Kuantan Apartment

When people enter your territory unauthorized ..

2011-09-04T11:06:00.000+08:00

On coming back to the apartment after Raya on 01092011 I found my apartment door unlocked and I knew straight away that there was an authorised entry, I was last in the apartment on 15082011, and after that to the best of my knowledge nobody else came in. And on opening the door I saw my internal iron grill ajar and the house was in a mess, clothings thrown everywhere in the bedroom and tables shifted. I knew, I was burglared.

My first reaction was to leave everything as found and to go to the Police, to make a Police Report and my wife, who was with me, went to the gatekeeper and told them about the unfortunate incident. The gatekeeper, a Bangladeshi, was in a daze, not really knowing what had happened; anyway there is no system at the gate and the place (till writing this) was and is still unsecured.

And at the Police Station I made my Report, got to see a Police Inspector and later he came to the apartment to ‘investigate’.

There was nothing much else that we could do and after the Police left, we just tidied up. There was no material loss, except that my pride was deflated. We expected better security services, after all pay our monthly services fees without fail. But we are disappointed.

I replaced the font main door lock, and installed some cheap alarm at the doors.

The rest I trust to Allah SWT.

Swimming Pool

2011-05-08T15:04:00.000+08:00

They have re-painted around the swimming pool. At least it looks better now.

And they have re-painted the gazeebo as well. But the re-painted colour of the gazeebo now is very dull a sort of dirty light grey. At least the swimming pool is better coloured, with stripes of bright blue and white.

What is left is now is only to make sure that the swimming pool is safe for use. Any protruding edges to be smoothen out, and the water in the pool to be certified by the town council fit for use and fit to swim in, periodically.

a boat skeleton

2010-03-07T17:56:00.001+08:00

This is the skeleton of a boat which sunk sometime back in Kuantan River. The photo was taken at low tide, in the morning today, when the skeleton revealed itself. At high tide the skeleton cannot be seen. And that is dangerous to boats, big or small, plying the Kuantan River.

I wonder why nobody even bother tho clear this dangerous skeleton.

Intercom

2010-02-06T07:32:00.003+08:00

We used to have a good inter-communication system where the occupants of each apartment was able to call the guard/security at the guard house (at the gate) via a hard line intercommunication system and vice versa. It was useful during times of emergencty or for the guard/security to confirm with the apartment occupiers if any has visitors.

The suystem was down and never repaired.

Recently on visiting the guard house I observed that even the exchange is now missing.

Not a very good service from the apartment management it seems.

Lighted up gazebo

2010-01-27T21:52:00.003+08:00

Last night when I was back at Le Town Apartment I saw the gazebo well lighted up. Probably for the Chinese New Year. Looks good.

What kept me wondering was why was it not well lighted up for Hari Raya and Christmas. After all we all own the complex.

Fruitful discussions

2010-01-09T14:15:00.003+08:00

For the first time in about 10 years that I have stayed in Le Town Apartment, a small number of residents held a small meeting and discussion by the pool side the other night. It was a good start to a social cum business sort of get together. Socialising in trying to 'know your neighbours', and business in discussion of the 'need for improvemenet' for the apartment complex.

It is envisaged that this will be followed by other similar meetings, and by the appointment of a residents representative to meet the management to resolve the many problems of living in the apartment complex.

Nurses Trainee

2009-11-12T08:07:00.001+08:00

Two of the about 50 Nurses Trainee living in our Le Town Apartment Complex.

Stoop that low.

2009-11-06T22:32:00.006+08:00

Do we Have to come to this now? A plastic bucket to contain drippings from the bathroom above. Is the management not aware?

This is just poor showing of maintenance care. What has happened to the Management anyway? Or do they now pass the buck to the apartment owner?

Guard booth

2009-10-13T09:17:00.002+08:00

Why is it that the security booth always seemed to be empty? Or is it just that when I am around, they are not occupied? Admittedly on occasions I see the guard there, used to be elderly Malay men, then some Myanmars and Bangladeshi (who seems not to be able to communicate in Malay or English, I wonder why they are there at all), and now I see a senior Chinese man. But empty guard booth have been observed, especially in the morning.

Demise of the Jawi writing.

2009-10-06T07:13:00.005+08:00

The Jawi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawi_script) writing (and reading) used to be the pride of the Malays and used to be taught at all Malay schools in Malaya (later Malaysia). But since a couple of decades ago, it has been dropped from school curriculum, for reasons only known to the Malaysian Government.

I have found some of the remnants of Jawi writing in Kuantan, which maybe in a few years time may just be ‘in history’.

Property value

2009-09-09T08:13:00.001+08:00

Many landlords have (indirectly caused) lowering the property value at Le Town Apartment by renting out their apartments to persons of unknown standing. Many of these tenants share the 3 room apartment with their friends, some occupying each apartment with as many as 10 friends. These apartments are quite comfortable if shared, say ,with 2 persons to a room but by having more persons living in each it makes life less comfortable, and with a higher occupancy per apartments making the place like a slum. And resulting in lowering the rentable value of the property. A pity, as the apartments are situated in a very good location in Kuantan Town.

It is not cheap to maintain an apartment at Le Town. It annual rentable value payable to the Kuantan Municipality is over RM 1000.00 a year, which is expensive for an apartment of floor area of just over 1000 sq. feet in a town outside Kuala Lumpur. Its maintenance cost payable to the Apartment Management is RM 150.00 a month. Agreed that up todate they do quite a good job at maintaining the apartment complex. But their shortcomings are also glaring. The apartments complex now needs a new coat of paint after being here for about 10 years; this they have not done so. Security to the apartments is questionable, they employ cheap foreign labour as security guards, except for one old Malaysian who has been employed as security guard for quite a while now. These foreign labourers are not really ‘security guards’ as such, they seemed more like general workers. These ‘guards’ lack the local language knowledge and the lack the understanding of local customs of living in such a community as those living in the apartments. And there is no control of access to the apartments, free access seems the rule of the day (and nights) to any of the apartment. Thus security is compromised.

All in all, the property value of these apartments have been lowered (and compromised) due the landlords not being selective of their tenants, neither controlling them nor really care about the maintenance of their apartments. And due the Management not being really concerned about access and security.

MPK is going to town at TC

2009-09-07T15:41:00.010+08:00

Majlis Perbandaran Kuantan MPK (the Kuantan Municipality)is going to town at TC (Teluk Cempedak) beach.

They are building a new seafront low stone wall, and even the old Japanese machine gun emplacement pillbox has been repaired.

And towards and near the existing wooden walks they are building new walks. (But the old wooden walks really needed maintenance, some of the wood are missing or rotting, perhaps they will be repaired or replace in the next phase of the MPK development.)

Reminder of Japanese occupation

2009-09-06T17:19:00.002+08:00

Crossing the Kuantan River on the bridge from Kuantan Town on the road to Kuala Lumpur, at Jalan Gambang, one will not notice the gun placement pillar box unless one stops and go down to the river bank on the right, in front of the existing eating stalls, close to the boat cruise jetty. From there one can prominently sees it. But if one goes on the Kuantan River Cruise one will not help but notice it when one goes under that Kuantan River bridge. Its there, left unrepaired but seemed to be maintained in considerable good condition.
Its part of our Malaysian history, also the history of Pahang State, though one may wish to forget that part of our history where the Japanese committed quite a number of atrocities to our people when they were in occupation in Malaya then.

A new resort

2009-09-05T13:52:00.009+08:00

I have herad so much about this new resort, so today I decided to visit it. It was a sunny day, and being the fasting month I did not worry about meals. So my wife, my 1st grandson and I decided to drive to this 'resort' which about 20 odd km from Kuantan Town towards Kuala Lumpur.

My impression? Its not ready! But for the benfit of doubt, the management must be trying its level best to make it ready for visitors.

Its expensive to enter. Its new, but its expensive. About RM20 for adult and RM13 for children, don't you call that expensive? maybe not when its fully ready. But is it fully ready now? Don't look it.

The resort accommodation? Seems alright from the road. I did not go in, so I have to presume that its ready. Its a sort of condo/hotel arrangement. I saw some accupants inside some of them.

The water park seems alright but its quite small compared to some I have seen in Malaysia. See video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUM3MJzqLWw

Other facilities? There is the coach/horse ride at RM10 per head, riding just around the 'corner'. A few quadbikes for rental. And a 'kiddie train' to go from the water park to the 'hotel' and back. All at a fees of course. I did not ask how much.

As usual, one will find a souvenir shop in the complex. I suppose for that sort of a place, the shop was quite adequate.

The workers? I met a few young hands whom I must say are very friendly. They being young, they do not ask for much. The older ones also seemed quite satisfied with their assignments.

There was this Chinese violin player playing at the entrance to the water park which caught my eyes. (The video was taken at a different angle, he seems shorter and fatter because the video had to be turned 90 deg to make him vertical,....sorry!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmhFguXVKdI

Give the Management a chance to prove themselves. But to my mind, there is a lot of room for improvement.

Notice board

2009-09-04T18:58:00.004+08:00

These notices I observed are posted at the bottom of the stairs. Self explanatory really. I am just wondering why the Management does not have a central noticeboard where they can post their notices and the residents can also post theirs.

Sometime in Kuantan during Ramadhan

2009-09-04T18:49:00.006+08:00

What is so different about being in Kuantan during the month of ramadhan? It’s the ,ramadhan market’. What one gets here may be different from those gotten in other places.

There is the ‘gearbox soup’, the soup of all the cows joints and cartilages.

There is the ‘pudding raja’, very famous in Pahang State. I do not know much about it but I found that it’s a combination of sun dried ‘pisang emas’ combined with a sort of yellow egg net on top, topped with dates and cherry and eaten with vanilla cream. Just my impression I suppose. But when I mentioned in my groups that I think that its just an ordinary sweet, not really to my taste, I got ‘booed’……… I must have said something wrong.

There is the ‘kueh akok’, sweet cake sort of made of eggs, sugar and flower of some sort beaten together. Very sweet but very delicious.

And in Pahang one cannot do without ‘ikan patin’, a sort of river catfish. And best cooking method is in ‘tempoyak’ (fermented durian flesh). Cooked with the right combination of spices, its an acquired taste. But many people inside and outside Pahanag State like the stuff.

And of course freshly caught ‘ikan kembong’ barbequed.

miniature coconut trees of Kuantan

2009-08-12T14:51:00.004+08:00

These are beautiful miniature coconut trees planted especially in places where people can walk near them or under them without endangering the people from fallen ripe coconuts. The Municipal Council must be given credits for their good thoughts on public safety and comfort.

Prominently displayed

2009-08-12T14:44:00.008+08:00

Some of the prominently displayed billboards in Kuantan Town.

Amir Hamzah

2009-08-12T14:38:00.003+08:00

Meet Amir Hamzah, the guy who cleans the beautifully tiled promenade of The Kuantan River every morning, collecting the rubbish left by irresponsible people who walks the promenade, day and night. Without the people the like of him, Kuantan residents would be walking in rubbish when strolling or running on that promenade.

Do they care?

2009-08-11T14:36:00.006+08:00

This is right below our apartment.Everyone sees it every day. But does anyone care?

The management probably knows. Their action?

The owner probably knows. But the owner does not live here.

My Apartment

2009-08-09T17:12:00.003+08:00

This is an interesting correspondence from one of the apartment owners. I have faith that the person concerned will allow me to print the correspondence in this blog. The person will be doing a great service to us all, and what the person says are exactly what most of the apartments' owners/buyers/ tenants suffer from. There is no solution currently, and one of the owners said to my wife recently "The Apartment is now just like poor peoples' residence". Maybe its like that.

I am a new member of this group. My unit is …….. I got to know about this group ……………..I read his blog. I am so glad that we have this kind of group in order for us to communicate among each other. I really hope other residents could join this group too.

I have to change the floor of my apartment because water from the toilet had absorbed into the floor and wall of the living room and the middle bedroom. I am not sure if there is any leakage in the wall. The only way I can check is by breaking the wall. Any ideas what I should do? Should I inform the management?
Who should bear the cost?

The tiles in the bathroom (wall) have come out. So, I could see that those tiles were not properly done by the developer. If I knock the wall, it's hollow. Now I have to take out all the tiles and re-put them back.

The toilet in the master bedroom has another door. If I open the door, I could see rubbish, i.e. plastic bags, papers, condoms, clothes, etc. thrown by the people who live above my unit. Because of this, my house becomes so dirty and water cannot flow freely through the rain hole. When this happen, the water
will absorb into the wall and floor, and my house now is full of fungi! Anyone has this problem too? How did you overcome this problem? I was thinking to cover the place with "overhead grill" (I am sorry, I don't know what to call it), so that if people on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor throw anything, the rubbish will
not fall into my "compound".

There's a water pump motor under the staircase too and the motor is making a very loud sound till I could hear it from the master bedroom.

I really hope you can help me with some of the issues above. I will attend meetings if any in the future, as I will be in Kuantan ………year.

Thank you.

Pool Repairs

2009-08-04T14:13:00.007+08:00

When I left the apartment about two or three weeks ago I saw the notice saying that the apartment’s swimming pool will be shutdown for maintenance. Well and good, I thought, its time.

When I came back last week I saw what had been done. They have repaired the children’s swings in the children’s playgrounds., also well and good.

The swimming pool seemed to have been repaired. But on closure look I saw that the work had not been properly done. My main concern is on the safety to the pool users. I saw that the cracks on the outskirt floors have not been repaired. That is not is not too bad I thought. But when I saw the edges of the pool I was shocked. The edge had been raised (or repaired) but the sharp broken edges have not been made ‘safe’. It’s dangerous to have edges repaired like that, one may trip the edge or even cut ones feet on the sharp part of the edges. These people do not have the sense of safety.

Now I do not know if the management will approve the work of the repairs or not, but to my mind the edges of the pool are not safe.

They have got a new mosque.

2009-07-09T17:51:00.004+08:00

Good bye to the old mosque.

Then effective from the Subuh Prayers on Friday 10 July 2009, they will pray at the new mosque built and just finished.

Yes, when I am in Kuantan, I often go and pray at that mosque, a small mosque on the outskirt of Kuantan Town, in a precint called Bukit Setongkol. Its just a small village mosque, Bukit Setongkol is just a village with majority of the population being lower middle class Malay Muslims. Though the Kuantan Town Chinese graveyard (and burial ground) is just neighbouring by less than 1 km towards Kuantan Town.

Everyone seems to be looking forward to start praying at this new mosque.

Food stall by the beach

2009-07-04T11:55:00.005+08:00

Teluk Cempedak in Kuantan (Malaysia) has a beautiful beach. But for the local, its not the beach that they come for but the “roti canai” and “nasi lemak bungkus” that they come for in the morning (and different local food in the afternoon and at night),. They are common breakfast menu for the local (other dishes depending on the time of the day). In fact not only the local but some Asian visitors (and rare non-Asian visitors also come) especially from Singapore and from the outstation States are seen to regular the place. It’s a small eating stall, with red canvas top, situated just outside the Hyatt Hotel Kuantan (Malaysia).

The food? Passable. But the service is excellent! They have good people to take care of the customers. And the drink? All soft drinks, tea and coffee to your likings. The atmosphere? Healthy, you are right by the beach. The smiles and the laughter of the customers make you feel very at home.

When are they open? Every morning. And evening and early hours of the night. Different menu at different time. Give the place a try, and you may even like it, and may even come again, time and again.

The biggest this, and the longest that.

2009-06-30T23:03:00.005+08:00

Typically Malaysian that is, always telling people (and the world) what is the biggest this and the longest that in the country. The disease has now come up to Kuantan Town (Malaysia).

Behind the East Coast Mall (a local shopping complex) there are rows of shop houses they call Malay Town, Chinese Town and Indian Town. Why they call that I do not know.

I just found out today that in the Malay Town they have placed a big log, which I am told is one of the biggest log found in the State of Pahang (one of the 11 Sultanate State in Malaysia), the market price is about RM20,000.00 (USD 1 – RM 3.5 currently). It is now horizontal but I heard that there is a plan to erect it vertical. When will they do it, I wouldn’t know.

And in the Chinese Town, I discovered a big dragon made from empty aluminum drink tins. Empty tins? Like every thing here, everything seems to be empty. I am told that the dragon had broken a sort of record, for it being the longest dragon made of empty tins. Sounds empty to me.

And in the Indian Town, I have not discovered anything ‘big’ or ‘long’ yet.

Apartment surprise.

2009-06-30T22:39:00.006+08:00

Surprise, surprise …………… someone decided to trim the trees in our apartment square. Not a very good job, but then trees were trimmed. I don’t know what woke up the Management to do that. They also planted new shrubs and new mini flowering plants. A good initiative.

Unfortunately however they have thrown the cut branches into the neighbouring land, making a mess just outside the apartment fencing. Have they got permission to do that? Does the neighbouring land owner know about what is happening on his land? Does the Kuantan Municipal Council approve of this throwing of ‘rubbish’ onto the neighbouring land? I don’t know.

And also unfortunately, the Management have not repaired the childrens’ swing in the childrens’ play ground nor have they look at the dangers on the edges of the apartment’s swimming pool.

Leisurely Sunday morning in Kuantan Town.

2009-06-07T10:28:00.005+08:00

Its all happening within a 1 km radius, all these activities.

When you walk down by the esplanade at Kuantan River you see people fishing, some lucky to have a catch and many just go home empty handed or just mere small fishes. Its only a pass time anyway.

When you walk pass the town padang (field) you may see some football (soccer) matches about to be played. And the players warming up. You may even see an old man doing his morning tai chee.

In the shop houses in town you may meet or see people in the Indian eating houses enjoying their morning mean, ‘roti canai’ is their favourite. In the fruit market bananas supplier busy replenishing his bananas supply. And in the wet market fishmongers putting up their fish for sale. Nearby in the Chinese stalls, they are busy eating their breakfast of noodles.

And near the town man stadium they have the Sunday market. You can buy most household things from the market, but mostly confined to food and clothings. You might see some medicine peddlers busy talking into the microphones, trying to attract customers to buy their medicines.

Kuantan town, a leisurely Sunday morning town. Or you may spend your day by the beautiful beach about 5 km from the town centre.

we don't even know, who they are!

2009-06-05T22:33:00.002+08:00

There are 2 categories of people that we seem to see in the apartment complex that we do not know who they are. One are the people minding the gate, and another, people who come in and out of the apartment compound, visiting, using the pool and sometime making a lot of noise at night.

The gate minders consist of a couple of Malay persons whom we know, they have been working there for quite a while. And there are also other people whom we do not even know where they come from, some say from Bangladesh, some say from Nepal, some say from Myanmar or whatever country they come from minding the gate. They all seem very strange and I personally have doubt if they can actually do their job properly. From what I observe, they do not even speak good local language. So how to expect them to mind the gate?

Worse still are the people whom we do not know, who come into the compound or using the swimming pool (for free). To the best of our knowledge, they are not tenants, may probably be related to tenants or friends of the tenants. But they seem to be freely roaming the compound as if they own the place. And some of them do not even behave properly as Malaysians. Imagine, some of them are Malay (Muslims?) swimming in the pool (for free) and making sexual advance to each other in the water. Most inappropriate. They do not realise that good families are staying in the apartments.

All in all, there is no control over access to the apartment complex and to its facilities (whatever that the apartment complex has). The non-Malaysian gate keepers are hopeless, and should not be there. And the Management could not careless, they are only interested to collect the monthly RM 150 maintenance fees (and we do not even know if there are the management cronies who do not pay such monthly maintenance fees). We have no knowledge of the income and expenditure of the apartment complex despite most of us paying the monthly maintenance fees religiously. (What alternative do we have really?)

Insecure

2009-05-11T07:09:00.003+08:00

An old and wornout pair of slippers which I used to wear when going to mosques (and Surau) in Kuantan placed outside my apartment main entrance door disappeared a few days ago. Probably ........... just probably taken (cannot be my mistake, as my entrance door is very specific but facing a common satircase to apartements above), where I even have a shoe rack placed. It never happened previously and I believe in the honesty of people going in and out of the apartments above or even the neighbouring apartments. But with so many people whom I do not even know/recognised, and foreign hotel workers also living there, and with security to the apartments complex being very lax, anything can and may happen. Lost of an old wornout slippers may be just a start, soon it will be something else ......... pray hard that it will not happen.

Improvement to Kuantan facilities.

2009-05-06T09:53:00.003+08:00

A place for patanque and improvement to the exercise yard at the public park in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. That is an improvement to the towns' people's recreational facilities.

not maintained

2009-05-06T09:49:00.005+08:00

The not maintained children swings in our apartment complex. Haven't the management notices? Or do they care?

Neglected swimming pool

2009-05-05T14:14:00.003+08:00

The state of neglect of the swimming pool at Le Town Apartment, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. With sunken sides and broken mosaics, and sharp edges it looks very dangerous especially to children. One of these days someone will get hurt.

Disappointed

2009-05-03T22:22:00.004+08:00

I came back to Kuantan today, after being away for a few weeks, and when I arrived at the Apartment I found that the grass in the compound has not been trimmed, for a couple of weeks from the looks of things. I am very disappointed at the lack of such grass maintenance.

Vehicle entry

2009-03-11T17:55:00.004+08:00

After about 10 years of living in the apartment, they now want to control vehicle entry into the apartments compound. That is good. But I wonder how are they to enforce this? Strictly or lezzairfair style.
There is mention of motorcycles (or is there?). Those are the real nusience, especially late at night or in the early hours of the morning.

Bicycle

2009-03-09T10:31:00.002+08:00

One immigrant worker (from Myanmar) living in the apartment above secured his bicycle to a water pipe in the staircase. He got told off, and he was forced to move his bicycle to the ground floor below the staircase.
They are not sensitive to safety and to living in a civilise society.

Cleaning Kuantan Town

2009-03-08T23:17:00.002+08:00

I have written in the past how dirty I have found Kuantan Town is. I must admit though that they have tried to make the place cleaner now and lately I have observed ed that they have achieved some results. Though there are still areas for improvement and places where there are a lot of rubbish still about. I believe that this is not really the fault of the Kuantan Town lacking efforts to`keep the Town clean, its just that the people are still dirty, the people not concious of how to keep the environment clean, the people do not know how to keep the town clean.

Even in the Town’s garden the Kuantan Town authority cut trees when they have fallen and keep the grass trimmed and open ground rubbish free.

Its so pleasant to see cleaner environment in Kuantan Town now.

Not satisfactory

2009-02-12T22:18:00.003+08:00

I don't know what has gone wrong with the Management of this apartments complex. Doesn't anyone really care? Do they just accept our money (our monthly payments) without seriously looking at the problems encountered in the apartments?

They have now used a Bangla as a security guard. Is that legal? I am just wondering what sort of work permit that Bangla person has. And that Bangla person wears a T-short indicating that he works in a nearby hotel. How diabolical.

And the communication telephone lines to the apartments have been down for months now. Any attempt by the Management to repair the equipment concerned?. What is the use of us paying the monthly maintenance fees then? In the more advanced apartments complex they even have ccTV as as a security measure. And they have card access at the gate. What do we have? We are primitive. And anyone can walk into our complex. Again how diabolical.

And our equipment, the Management have not even repaired the seats for the children playground swings! Those have been damaged for months now. Has not anyone from the Management notice that? Or is it that no one from the Managemnt ever visit us to see our needs? Do they feel that they are that important that they do not get up from their soft seats even to consider that they are working for us with our paying the monthly maintenance fees? Diabolical!

Our Management for the apartments complex is not satisfactory. But how do we go about to change them?

And anyone wanting to write about Kuantan (Pahang, Malaysia) may volunteer to join this blog by providing e-mail address (for approval) for inclusion into "Permission". (Inappropriate article published will be deleted).

No Entry

2009-01-05T15:16:00.002+08:00

What is that No Entry sign doing there, flat on the ground? Anyone cares? I have been back for a couple of days now, and yet I have not seen any action. I am just wondering how long that sign has been lying there. Has the management decided what to do with that sign?

And anyone wanting to write about Kuantan (Pahang, Malaysia) may volunteer to join this blog by providing e-mail address (for approval) for inclusion into "Permission". (Inappropriate article published will be deleted).

Worsening security services.

2009-01-01T21:58:00.004+08:00

I don't know why we keep paying our RM150.00 (USD 1.0 = RM 3.30) a month in Maintenance Fees. But if I do not pay, then my water supply gets cut off. Its a damming situation. So I pay religiously. But the Management seems not to keep their end of the bargain. The security services is getting worse.

Firstly the intercom system between the apartment to the Guard booth is under the state of disrepair for the last couple of weeks. Forget about CCTV (the Management have not installed and will not install CCTV until the cows come home), even the intercom the Management has not been able to maintain it in a satisfactory working condition. So if we need to talk to the Guard (in any state plus in an emergency) we have to walk all the way to the gate booth where the Guard/s is stationed. What primitive means.

And I have also observed that at time the Management have placed a Bangladeshi at the Guard booth at the gate. Bangladeshi? Is it not against the rule (Malaysia rules on security guard) to employ a Bangladeshi as a Guard? Nepalese can be employed, ex-servicemen can be employed but Bangladeshi is not in the list (to be employed as a Guard, as far as I know).

Somehow I feel that I have been had by the Management. Who do I complain to?

And anyone wanting to write about Kuantan (Pahang, Malaysia) may volunteer to join this blog by providing e-mail address (for approval) for inclusion into "Permission". (Inappropriate article published will be deleted).

A Wednesday evening.

2008-12-16T22:43:00.004+08:00

After the Maghrib prayers (sometime last week or so) at Mesjid Bukit Setongkol, Kuantan,Pahang, Malaysia, Ustaz Fadzil Hassan gave his tazkirah (in Malay). He is a regular in this Mesjid, being there every Wednesday evening most of the time, unless he is unavailable.
Ustaz Fadzil Hassan is my old Guru Ugama (Islamic Religious Teacher) from my early Sekolah Melayu (Malay School – elementary school) at my vilage, Lipat Kajang, in the District of Temerloh, Pahang Malaysia (Malaya then) in the 50s. He was the person who introduced me to Fiq(ah), Tauhid, Tajuid, and also Tasauf. When I left my village to go to my Secondary School in town and later for my further studies, we lost touch. Much later I bumped into him in Kuantan, and when I found out that he gives Tazkirah at Mesjid Bukit Sentongkol, Kuantan, I have made it a point to listen to his tazkiranh whenever I am in Kuantan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K78zLg1xjCs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_RgfIm1QQM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOqBEBAu6Ng
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f2NJJulKq0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XgKCd8hyVk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyb82puMhNM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5rbx3Kg0VM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4y_4znCMRU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLFQmNxJptQ

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On a fine Sunday morning

2008-12-15T17:21:00.004+08:00

Last Saturday Night In Kuantan.

2008-12-14T11:22:00.004+08:00

Water supply to apartment.

2008-12-11T16:16:00.005+08:00

We install a cartridged filter at the inlet of our apartment water supply system. After about 1 week, one can see how dirty the cartridge gets. This indicates that there are particles of dirt (maybe sand or earth) in the incoming piped water to the apartment.

Compare the 1 week filter with the similar white cartridge before installation.

What could have caused the dirt? In reality piped water in Malaysia is not that clean. Once upon a time one used to say of piped water in Malaysia as "You can drink the water from the tap". Not anymore.

For my apartment, I guess (I have not checked on this) 'clean' water is collected in a 'mother' tank at the bottom of the building and then pumped up to the secondary tanks at the top of the building, from where water is distributed to the various apartments. The incoming water is already dirty, and the 'mother ' tank may have sadiment collected at the bottom of it and after that the sadiment may then collect at the bottom of the secondary tank on top. When water reaches an apartment, its not really clean water though a lot of sadiment from the public water supply haa already collected at the bottom of two tanks. What one sees at the cartridged filter is the leftover of the total sadiment from the main public water supply.

We change the water filter cartridge periodically, say once a month. And it is expected that the 'mother' water tank and the secondary water tank should be cleaned say once every 2 years at least. Currently the cleaning (to the best of my knowledge) have never been done by the apartments Management.

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Dishonest

2008-12-10T06:31:00.006+08:00

This is plain dishonest, amounting to stealing. There is no water meter, probably taken away by the Management due one reason or another. And the apartment occupier had made this illegal connection to get water illegally.
The 'link' is there at night but by daybreak it has been taken away, as if no 'link' had ever existed. "Now you see, now you don't".
Its a shame really that we are living among such dishonest people, and if they are the Muslims of type who prays 5 times a day its worse.
Lets hope that these people realise their errors in life.

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No water

2008-12-06T17:15:00.004+08:00

I have just realised that certain people living in the apartments complex has no water meter. Virtually it means that the apartment concerned has no running water supply. Why? I don't really know and I have not investigated. The funny part is that there are decent (?) people living in the apartment. What comes to my mind is not why they have no running water, it is how come they still live in the apartment and how do they wash with no running eater? I have not asked, and I don't intend to.

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Bloggers

2008-12-03T13:51:00.004+08:00

Blogger Pahang

* Cucu Tok Kedu
* Cucu Tok Ayah
* Zuridan Daud
* Zukri Aksah
* Tok Pepijat
* Nasa'e Ismail
* Fezul Jengka
* Gaung Hati
* Abu Ayyash
* Nakmarahmarahlah

bloggers Lepeh

* alberangque
* aminul
* arrawa takaful agensi
* hilmi
* izwan
* Kie
* sadid
* syahir

* pemuda pas lipis

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Access control

2008-11-19T10:59:00.011+08:00

In our apartment complex, among what we have, we have a 'sort of security' which looks good at a first glance but when one goes deep down into it its just a show piece. The security is very amateurist, a sort of 'melepas batuk di tangga' (translated as 'just pretending to be concerned') as the Malay saying goes. The security is at the apartment buildings gate but not many people really care about them, especially the young people in their cars and motorcycles coming in and out of the complex at night, sometime into the wee hours of the morning.

What the Kuantan Le' Town apartment buildings need is a proper security/access set up, just like the one I see near my house in Kuala Lumpur.

They have a proper 'up and down bar gate' with proper sign boarding.

Gate opens whenever anyone comes in or goes out of the complex, using an automatic card control system: the yellow post just outside the gate - near bottom right. (But I doubt if my Kuantan Apartments complex can afford the card control system).

And proper uniform guards guarding the gate. Preferably from a private security Co.

Looking at the photograph, the guard seems old, probably a pensioner, but at least with uniform like that they get respect from those trying to gain entry into the apartment buildings, and added with that card control gate making not many people wanting to unnecessarily go in or out of the complex.

I doubt if ever the Le' Town Apartment Management will ever implement such security/access system (if ever they understand what security/access system means) though people living in the apartments have been paying and will be paying their maintenance fees of RM150.00 (USD 1.00 = RM 3.30) a month religiously.

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Frequent visitor

2008-11-12T17:08:00.002+08:00

He is the most frequent visitor to the apartment’s gazebo. He stays there everyday almost the whole day, 7 days a week and 30 days a month. And we do not know what he does, over there or for a living.

They say that ‘he is not himself’. I have not talked to him so I would not really know. Though I know that most of the time he talks to himself. They say that he used to be a painter of the buildings, but I have no mean of confirming this info.

He is quite harmless, to date. He does not disturb anyone, and no one disturbs him.

Nobody knows where he lives, and he does not live in any of the apartments. Live and let live.

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Swimming costume.

2008-11-11T17:59:00.005+08:00

It has been a long time since the Management enforces its rules on swimming costumes for the apartment’s swimming pool. Since then the rules have been very laxed, if not unenforceable.

These are some of the examples of the swimmers costumes, which are really far out of what Management have wanted to enforce originally.

Originally they wanted all those swimming in the pool to have proper swimming costumes, whatever that means.

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Monitor Lizard of Kuantan.

2008-11-10T17:56:00.001+08:00

Two photographs of the same monitor lizard of Taman Gelora, Kuantan (Malaysia) taken on the same morning, yesterday. Taman Gelora is a popular recreation ground of the local folks, and over the whole day especially at weekends folks are there doing recreation, exercise, jogging or just lazily walking.

There are a couple of small lakes in that ground, and I have observed (when walking there in the morning) monitor lizards of various sizes swimming in those lakes looking for food, fish especially. The lakes are rich with tropical fish.

This morning I was lucky to take these photoes of the same monitor lizard swimming and looking for food. Usually either it does not come out or I have no camera with me. I think that this lizard is the biggest of them all, it must be about 5 feet in length (exaggerating a bit). To the best of my knowledge, it does not attack human unless cornered, it only searches for fish and small animals or small birds for food.

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Audited account

2008-11-07T17:25:00.002+08:00

Daripada,

(Purposely left blank, not for public consumption)

09 Nov. 2008.

Kepada,
General Manager,
Le Town Management,
T/A Greenleaf Hotel,
60-62, Jalan Bukit Ubi,
25000 Kuantan, Pahang DM.

Salinan: Penghuni Le Town Apartment.

Mesyuarat Penubuhan Badan Pengurusan Bersama di Bawah Akta Bangunan Dan Harta Bersama (Penyelengaraan Dan Pengurusan) 2008 (Akta 633) Bagi Le Town Management.

Saya di fahamkan bahawa Badan Pengurusan Bersama sedang dalam proses penubuhan dengan resminya.

Saya ingin mencadangkan dan memohon agar kiranya satu penyata akaun (yang telah di audit oleh Syarikat Audit Bertauliah) yang sekurang-kurang nya untuk selama 5 (lima) tahun (kebelakang ) di bentangkan di dalam mesyuarat Badan Pengurusna Bersama (yang sedang dalam penubuhan) yang akan datang supaya semua yang telah membayar yuran penyelengaraan selama itu tahu di mana semua wang-wang tersebut telah di belanjakan.

Harap mendapat kerjasama dari pehak Pengurusan Le’ Town Apartment.

Yang benar,

(left blank, not for public consumption)

http://mykuantanapartment.blogspot.com

I have to send the above letter to the Management. I have yet to see the audited account of the maintenance fees which most of us have been paying religiously all these years.
The maintenance fees have been fixed at RM 150.00 a month. (USD 1.0 = RM 3.30). And to the best of my knowledge there are 88 apartments in all the blocks. Giving a pessimistic calculation at 85% payments only (absent and delinquent landlords/tenants may fail to pay), the total monthly collection would be RM 11,220.00, meaning RM 134,640.00 annually, and RM 673,200 for 5 years. How have these money been spent, and who are/were the beneficiaries? That can only be discovered in an audited account.

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Long Time Resident

2008-11-06T16:22:00.004+08:00

I was talking to this oldish gentleman the other day, he being a long time resident of the apartments. He was saying about how his water supply was cut off when he only owed the Management only RM3.00 arears in water bill. (USD 1.00 = RM 3.30). He had been religiously paying his RM150.00 maintenance fees monthly. That happened on the first day of the Chinese New Year as well. He confronted the Management, and according to him the Management appologised to him.

While talking about the Management, we came to the questions of who are really in the Management? Who appointed them to be there? How much is each of the members of the Management paid in cash and in kind? Are these payments accounted for in the Apartments' Maintenance account? We could not answer those questions, and we expect the Management to answer them when a proper Management structure is established, and when the account is audited by the Auditors.

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Exorcist

2008-11-05T22:27:00.001+08:00

The occupants of the apartments are from various varied background. Some fit very well into this enclosed community while others do not fit well, some are just ‘unsociable’, not in themselves but in reality not knowing how to behave when living in this sort of strange (to them) community. This is especially so to the Malay girls and boys who probably have been raised in remote Malay kampong or a far away felda scheme where the majority ate Malays like themselves. They find that this enclosed community is (they think) easy to fool around with in a way, and they misbehave or misuse the facilities available. They think that by misbehaving or misuse the facilities they are being clever, but they are misfits.

They rent an apartment, with say 6 to 8 of them in one apartment, they may stay out late (or work late) and may come back in the wee hours of the morning, where they (being unsociable) will make a lot of noise making other tenants in the block or in the nearby apartment not able to sleep. That ‘bravo’ behaviour’ makes them feel ‘important’, they get attention. This for the boys but for the girls, well ……… they may even be GRO type, living on immoral earnings some of them do. What they do not realize is that they are being watched by the other tenants or occupants of other apartments.

What had happened, I suppose even the spirits in the building are taking note of their ‘misfit’ behaviour. And on a couple of occasions they get hysteria (disturbed by the spirits) in the middle of the night or even in the early morning hours. In their unconscious behaviour they struggle and break things. And if not restrained by their friends they may even jump off the building (Allah forbid). And of course when they are disturbed by the spirits, an exorcist has to be called. Luckily the security people know an exorcist specialist around this area and so he gets called. Sure, he says, there are spirits living nearby. And he suggests that in order to rid the area of the spirits (may be more than one have disturbed those Malay youths), he will need to slaughter a goat in the apartment area. Well ………………. Would the management allow that? To me, it would be easier to get rid of the misfits rather than the spirits.

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Window glass may rain on you.

2008-11-05T17:43:00.001+08:00

Maybe because of the age of the apartment, or the construction of the wooden paned glass windows, or just plain inherent weakness of the construction, many times during heavy wind the glass sheets from the windows got loose and rain down to the ground. So be warned, during heavy storm, or during heavy rain or during when the monsoon is at its worse, walking by the apartment is not safe.

I would say that all the windows of the apartment buildings are to be thoroughly examined to assure of safety of any of the occupants (or guests or workers) who may happen to walk near the buildings.

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A new culture

2008-11-05T07:54:00.003+08:00

I have observed that some tough looking Malay youths sleep during the day in a car in the car park under one of the apartment blocks. I wonder if they are tenants here. If they are, why are they sleeping in the car? If not, who are they? What do they do for a living that they can afford to sleep during the day time? Why do they sleep in a car, have they no home? Have they friends in the apartments? These are unanswered questions?
This new culture is worrying.
They could just be god Malay youth or they could also be ……….. well to be evil, they could be bad elements.
It has been reported that a female had been seen sleeping in the car, but I personally has not seen it. Possible? Not far fetched.

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A new development.

2008-11-04T15:16:00.002+08:00

Today I was asked by the Management to give full detail of my name, ID number, and contact telephone number, as part of the list of buyers for the Apartments. I don't know why, and I would suspect that they already have these details in their master list as they collect monthly maintenance fees regularly. And also in any transaction or sales of any of the apartments they need to process (and a process fee is charged on all transactions, as far as I know, and I paid when they asked); thus they would have the most uptodate and latest records. Why need to re-do a new list of buyers/owners?

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Piped water misuse.

2008-11-02T22:20:00.003+08:00

Just saw a memo from the Management. Residents stealing piped water? Unbelievable!

I suppose it can happen. The house concerned might have not paid their monthly RM150.00 maintenanace fees, and according to the terms of occupancy a failure to pay such fees shall make it liable for the water meter be disconnected by the Management. Sometime back it happened to the previous tenant above my apartment. Anyway, then tenant took it upon himself to bridge, using a rubber hose, the incoming pipe to the pipe supplying water to his house. Viola he got water. But that is stealing.

I suppose that must have happened in some apartments where the water supply has been disconnected for not abiding by the conditions of the maintenance contract.

The Management must be serious. They will impose RM300.00 on anyone (or apartment) found stealing, back interest will be charged (?), and a fee for meter re-installation at RM100.00.

Good for the Management. Only way to teach the defaulters of the maintenance fees.

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Has anyone ever asks?

2008-10-16T13:37:00.001+08:00

Has anyone ever ask whether the apartment blocks be maintained due to its wear and tear? Hot humid high temperature tropical weather is not kind to anything.

Has anyone ever ask whether that apartment blocks be repainted, considering its age and the faded paints that everyone can see now?

Has anyone ask how much it cost to maintain the buildings and how much it would cost to repaint the buildings?

Has anyone ever ask where will the money come from to maintain and to repaint the building?

Has anyone ever ask how to get that money for maintaining and for repainting the buildings?

Has anyone ever ask whether its fair to ask the apartments owners to foot the bill as it was ever or even mentioned in the sales and purchase agreement or even in the maintenance agreement? And the management had never ever collect the a ‘sinking fund’ for the buildings maintenance.

Has anyone ever ask if the owners are to foot any bill now, how is the collection to be made? If anyone refuses to pay, how will the management enforce that collection?

And most important of all, has anyone asked about the audited account of our maintenance fees of RM 150.00 that we each had been paying for so many years now since we occupied the apartments?

I imagine, we have big rivers to cross ahead.

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Happenings!

2008-10-10T23:27:00.003+08:00

What is happening in the apartments now? The Management seems to be calling meetings of those involved (who?) in the apartments affairs so very often now. New management? Or problems? With whom? They have never done this earlier (before), and I have been living in the apartments for almost 10 years now (give a take a few years of my life). Something must be brewing! In the past it had always been the case, or seemingly the case, "I know what I am doing, and I don't need your advice"

I have heard so much hearsay about the happenings that I get very confused. I shall refrain from writing what I have heard until I get the facts right.

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we are mere actors.

2008-10-06T06:55:00.000+08:00

William Shakespeare - All the world's a stage (from As You Like It 2/7)

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

This is one of my favourite saying of Shakespeare. It reflects very well on our well being in this world. And to micro this, we are all players, all actors, and in the concept of our being in this world and to being members of this apartment, we are all actors. We are here today and gone tomorrow. And so for now we are to play our part in the show. Each one of us has to contribute to make the show a success. We are to contribute to the well being of this community, we cannot just stand alone, and say “Let it be, our neighbours can take care of themselves, and I don’t depend on my neighbours”. In a way I agree, you are here today, and gone tomorrow, shift out, sell the apartment, or even die. But while you are here, you are to play your part.

I bet, many of us here are experienced or may have contacts outside the community or even a member of that ‘power’ community, Why don’t we use that experience of that ‘power’ to better this small community? If one cannot better this small community, how can one expect to better a bigger community, or even the Municipality, or the District, or the State, or the country or even the world. Of course one can just keep quiet and play safe in the status quo, as the Malay says “Macam anau dalam belukar”, you is you and I is I, we just fight for the sunlight.

Do we want our small community to have members like that?

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Do we really care?

2008-10-03T10:07:00.005+08:00

Do the owners of the apartments really care? Not really, not many really do. To many the apartments are just where they dump the excess money that they have, just use the apartments as an investment arm in the property ownership. A few are not even interested to collect rent (that is my impression anyway), they just left their apartments empty, though many do rent their apartments out. Here again they just rent these apartments without really taking care of the tenants, where at the end of the month they just come to collect the rents , though I suspect a few may just ask the tenants to remit the rent money into a bank account. These are evident in their not taking care of the physical well beings of the apartments, many apartments have roof leaks (the top storey flats), plumbing in bad state (or even leaking) and many tenants may even use (or may even rewire or add wirings) illegal electrical extensions which are fire hazard. Such bad states of the apartments have caused a high turnover of tenants, and some owner are even renting these apartments at a very low asking price (so I hear). A good cared and furnished apartment may be rented out at an asking price off RM 1500 a month (USD1 = RM3.3) but some owners are renting these apartments for as low as RM 600 a month (so I hear) because of the unmaintained state of them.

A few other evidence of my impression in that ‘we do not care’ is in the payment of maintenance fees. Currently we are paying RM150 a month (at least I do), and this is tied down to a non-payment means that water supply will be cut off. I wonder if the present management has been able to collect that RM150 from each apartment owner/occupier for the maintenance fees, and I also wonder if water supply to these ‘unpaid’ apartments have been cut off. Perhaps they do take the necessary action, but personally I see very limited evidence. And nobody makes any noise about the buildings not being repainted. And recently on the ‘call’ for the owners meeting, so that the owners can take part (and have more say) in the management of the complex, I am told that not many owners turned up (I have never attended these meetings because I am always outstation when they call these meetings, most inconvenient time to me).

Physically, do we care?
Leaking bathroom floor, seen as stalagtite on the carpark ceiling.

Swimming pool floor, tiles broken off.

Children playground, swing seats needing repairs.

And do we care for our neighbours? My mind is blurred on this. Many just throw pieces of paper and wrapppings indiscriminately, plastic bags and food containers not put in proper bins. And at night many still rev their motorcycle engines and car engines when coming in into or going out of the compound, after midnight, or even in the early hours of the morning mind you (some are the residents visitors no doubt). And some even doing carpentry (and dragging of furniture) in the middle of the night, or even pounding on the stone mortar, cooking. All the noises are projected throughout the building structure, transferring the noise throughout the building.

When I bought the apartment about 10 odd (or so) years ago, it cost me about RM150,000 but because of the present ‘neglect’ I do not know what the present value of my apartment is now, granted that property price in Kuantan is not as lucrative as that of Kuala Lumpur.

There are other apartments complex like this in Kuantan Town, and one of two are better maintained and they attract better market price in rental (their tenants are in a better/different class) and in property transaction/demand.

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Supervisor

2008-09-30T09:05:00.002+08:00

Richard, he is the compound Supervisor (Contractor?). On Monday 28th Sept 2008, morning, I saw him cutting the grass. Why? He said the grass was too long and and the guy who used to cut the grass has now left his services. According to him he gave the guy quite a good pay (by local standard) and even promoted him to some sort of supervisory job.
Anyway he still has 3 cleaning ladies to look after the cleanliness of the apartments complex.

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Swimming

2008-09-14T09:26:00.003+08:00

I took this photograph at about near sunset on Friday. It looks very peaceful.

Some boys were using the apartment's complex swimming pool. What set me thinking then was how clean was that swimming pool? Has any test been done to assure that water in the pool is 'clean', free from any ... God forbid ......... virus that may affect one's health? No doubt the maintenance people have put chlorine periodically in the water, and they also pump, filter and clean the water when the water seems cloudy, but is that all that can give assurance that the pool is 'clean'? All sorts of people (tenants and outsiders) have been swimming in the pool.

There is a notice board in the gazeboo nearby stating the 'right' rules for using the pool. It was strictly enforced when the apartment complex was first opened and the pool first used, only for a couple of years or so when the 'rules' were enforced. But like all rules in Malaysia, some are just there for decoration. Anyway who is going to enforce the rules?

Todate the pool seems safe enough.

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Is the building safe?

2008-09-13T07:56:00.001+08:00

What are the safety precautions in my apartment? I would suppose that since it already has a Certicate of Fitness for occupancy issued by the Kuantan (Malaysia) Municipality, it has already abided by the Malaysian Building Bylaws. To what degree and to what standard I would not really know. I have not seen the Certificate. Anyone ever seen such Certificate?

Just mere observation. There are fire hydrants, that I have seen. But I have not seen a fire hose anywhere, or even any portable fire extinguisher anywhere, or even a fire wagon. Are these necessary by the Bylaws? I do not know. And I am just wondering what does the Bylaws say about fire escapes.

One area which, I suppose is of concern is, is the community safe from thefts and burglaries? We have of course guarded guard hut at the main gate. But cases have been known where intruders climbed up the complex compound fencing. In fact cases have been report on minor theft (burglaries?) in some apartment, not minor really if cameras and laptops are missing. Where do the thieves (burglar?) gain entry? From what I heard, from the windows. I suppose that is to be expected. But we do not want to live in bird cages, where all the windows have iron grills. Maybe in some places these are necessary but I do not believe that these are yet necessary in my apartment complex. And a case had been known where people (a security guard, now sacked) entrusted with an apartment keys have entered the apartment concerned and taken away valuable stuff.

Lets keep our apartment complex safe!

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My neighbours.

2008-09-11T16:00:00.007+08:00

I cannot really describe who my neighbours are, indications are that they are varied. My only measure are the vehicles they drive.

Most of my neighbours are professionals and semi professional, people who can very well afford to live away from the town centre. Somehow they choose to live in the town centre, cramp as it is in these apartments.
But there are also youth and students living in the apartments, measured by the number of motorcycles parked in the parking area under the apartments.

And I have seen trainee nurses living in a couple of apartments at the other corner of the complex away from my apartment.
There was even once, some apartments rented by a College in town as their place of students residential. It did not work out, these students are not the type to live in an apartments complex where good families live. The students became nuisance to the apartment community. They soon move out. They were really misfits.
Once we even had some dubious bar-girls living in our midst.
Some of the apartments are owner occupied, but many are rented out by their owners. Some rented out apartments have good (and civilized) tenants but many are rented out to youths (males and females) who do not really take care of the apartments and some do not fit into the ‘society’. Many stay out late, make engine noise at odd hours, and they soon move out when they find more suitable (to their way of thinking) houses or rooms to rent.
I have my complaints but the overall picture is that the complex is managed and tenanted by people of acceptable standard, at least for now.

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Balai Seni Lukis Pahang.

2008-09-04T16:17:00.010+08:00

Pahang has its own Balai Seni Lukis (Hall of Artist), in Kuantan. Probably Pahang (as a State in Malaysia) has many talented artists and I suppose the hall was created as a place where budding and other artists in Pahang (Malaysia) can exhibit their work. Just my guess, but I do not really know the objective of its formation. Anyway, its good to know that such organisation exists in Pahang (Malaysia).
Walking pass it today, I observed buntings (two) indicating the centre's activities. These had happened before this visit of mine, but I am glad to know that such pertinent activities had been going on.

What attracted me when walking pass the building as an unfinished art work under the tree in the compound. A sort of school of goldfish.

And on enquiry, I met the artist, his name he said was Acai (he did not give me his full name).

The place is so hidden from view, I do not really know how people can find the place to visit it and to see its exhibits. I have not traced any signboard on the main road (perhaps its there but I have not seen it). (Unlike the Museum Tokoh of the Kuantan Town which has a big signboard on the main road but try locating the building, one can hardly know which building in Town is called Museum Tokoh, one needs to be lucky enough to find it).

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A Quiet Place

2008-09-04T15:36:00.007+08:00

A town normally is polluted with noise, people, cars, activities and whatever else that can generate noise. But today I found a peaceful quiet spot in Kuantan (Malaysia), a most unlikely spot. It was behind a big hall called the Silver Jubilee Hall (Dewan Jubili Perak), it was the Silver Jubilee of the period of rule by the present Sultan of Pahang, so I understand (any correction? ) in Jalan (Road) Teluk Sisek.

It has trees, a lake and a construction for a recreation site, an additional recreation garden under construction for the Town was going on.

But it was quiet, one could hear birds singing and one could ever hear one's breathing. That was how quiet it was. From memory, such quietness can only be found in the rural scenes, away from the hustle bustles of towns and cities.
Probably all noise from the main road was blocked by the Hall.

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Meeting

2008-08-25T23:22:00.002+08:00

http://mykuantanapartment.blogspot.com/2008/08/act-633-maintenance-and-management.html

Heard that the meeting was not too successful. Not many attended, not enough quorum?

Presumbably everyone living or owning those apartments are in a preserved comfort level.

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The Beach

2008-08-14T23:16:00.007+08:00

Kuantan has got one of the nicest sandy beach in Malaysia (probably that is just my personal opinion, others may disagree). The above photo shows what Teluk Cempedak Beach is like looking North.

And looking South. Hyatt Hotel is the building you see on the land side right, behind the trees.

But Hyatt is imposing in this photo.

The walking path on the beach is beautifully constructed and maintained.

And if you need some (western type) snacks, you can always go into the nearest KFC or the Big Mac across the road.

Along the coast north and south of Kuantan, you will meet similar sandy (and lonely) beaches.

Kuantan is a beautiful place where beach is concerned. The downside is that some of these beaches are dangerous as they have got very strong sub-surface current. Many have drowned, especially if you enter the water during monsoon seasons. The other not so obvious downside is that security from petty thefts are not guaranteed while you are frolicking in the waters with your belongings left on the beach. If you observe, there is no ‘clothings and personal safe deposit kiosks’ on the beach, not only near Kuantan Town beach but also in neighbouring and further away beaches.

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Gourmet

2008-08-13T07:13:00.003+08:00

Kuantan (Malaysia) does not lack good food, be it Malay,

Indian (North and South, and in Kuantan there is even a chain of Indian restaurants), Western (steak houses) or Chinese (mostly non-halal), or even Thai food (to local Malaysian tastes). Just take your pick and you get your food; tasty, cheap and fresh (and for the Muslim you may find mostly halal food as well). The food may not be up the standard of AFC, but they are reasonably good. However one must know the locations of these gourmet establishments, otherwise one may end up in places where the hygiene is questionable, taste not to one’s liking and food may not be that fresh, for example bad meat are from frozen meat or fish imported from Thailand.

Local folks who are familiar with the restaurants in Kuantan may direct you to these local gourmet establishments. Meals can be as cheap as RM 6.00 per person, for a plate of rice, fish or meat or chicken curry, a vege and a soft drink (USD 1.00 = RM 3.30). But even local folks may not know such, as many do not care where they eat or many do not care to have meals in good (to one expectation) restaurants. Their excuses may be that these good local gourmet establishments may charge them a bit extra; for the unique taste, for the location and/or for the comfort.

Many just take on the safe side and have meals in the restaurants at hotels, and there are good hotels in Kuantan Town; one 5 star hotel is right by the beach and the food there is of international standard. The food may be expensive and you are assured of good food and maybe good service, though not always. (This is one of the best bet if one need not find oneself having to go to the toilet. Toilets in Malaysia, almost everywhere except on the Malaysia Highways and in some other places which you may be lucky to find, are notorious for its ‘not clean’ state; after visiting the toilet you will be put off your meal)

There are also eating places places called kopitiams, these are really coffee shops where you can drink a variety of coffee or tea, locally made, freshly brewed ,most of the time, or you may also have foreign and imported coffee or tea, served black or white and with sugar to your taste. And they also served light sandwiches or toast with butter or ‘kaya’ (a cooked mixture of sugar, egg and coconut milk), and a variety of local snacks, mostly very tasty to local taste but priced a bit steep which is really worth paying for.

One Indian restaurants which I blogged earlier at,
http://when-i-m-65.blogspot.com/2008/06/soth-asian-restaurants.html

and a doughnut place at,
http://when-i-m-65.blogspot.com/2008/06/doughnut.html

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Kuantan shoppings

2008-08-12T08:32:00.007+08:00

Kuantan though progressive in one way, has remained stagnated in other ways. Shopping malls and complexes in Kuantan for example are very conservative. They have their locally grown supermarkets having their stores all over the town, but the products they sell are rather similar and not really of high quality. They are what I call mundane products. The variety is there but the quality remains very low. They are actually the bigger versions of the main street shops or even corner shops.

And most other shops in Kuantan Town are really similar to the main street shops/corner shops variety.

Then a trend became apparent when more shopping complexes were built, but again the these are what I call the duplicated of main street shops/corner shops, but in this case these are shops in a more formal environment, centrally air conditioned and more comfortable for shoppers to shop in. And the products sold became more specialized and specific.

Then after, bigger and more sophisticated shopping centres and supermarkets came into being; bigger floor area, selling more varied products and more organized, a part of the chain of national supermarkets, close to hypermarket but cannot really be classified as such.

Recently a new shopping complex was being built. It incorporates a hypermarket, and the facilities to be built are for higher end consumers. A hotel complex and conference facilities included. And also included are areas for the local business community to show off their products (and handicrafts I presume), like places known as Malay Town, Chinese Town and Indian Town. These I trust will make these Towns unique in that they will sell products (and handicrafts) to cater for all Malaysians but of origin by these various communities. Similar to what are available for example in Kota Baru (Kelantan, Malaysia) they have Pasar Siti Khtijah where local Malay products (and handicrafts) are sold, and in Kuala Trengganu (Trengganu, Malaysia) they have Pasar Payang which also sell such products produced by the locals. These above mentioned Pasar actually become shopping places for local tourists, and visiting places for foreign tourists.

Currently, as far I know, Kuantan Town does not have similar shopping places for local products, places like that of Pasar Siti Khatijah and/or that like Pasar Payang. In Kuantan, one can hardly get local products (and handicrafts) of quality such as batik or songket unless you go the places where these are made. These are mostly out of the Town area. And to get to these places are in most cases a hassle, you need the transport and the guide. With the new shopping areas such as what is being built now; Malay Town, Chinese Town, and Indian Town, it is expected that shopping for local products (and handicrafts) and souvenirs will be more pleasant in Kuantan Town. However it must be borne in mind the prices of products (and handicrafts) sold must be competitive and be able to meet the local shoppers pockets and needs. Those sold in Pasar Siti Khatijah and Pasar Paying are very reasonably priced and Kuantan new shops have to compete with those.

Just as an additional information, the new complex being built also include an area for a ICT hub.

My only concern is that the population of Kuantan, which at the time of writing is less than 400,000 may not be able to sustain the turnover of these various local shops, old and new shopping malls. Even including visitors which may push the shopping population figure up to 500,000, there is still that worry as many may go to Kuala Lumpur to buy high end products and Trengganu which is just next door for the lower end products.

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Sports in Kuantan.

2008-08-11T17:22:00.003+08:00

Kuantan Town has a large functional footballl (soccer and multipurpose) stadium if not for anything else. In reality Kuantan Town has got a few football fields where football are played by the town's folk all the year round (except during the monsoon season).

And there are facilities for indoor sports and swimming but these are presently not well maintained, (at least the Olympic sized swimming pool is not well maintained at all).

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Kuantan River

2008-08-10T10:39:00.012+08:00

The photoes are,

Kuantan River mouth, observe the colourful fishing boat at the jetty opposite,

And looking upriver from a fishermen landing jetty at Tanjung Api (literary translated as Fir Cape. Probably in the old days they might have a light house over there)

I blogged what I saw earlier, and it was to my mind very interesting. The River would be a beautiful river if the authority in power takes more good care of it. It can be dredged, deepened, banks maintained to an acceptable standard all along the river banks and probably establish a Kuantan River Keeper post in the Goverment services.

http://kiss-met.blogspot.com/2005/12/kuantan-river.html

There is the Kuantan River cruise service run by the Kuantan Municipality. I have been on that cruise once.

The Kuantan River cruise however can be made more productive it is run in a business manner, and mindful of peak and low demands, and have the frequency of the trips to meet those demands. I have seen frustrated people going away at peak demand periods, and these people might never come back again especially if they are local tourists. And if it is made to stop over at interesting places where for example to see the kampong folks at Permu working on their fish products industries (most interesting to local tourists where they can buy some of these products), stop over for a tea break at the Air Puteh (White Waters) bridge where they might look over the Japnese gun emplacemenet (which must be cleaned and maintained of course), and the visit to the swamp made a bit longer and the swamp platforms be repaired to a acceptable standard in the eyes of tourists (foreign and local).

And if the Kuantan River is maintained properly, the sights would be more attractive.

And going on the Kuantan River tour I saw some very interesting sights, the few that I can record here but there are more of them that you can see when you take the tour,

fresh water otter,

the famous Kuantan eagles,

interesting swamps plants,

And as I mentioned earlier the historical Japanese gun enplacement location at Tanah Puteh.

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Recreation Kuantan style

2008-08-09T12:35:00.000+08:00

If one is not so fussy, Kuantan (Malaysia) has got great facilities for family recreation. I am not talking about Disneyland type of recreation, I am just talking about recreation in places where you go together as a family at any time of the day (and night in some places).

Within a 5 km radius there are walking and jogging grounds (with walking and jogging tracks and lakes) well maintained (and well lighted). One can even walk up a hill slope track (in one of the other recreation spots) if one has the energy. And Kuantan is in the process of building another recreation ground to add to what it has now.

And sometimes one can join in public aerobics, like this Chinese aerobics,

or a foreign(?) language music,

or even accompanied by more uptodate music.

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Museum Tokoh

2008-08-08T15:47:00.005+08:00

In Kuantan (Malaysia) you would see a road sign saying "Muzium Tokoh". But in reality you will not be able to know what it is; its actually a sign to show a white washed colonial single storey building where its supposed to be a museum exhibiting photoes and life history and descriptions of those Pahang born personalities who have contributed greatly to Pahang in its development and history. "Tokoh" meaning a person who has contributed greatly (I stand corrected).

But bear with me, you will not easily locate that building because there is no such signage at the building, photo shown. You would think that the building is just another building in the Government Office Complex.

I have visited the museum a couple of times. I must say that its as silent as a graveyard, and there is nothing substantial to see in that buildings other than a few photographs of famous people and things and replica of historical items. There is however a library, not so well maintained and the articles and books not seemed to be properly classified (to me at least). But two things that irked me. Firstly there is a canteen for the public inside the building (when I visited it, but may not be there anymore) and secondly I was not allowed to take photographs of the exhibits. Because of that I am not able to show what they have as exhibits over there in this blog. I have been to the Taiping Museum, and I was allowed to take photographs of the exhibits, the caretaker told me, "You can show the photographs to other people who then may like to visit our museum".

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A beautiful mosque

2008-08-08T15:43:00.003+08:00

This the main mosque in Kuantan (Malaysia). The photo is taken against the rays of the morning sun to show the beauty of the mosque outlines.

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A game of chance

2008-08-08T15:29:00.003+08:00

Kuantan (Malaysia) is almost like the centre of game of chance in Malaysia. You will not see so many such signs (per square kilometer) in other towns in Malaysia (I stand corrected, if anyone can tell me of other similar towns in Malaysia). The board can be in any format or in any colour or in any form but they all have the word 4D and TOTO.

You buy numbers in those places, and you earn a cash prize if can guess the correct number (in 4 digits or 3 digits) of a draw. I am not in this so I do not know the prizes or how they do the 'draw'. And how many times per week they do the 'draw'.

Many people buy such numbers, hoping that they win a substantial cash prize. Many have gambled away their hard earned cash to follows their dreams, and many properties have changed hands for those who are addicted to the 'game'.

Muslims in Malaysia are not supposed to play the 'game' (Islam does not allow gambling), but I have seen many have entered those shops to buy the 'numbers'. And nobody enforces the Islamic rules, not in Kuantan presently that I know anyway.

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Kuantan Garbage Collection

2008-08-07T12:07:00.003+08:00

I do not really know how Kuantan (Malaysia) Town manages its household garbage collection.

I would assume that they have privatised their garbage collection, like all Towns in Malaysia.

In Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) household garbage collectors come to each individual house and collect garbage from the bin or garbage/rubbish compartment. And in Condominiums over there or Apartments they have central household and other garbage gathering points and the garbage collectors go to these collection points to collect the household garbage.

In Kuantan, as I live in an Apartment, we usually place our household garbage in specially provided bins and these bins are emptied by the hired Cleaners to a centrally located point and the garbage collector’s lorry goes there and collects the garbage.

For household garbage in Kuantan , I do not see these rubbish collectors go to individual house. Probably not, that I have seen, they may of course do but I do not know. The evidence however indicates that garbage are not efficiently collected. These two photoes show how inefficient rubbish/garbage collection is in Kuantan Town.

If garbage/rubbish collection is that efficient, there is not need for the local folks to place their garbage such as shown those photoes. And I know, periodically the garbage/rubbish collectors come to collect the garbage/rubbish as shown.

But I doubt if the rubbish collection in Kuantan Town is that efficient.

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What we have

2008-08-05T23:32:00.009+08:00

Our Kuantan apartment seems to be well equipped and self contained.

It has its own electricity supply substation, which was not supposed to be in that location in the original sales brochure, in fact it was not stated where it should have been.

A gazeboo,

A swimming pool,

A BBQ pit,

A children playground, more of a gimmick than anything else, the same thing with the BBQ pit perhaps.

The building, well its not bad looking but for it not being painted since it was first occupied about a decade or so ago.

And of course a security hut, with the security personnel manning it,

and in a sense looking after the security of the complex. Not much of a security though, people seems to come in and out freely without controll even in the middle of the nights and early mornings. If you are a light sleeper you would not be able to really sleep with all the dim of car engines and motorcycle engines revving while you are resting in bed at night.

I suppose we can live with all the shortcomings, and maybe we are not as well off as the other similar apartments in other parts of the Kuantan Town. But there is always the hope of improvement in the ways the apartment complex is managed and will be managed. And since we have already committed ourselves to purchasing a unit in the complex, we do not really have much choice.

But we do not have the community hall as what was written in the early sales brochure.

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Act 633, Maintenance and Management.

2008-08-04T22:51:00.000+08:00

Not really familiar with the Act. But the current management of the Apartments have called for a meeting on 17 August 2008, to discuss on matters of maintenance and management. For the last 10 years or about there was no mention of this but I suppose the Act seemed only to be enforced in year 2008 (just to quote the letter calling for the meeting), so cannot really blame those who have managed the Apartments all these while. We have been religiously paying our maintenance fees of RM 150.00 per month and we have our Apartments maintained. However there was mention of sinking fund, so we do not really know how the previous management and/or the future management is going to repair and repaint the common properties of the Apartments. Where will the fund be from for such works?.

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Kuantan earlier blog

2008-08-01T07:18:00.002+08:00

There were a couple of articles which I wrote on Kuantan, which I blogged earlier.

http://when-i-m-65.blogspot.com/2008/07/another-artist.html

http://when-i-m-65.blogspot.com/2008/07/after-being-ignored_05.html

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ugly Kuantan

2008-07-31T08:27:00.002+08:00

there is an old blog of mine called uglysydes which records some of the ugly sides of Kuantan, though some of the photoes in the URL are not of Kuantan, the majority of them are.

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Kuantan parking

2008-07-30T09:16:00.003+08:00

Kuantan Town parking system uses a ticket system where one needs to scrape the correct year, month, day and time when one starts parking. To the best of my knowledge only Kuantan Town and Melaka use this system, but recently when I was in Ipoh (Perak, Malaysia) I saw the system being used.

In other towns in Malaysia they use parking meters of various types, some electronics, some mechanical and some produce paper tickets.

And Kuantan Town also have season parking tickets, but these are only for the duration of 1(one) month each. I wonder why they do not have parking tickets for the duration of 1(one) week only? That will be very useful for consumers, especially for visitors to Kuantan Town. And believe it or not I have seen Parking Attendants in Kuantan Town working up to 10.00 pm on weekdays. And I do not know if that is normal.

all are welcome to join,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/le_town/

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Municipal Rate

2008-07-29T23:36:00.003+08:00

Anyone who understand Malay, and care to analyse the above Kuantan Municipal Rate bill will find that the rate is (usually) for a super luxurious condominium. The apartment that I have is only about 1,100 sq. feet, 3 medium size rooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 sitting room, a small dining area, a small kitchen, and a drying area. I bought it about 10 years ago at about RM 150,000.00. Its on the first floor, of a 4 storey building. The rate (from the bill) is RM 1134.00 per annum. Which mean that I am paying about RM 1.00 per year per sq. foot. Is that right? Expensive?

In other towns in Malaysia, and even in Kuala Lumpur, I might just be paying about half that amount. What does my Kuantan apartment has that makes it 'so luxurious'? Just a small swimming pool, a small children playground, a small garden, parking spaces and security. And we are paying about RM 150.00 per month for maintenance for all those facilities.

Life is expensive for those living in apartments in Kuantan.

Note: USD 1.00 = RM 3.30 as of present.

all are welcome to join,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/le_town/

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Itroduction.

2008-07-29T15:50:00.001+08:00

I thought that this is a good introduction to this blog.

http://when-i-m-65.blogspot.com/2008/07/wasps-again.html

And the apartments are listed under,

http://realestate.net.my/photoclass/showproduct.php?product=432

and,

http://ejenhartanah.tripod.com/id17.html
though this second listing is too far fetched to be believed. Someone must have been living in a dream.