Categories
Photography

[1789] Of how does melancholy look like?

I am feeling slightly melancholic at the moment. And no, nothing to do with Eid. Eid and me do not go along well together.

By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved. Creative commons. By attribution 3.0.

I like the subject but the color is disappointing.

This was taken in Kota Damansara, on the same day I shot a far better photo of a deformed drain cover.

Categories
Personal Photography

[1690] Of find the equations

Yet again, another entry without too many words.

The photo below was captured around Kota Damansara after a short hiking trip with a company of friends in the forest park.

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

I am trying to sort out my life at the moment and I hope to get on top of things before the end of next week. Until then, meaningful entries will be a rare phenomenon here.

And yes, I do entertain fan (and hate) mails. For some reason, I am (relatively) famous these days.

Categories
Environment Politics & government

[1587] Of hail Sivarasa

Why?

What main issues will you raise in Parliament?

What we consider as key concerns, I would start with the issues like the ISA and release of the five Hindraf detainees.

I have an immediate environmental issue to raise because in my campaign, the protection of the forest reserve in Kota Damansara was brought up. I have to bring it up, not just at Parliament but to carry that issue back to my colleagues in the Selangor state assembly to ensure that that forest is protected permanently. [Sivarasa: Opposition all set to show up BN. Malaysiakini. March 12 2008]

Now that Sivarasa has taken up Kota Damansara, what about Bukit Gasing, Federal Hill, Bukit Melawati and Bukit Kiara?

For Bukit Gasing, these office bearers might be relevant: Edward Lee, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (haha!), Haniza Mohamed Talha, Dr Cheah Wing Yin, Lau Weng San, Elizabeth Wong and Nurul Izzah Anwar.

For Federal Hill, it will be Nurul Izzah Anwar, I think.

For Bukit Melawati, probably Azmin Ali though unsure if it falls under the area of Gombak or Ampang.

I am also unsure who would be relevent for Bukit Kiara. Does anybody have any idea?

Categories
Activism Environment Photography

[1278] Of visiting Kota Damansara Community Forest Park

I finally visited the Kota Damansara Community Forest Park yesterday. The Malaysian Nature Society was organizing an environmental program for girl guide brigades from several schools around Kuala Lumpur and Society needed hands. I helped out and in doing so, I fulfilled a promise that I made to myself not too long ago.

When I first saw it, I was impressed. Whether it is a large pond or a small lake, the view is marvelous in the morning with slight mist in the air, with dead tree trunks coming out from the bottom of water bowl. Only the sky was uncooperative by being cloudy but with only a little hint of turquoise.

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

Closer inspection however brought me disgust. Trash was everywhere. Instead of being protected as the oldest forest reserve in Malaysia, at the moment, it is a mini-dump yard.

Categories
Environment Society

[1170] Of Kota Damansara Community Forest Park is being threatened

At Wong Chun Wai (via the Malaysian Nature Society):

Many city folk who wanted to live near a green lung bought houses and land to build bungalows, believing that the state government would be committed to protecting the 100-year-old forest.

But residents at Section 8, 9 and 10 now feel cheated. They are also appalled at the eagerness of the state government in wanting to bulldoze through its plans in a high-handed manner without any respect for the views of the affected residents.

First, they were told that a cemetery would be created next to their land and now, to their horror, they found that the Petaling Jaya Structural Plan 2020 has bigger plans to develop the reserve.

[…]

It is already bad enough that the cemetery issue has divided the community — one group that wants the cemetery but most of whom do not live in the area while the other group is the one affected and is understandably against it.

[…]

More importantly, there is a huge track of land in Sungai Buloh already reserved as a burial ground. However, according to Mokhtar, it has been found to be unsuitable for burial. It has been said that the burial ground in several areas have been found to be too rocky but surely the authorities may want to consider remedial work. If an open sea can be reclaimed and mountains removed, surely it would not be an engineering feat.

[…]

It is commendable that the protesters, comprising residents of all races, have stood together despite attempts to use race and religion to break their solidarity.

These residents have expressed their disgust at such shameful tactics by certain individuals to intimidate and coax them into silence.

Elected representatives, regardless of their race or religion, should not tolerate any use of gangsterism to scare off those who do not share their views. It is utterly shameful.

[…]

The affected residents have stated that they are NOT against the setting up of a cemetery but are against the de-gazetting of the forest and the manner it had been carried out. Sadly, the cemetery issue has been used to rally support from some misinformed constituents. [A grave matter. Wong Chun Wai. April 8 2007]

It is disgusting to see how some people use race and religion to de-gazette a forest reserve. The next time the MNS conducts a visit to Kota Damansara, I am going to lend a hand.