worth of interest-free financing have been given out to 125 recipients. Going forward, recipients not categorised as hard-core poor will be charged some interest.

In Malaysia, the overall poverty line stands at around 3%. Those categorised as hard-core poor earn below RM420 per month.

Under the e-Kasih programme, (a national database system to implement and monitor anti-poverty programmes), the 6,000 hard-core poor in Perak have now been “zerorised”.

“I have an accumulated amount of RM7mil for micro-financing, which I intend to fully utilise this year. We have to be very careful about giving out the money only to those who really need it. Right now, we give training to our recipients and also monitor their progress. They have to be reminded that they need to pay back the loans,” said Khairul.

He added that he had 100 trained volunteers throughout Perak who not only monitored the borrowers, but gave recommendations of people who truly needed these loans.

“The most important thing is to create sustainable livelihoods for the borrowers. Right now we provide support to the recipients. For instance, among the single mothers we have set up a flea market called Uptown Ladies Market' where there are some 50 traders who only consist of single mothers selling a wide range of unique products,” said Khairul.

He added that he often followed his volunteers to investigate the real situation of some of the potential recipients.

Recently he visited a family living in the outskirts of Bidor who were in dire needs. The mother was slightly disabled and could no longer work. The husband earned RM20 per day collecting and selling tapioca when it didn't rain. They had one school-going child and lived in a railway quarters.

The house was in very bad shape, with a leaking roof and no proper door. Electricity had already been cut, so they were using candles. Water came from a well which was a few hundred metres away, while firewood was used to cook.

“When I saw them, the mother was preparing her child for school. I saw only plain porridge in the pot. At that time, the father came back riding his bicycle and carrying his tapioca. After introducing himself, he pointed to his empty rice bin and started crying. He said they had not eaten properly in two days,” said Khairul.

“Although they were so poor, they were still so determined to send their child to school.”

Khairul immediately arranged for their electricity supply to be reconnected, Yayasan Bina Upaya also sponsored the repair of the house and a motorcycle for the husband.

“The ultimate aim is to increase the income and improve the lives of this 40% of people,” he said.

Extract from:The Star

Comments:

Delighted with this long overdue program especially so, that it is being spearheaded by an organisation headed by an Anak Keledang...Hopefully the program covers the Orang Asli community.

331. THE CHANGING OF GUARDS…YET THE FOCUS ON SOCIETY REMAINS

We are already in the 9^th day of 2011 and the 4th day of Safar 1432. I've been deliberating on the topics to write as my first article of this year.

There are a few of interest especially the impact of price increases in many commodities on the public and the continuous floods that has and is hitting various regions in Malaysia. Mind you constant price increases poked huge holes in the pockets of the rakyat, yet the leaders we chose played safe by being mute and dump. I do know what I need to do to this kind of leaders come the next election. There is one stinking rubbish bin in my house ever ready…

nonetheless, the show must go on.

Last Wednesday, at the Perak Royal Golf Club, a new President presided the first meeting of our service club, KELAB BAKTI GUNUNG KELEDANG (Keledang Club) for this year.

Dato' Razali Khalid (DRK) was installed as the 2011 President of the Keledang Club on the 12^th December 2010, 10.40p.m, witnessed by our club patron, the Raja Muda of Perak, DYTM Raja Dr Nazrin Shah ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, in a very colourful and blissful atmosphere.

DRK, who was the 2010 Vice President, ascended the presidency, taking over from the industrious Dr Zakaria Abdul Kadir who completed his office of one year.

In Keledang, it is customary for a member to hold the office of Presidency for only one year to facilitate the office of presidency to be rotated among the members.

Sdr Haji Megat Ahmad Shahrani, who was the 2010 Honorary Secreatary was elevated to the office of Vice Presidency.

In outlining his mission this year, the new President was very focus to move forward all the ongoing projects especially the club's two major project viz. THE RELIEF CENTRE FOR UNWED MOTHERS (additional building) at Ampang, Ipoh and THE YAYASAN KELEDANG ORPHANAGE HOME In Kampung Melayu, Ipoh.

With the streams of big funds rolling in from donors including from the Menteri Besar Perak who pledged RM100,000 and the Perak Islamic Religious Council who donated RM200,000, those building projects should be completed and ready for occupation by the third quarter of 2011.

Under the present difficult circumstances where we are facing social problems of gigantic nature, it is only right that we get together under the banner of NGO to help alleviate the problems by contributing in the positive manner.

Leaving all the problems to the government to resolve does not seem right. Quoting Tun Mahathir's words during our club's encounter with him some time back "NGOs have positive roles to contribute to the society..."

My mission for the year is to assist our club to mobilise more resources from all possible legal avenues so that more social projects can be undertaken by our Keledang club and through the club.

On this score, I humbly record my sincerest appreciation to a good friend and a fellow blogger, Tuan Syed Mohri Al-Idrus who was very sensitive to the needs of the orphans. One phone call to purchase ten watches from his special sales took a twist when he was told of the actual intention of those intended purchases. That phone call led to his direct contribution in the fund raising programs for our YAYASAN KELEDANG's new orphanage home.

Thank you, Sir. Looking forward to meeting you to deliberate our next course of actions.

Just ponder a minute on those little things that we can do to make Malaysia a better place for us and our brothers and sisters to live in…

330. GOODBYE 2010 HELLO 2011

Catatan: muzill.mansor

Setiap tahun 31 Disember lah hari yang paling sibuk selesaikan urusan syarikat dan urusan sendiri. Tetapi kali ini semua urusan kena dicepatkan satu hari pasal cuti Dato’ Najib bagi kerana Malaysia menang Piala AFF Suzuki.

Tahniah pasukan Malaysia. Baguslah sebab bolasepak Malaysia pun dah lama malap. Sesekali menang takkan salah nak raya sakan…

Apa pun hari Khamis saya ligat pusing keliling Bandar selesaikan banyak benda.

Agenda pertama ke Pejabat Agama Islam Negeri Perak di kompleks Islam. Bayar zakat, barulah rezeki jadi berkat.

Dari situ ke Pejabat Socso, bergegas pulak ke bank bayar ansuran dan terus ke pejabat KWSP bayar caruman bulanan.

Senang bila semua bayaran dan caruman dikemaskini dan tak ada tunggakan lagi.

Masih ada masa ke pejabat penasihat pelaburan, jenguk sekejap semak portfolio pelaburan dan ambik cek jualan saham. Lega sungguh bila saham-saham dalam portfolio dah bernafas semula dan boleh diurusniaga seminggu dua nie. Best giler bila kaunter yang baru beli, regenya dah mula naik tinggi. Thank you Auntie... Syukur...dah boleh pasang angan-angan buat projek baru tahun depan.

Singgah kejap kat kedai kain. Sambar sekeping dua kain nak buat baju Melayu. Spare untuk tahun 2011. Mana tau ada aktiviti macam sambutan Maulidurrasul atau satu dua aktiviti yang sewaktu dengannya…

Senang hati bila banyak kerja beres menjelang tengahari. Masih ada masa untuk buat posting jam cantik kat blog LT dan peruntuk masa di waktu malam buat yang tersayang.

Jumaat ada Pertandingan Paintball NPOC kat Sungai Petani lepas solat Jumaat. Pegi jangan tak pegi. Seronok sangat jumpa rakan-rakan sepasukan termasuk coach. Lama sungguh tak main dalam pertandingan sejak pulih daripada sakit.

Tahun 2010 memang best. Walau pun ada satu dua insiden kurang selesa seperti kena demam denggi berdarah tapi lagi banyak peristiwa gembira. Syukurlah pada Yang Maha Esa atas bertambahnya rezeki dan kurniaan yang paling berharga.

Tahun 2010 tinggal beberapa minit untuk berlalu pergi…pergi dengan sejuta ingatan, kenangan dan susulan.

Terima kasih semua…

SELAMAT TINGGAL 2010 dan SELAMAT DATANG 2011.

Semoga kita semua menjadi manusia yang lebih bertaqwa dan berguna.

Assalammu ‘alaikum…

329. The Magnificent Rolex Explorer II

By muzill.mansor

My focus with Rolex Explorer I and Explorer II was more or less zoomed in after a few friends began inquiring about Rolex Explorer I.

Looking through the inventory, a unit of Explorer I and two units of Explorer II are available for retail. Hence the posting on @LT Watch Gallery a few days back. The responses on the postings especially on the Explorer I were exhilarating.

Thank you so much.

An excerpt on the Rolex Explorer II as extracted from http://www.secondtimeround.com was reproduced below for the benefit of Rolex explorers lovers and enthusiasts.

The History of Explorer II

Introduced in the early 1970's as model 1655, it is in essence a GMT Master with a fixed bezel. It has the same calibre movement as the GMT (1575) and has a forth hand which rotates once every 24 hours. This hand was read using the 24 hour engraved steel fixed bezel.

Rolex introduced the watch as an essential tool to all 'speleologists' (more commonly known as 'cave explorers' ).

Rolex also claimed that the speleologist "soon loses all notion of time: morning, afternoon day or night." For these intrepid souls Rolex developed the watch that could tell them whether the "2" on the dial was 2:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. (14:00). This may well be true, but there are other things with a higher demand than speleologists. The limited popularity that it had was because of people in the aviation field, air traffic controllers, etc.

In its life the watch for the first 3 years had an orange hand, and up until 1985 it had a red one. The 1655 Explorer II and the 1019 Milgauss are the only Rolex Models which use hands that are not used by any other model.

The Explorer II 1655 was not really popular until 1991, five years after it was re-launched with a sapphire glass and the same movement as the GMT Master II. This allowed the owner of the watch to set the hour hand backwards or forwards in one hour jumps without disturbing the second or minute hands. This facility allowed the owner to change time zones without losing a preset accurate time.

The Legacy of the Explorer is a long and interesting one and will just continue.

328. THE OLD BATTERED WATCH WARRIOR…

This face belongs to Yew Cheong, the friendly watch seller and watch doctor. The wrinkles and the eye bags registered on the face signify the years in time that has passed by him. The face of a man who makes his living selling wrist watches, wall clocks and alarm clocks in a small shop tucked in between a jewellery shop and the many fruit outlets along the main road of Bidor.

Bidor, a little town near Tapah in the district of Batang Padang, Perak is famous for its crunchy guavas and succulent mangoes. Bidor is also the place in those days for cheap petais sold by the Orang Asli.

Yew Cheong has been involved in the watch business for more than 50 years. Starting his trade in the old Hugh Low Street, Ipoh, he then moved on to Bidor in the fifties where he opened his watch shop and stays put till now. Besides selling watches and clocks, he also provides repair and maintenance services. At time he also buys pre-owned and vintage pieces as a community service.

I had the opportunity to get acquainted to this marvelous man years ago when I frequented the town while managing my development projects.

Stopping by at his shop for short chats on watches while surveying for vintage watches owners dumped at his shop was a regular routine then. The first purchase made from him was a wall clock. Followed by a few quality buys including Pagols, Rados, Orient and Seikos secured at decent prices.

Watch owners from as far Teluk Intan and Kampar dropped by his shop to trade-in old watches in exchange for some new fancy pieces.

Some owners hard pressed for cash departed with their watches including some sentimental units.

Yew Cheong never turned away owners no matter how battered the watches might be because he knew the owners were cash desperate. I guessed his long association with the Bidor put him in good stead to really know his community and picked the right people to help.

It has been a while since I last saw him. On the way from a project nearby, I decided to pay him a visit yesterday. The old man looked excited to see me. Nothing much has changed. The old cheap stock of watches and clocks are still there. Some vintage wall clocks sent for repairs some time back are still visible at the back of the shop, an indication that perhaps work are falling back.

Upon my enquiring, Yew Cheong lamented that after half a century maybe it is time to hang up the tools. He said at 70 years plus, the body is aching, the hands are trembling and the failing eyes can take no more.

Yet when talking about old watches, his eyes lit up again while showing me a traded piece of Longines quartz with the fading words "KHIDMAT SETIA 1989" scripted at the case back. He insisted on me taking the watch at the same price he paid to the original owner desperate for cash. I just obliged…

Even at this advanced age, he is still serving his community as the watch doctor, seller and financier with a smile.

He sure knows how to restore watches and put life back to old vintage watches but whom does he turn to during this advanced age of his aching body, trembling hands and failing eyes…

327. BACALAH…

Oleh: Muzill.mansor

Sempat singgah di sebuah kedai buku di Kinta City untuk membeli beberapa buku. Ramai bebudak tekun baca buku walaupun terpaksa duduk kat lantai.

Ada yang memilih untuk membaca sambil berdiri. Seronok giler tengok deme tekun baca.Tak kiralah buku apa yang dibaca asalkan ada hobi membaca.

Lagi seronok tengok kedai penuh orang menunjukkan rakyat Malaysia sukakan ilmu.

Teringat waktu kecil dulu, ayah selalu gak bawa kami empat beradik lepak kat kedai buku. Ayah cari buku novel dengan buku ilmiah, kami melilau cari komik. Macam-macam jenis komik kami baca. Suka tengok lukisan, suka juga ikut jalan cerita. Adik-beradik pakat-pakat jimat wang saku supaya boleh beli banyak jenis komik. Cuma bila banyak komik nak beli kena minta ayah tambah sebab fulus memang selalu tak cukup. Sudahnya mana komik yang kami suka macam GILA-GILA, ayah terus langgan saja setiap bulan.

Ayah tak kisah kami baca komik sebab kata dia, masa sekolah dulu pun dia suka baca majalah dan komik. MAD magazine, Kid Carson, Tarzan, Billy The Kid, Beano dan Dandy kira favourite dia lah. Kata ayah, Tok Wan bagi duit untuk langgan majalah mana yang suka. Tradisi baca Beano dan Dandy kira kami teruskan je lah.

Ayah cakap komik adalah karya seni halus, sumber ilmu dan inspirasi. Hanya orang-orang hebat dan tajam pemikiran macam Dato’ LAT, sahabat kami yang mampu melakarkan watak-watak kehidupan sebagai cerminan hidup dalam bentuk kartun.

Sampai sekarang koleksi kami, komik Melayu, Cina dan Jepun termasuk Dragon Ball dan Budak Getah tersusun rapi kat rumah.

Yang bestnya sekarang bila sepupu-sepupu datang rumah, cabinet tempat simpan komik lah jadi tumpuan sampai kekadang tak mau balik selagi komik-komik belum selesai dibaca...

Dah besar ni, kira dah graduate ke novel-novel berat tapi komik mana boleh tinggal.

Amalan membaca ni kena pupuk daripada usia muda supaya jadi satu tabiat. Rakyat yang rajin membaca adalah rakyat berilmu. Nak jadi pemimpin pun kena rajin membaca, baru peka.

Kalaulah semua kedai buku macam Borders yang sediakan ruang membaca yang selesa… tentu lebih syok lepak kat kedai buku.

326. A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR THE NEW YEAR…

By: muzill.mansor

The Hijriah year of 1432 is just three days old. Still not too late to wish ma’al hijriah to all Muslim friends all over the world.

Late last year a good friend of mine, an ex-banker handed over what looked like a battered worn out watch with specific instruction to put life back into the watch. He said the watch, a present from a friend was among his favorite just like his Tag Heuer Link. Unfortunately when it stopped running, it was left idling in the drawer.

I was caught up with quite a number of events and festivities especially kenduris, company’s and club commitments to give the watch a second look.

Luckily the mid-week break gave me a breather.

Took the opportunity during the breather to drop by my watch clinic to have the watch examined.

It was a simple task of resuscitation, swift makeover and light polishing at the cost of a few dimes.

To Reza, here’s your Tonino Lamborghini with a new strap, shining and running.

Indeed it is a case of a new lease of life for a new year...