16/11/2009 – footsteps……..by atok vlog

The Square At Bukit Bintang

There is a small square at the junction of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Bukit Bintang in front of Maybank. This square had an attraction of its own since the location can be considered strategic. The location is marked blue in the map below. There are official and unofficial activities carried out. Youth and even tourist will come here in the evening to laze around and entertain themselves to free shows from shufflers, street musicians or break dancers. Just hang around in the evenings and get entertained.

Even foreign musicians come here and perform while selling their music CDs. This is a group from Bolivia performing sometimes back.

I saw these youth gather here a few times when I stroll along this area playing traditional music instrument. Looks like these are aborigine blow instruments.

Its so easy to earn money. Just sit here and pretend to be a statue.

Official events too were organised here from time to time. This is the launching of the official FAM attire for the national football team of Malaysia.

The Samrah Festival was also held here in 2008. This is a performance by local all female nasyid group Al Mawaddah.

A piece of advice

since this area has become an attraction to local and tourist alike, beware of petty theft such as pickpockets or snatch theft. I have witness how Middle East tourist set up a commotion by purposely knocking into a tourist and while thing gets disorderly, he pick the wallet from the tourist. I was stunned but when I recovered, I told him to report to the police beat base across the road.

Ooo, That Ice Cream Man

If you visit BB Plaza at Bukit Bintang you will not miss this ice cream man. I think he is Turkish and while waiting for him to fill the ice cream cone for your order you will be entertained by some not understandable song. Then when the ice cream is ready he will knock the bell. However you will still not get your ice cream as yet because there is still some stunts performed before handing over the ice cream to you. You can see him at the right corner of the complex facing Jalan Bukit Bintang.

After you get your ice cream, just hang around savouring your ice cream and you might get more free entertainment from him whenever he has customers ordering his ice cream.

Memory of Lantern Festivals, Kuala Lumpur 2008

I would like to share some pictures that I took in November 2008 at a lantern festival held at National Sports Complex, Bukit Jalil. It is quite amazing how these people take their time to create the lanterns to details.

This is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

The Petronas Twin Tover were constructed with coloured jars. Example blow.

The Complex Sri Perdana in Putrajaya

Sultan Salahudin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque in Shah Alam

Kota Darul Ehsan Arch: This arch mark the border of Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya built across the Federal Highway

The Golden Phoenix

One of the attractions during the Lantern Festival is this dragon built totally in cuttlery. See the fine details below.

Walking Walking Kuala Lumpur – China Town

might know instantly if a tourist were to ask where is China Town but might scratch the head for a while if asked where is Petaling Street. When I visited Kuala Lumpur in 1992, a friend told me that he is going to take me to China Town. That was the first time I heard of China town in Kuala Lumpur. The first impression was that, it might look like the Jalan Pekan China in my hometown Alor Setar.

But when we reach the place, then only I saw some difference. China Town is actually a night market. A “shopping centre” for all sorts of goods from souvenirs, branded watches, shirts and apparels, bags, electronic goods and the list goes on an on.

During the early part of the day, Petaling Street is just like another street in Kuala Lumpur. But as the sun shift to the west, traders start pushing their carts and temporary stalls into place and the business atmosphere starts to build.

Petaling Street is a must on the itenary of visitors and tourist. Click HERE for map. Besides shopping for items, there are also restaurants on both sides of the night market areas. However it does not cater for Muslim patrons because of the Halal status. For non Muslims Petaling Street is a haven not to be missed.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall has since upgraded the area and built roofs to give shelter not only to traders but also visitors to shop comfortably especially if it rains. At Petaling Street business is done 7 days a week from afternoon till midnight.

Some advice for visitors.

Price quoted is not Nett. You can bargain and if you are a good bargainer, you can buy the item for than a quarter of the stated price. However not all items are highly price tagged. Designer handbags, shirts, apparels, branded watches (questionable) are some examples that need to be bargained.

Just shop around before you buy so that you will be satisfied with the price and . worth buying.

As for the branded items…..err….well…just ask yourself…..is it the right place to sell those items…..

If you made a decision to buy and you ought to be satisfied and not grumble after going home. At Petaling you had made a wise decision to buy or not

Bolehkah Grafitti Mengindahkan Kuala Lumpur?

Mengikut ensaiklopedia dalam talian Wikipedia….. is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire^[1]. In modern times, spray paint, normal paint and markers have become the most commonly used materials. In most countries, defacing property with graffiti without the property owner’s consent is considered vandalism, which is punishable by law. Sometimes graffiti is employed to communicate social and political messages.

Secara mudahnya graffitti ini adalah perbuatan yang berunsur vandalisme kerana menconteng ditempat-tempat awam atau harta benda orang lain tanpa kebenaran. Adakah grafitti ini sebenarnya merosakkan atau sebaliknya.

Kementerian Belia dan Sukan telah menganjurkan kursus grafitti dan ini menunjukkan bahawa seni contengan yang dianggap vandalisme ini boleh dimunafaatkan. Ini merupakan satu penghargaan yang diberikan kepada pelukis grafitti bahawa seni mereka bukan selalunya merosakkan pemandangan. Dengan mengawal penglibatan mereka maka ia akan juga dapat mengawal mereka dari merosakkan harta benda awam dengan lukisan mereka. Jika kita lihat pada grafitti yang dibuat pada dinding-dinding, ianya adalah cantik dan bukan calang-calang orang boleh melukis sebegitu. Respect la…. Jadi langkah Kementerian Belia dan Sukan adalah satu usaha yang baik untuk menukarkan seni yang dianggap merosakkan kepada seni yang boleh dihargai oleh masyarakat. Sekurang-kurangnya nilai seni yang ada pada seseorang itu dapat dipergunakan secara bermanfaat. Sekurang-kurangnya golongan seniman ini tidak merasakan mereka diadaikan masyarakat.

Berikut saya muatkan foto grafitti yang saya rakam di dinding di tebing Sungai Kelang berhampiran dengan Stesen LRT Pasar Seni beberapa ketika dahulu. Jika anda lihat pada lukisan yang dipaparkan itu, apakah tanggapan anda? Mencacatkan pemandangan atau menampakkan kecantikan pada permukaan yang pada asalnya ‘boring’.

Pada pertengahan tahun 2008 pula Telekom Malaysia telah mengambil konsep grafitti ini untuk mengiklankan produk mereka di Stesen LRT bawah tanah Mesjid Jamek. Berikut gambar yang saya rakam pada masa itu. Maaf kerana gambar tidak begitu jelas kerana menggunakan kamera handphone.

Persoalannya sekarang, adakah grafitti mencacatkan?

Di tengah-tengah bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, kita dapat lihat banyak tiang-tiang LRT dan sebahagian tiang monorail serta dinding yang kosong dan nampak ‘dull’ . Mengapa tidak DBKL misalnya menggunakan pelukis-pelukis grafitti dan meminta mereka melukis grafitti pada tiang-tiang itu dengan menggunakan tema-tema yang positif dan menyampaikan mesej-mesej positif kepada orang ramai. Sekurang-kurangnya apabila ada lukisan itu, dapat menghalang daripada Along atau pengiklan tanpa lesen melekatkan poster-poster mereka. Ia dapat menjadikan tiang-tiang kosong itu lebih berseri dan menukar Kuala Lumpur kepada suasana yang lebih berwarna-warni. Tiang-tiang monorail sepanjang Jalan Sultan Ismail telah dipergunakan sepenuhnya untuk meletakkan iklan dan ia nampak lebih ceria berbandingkan tiang kosong tanpa cat itu.

Mungkin jika pihak berkuasa memberi penghargaan kepada pelukis grafitti ini dengan mendapatkan khidmat mereka untuk membantu menceriakan bandaraya KL, akan mengubah tabiat mereka daripada melukis di tempat awam tanpa faedah kepada memberi sumbangan dan mendapat penghargaan. Mereka ini sebenarnya memerlukan ‘media’ untuk meluahkan ilham. Jadi mengapa tidak kita berikan kepada mereka secara ‘halal’.

Mana tahu satu hari nanti Kuala Lumpur mendapat identiti baru dan bukan sahaja dikenali sebagai Truly Malaysia, tetapi mungkin juga mendapat gelaran the The City of Grafitti – Come to Kuala Lumpur to appreciate it. Sebelum orang lain buat biar kita buat dahulu. Just angan-angan saya saja…….

Taman Damai W.P Labuan

Tugu Peringatan Pulau Maida sebagai tanda kehadiran tentera Jepun di Kepulruan Borneo, khususnya Labuan, maka Taman Damai ini terletak di Pantai Layang-Layangan pula merupakan tanda penamatan pentadbiran Jepun. Di sinilah yang dinamakan surrender point di Kepulauan Borneo, apabila tentera Jepun menyerah kalah semasa Perang DuniaKedua selepas bandar Nagasaki dan Hiroshima dibom oleh Tentera Bersekutu. Tentera Jepun menyerah kalah di tempat ini pada 9hb September 1945.

Saya telah berkesempatan untuk melawat Taman ini pada tahun 2007 sewaktu menjalankan tugas resmi di sana.

Plak di bawah menunjukkan statistik tentera Australia dan Jepun yang terlibat dalam peperangan, terbunuh dan yang tercedera. Ini merupakan satu keistemewaan tugu ini kerana tercatat statistik untuk dijadikan rujukan oleh pelawat.

Peta Google di bawah menunjukkan lokasi Taman Damai diLabuan yang terletak di pantai menghadap Laut China Selatan.

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2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
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