Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Speed Bumps Most Appreciated......

Two speed bumps were recently build within the compound of Pearl Garden recently to slow down the vehicles. It is definitely a good move by the management to do so as we have children running in and out, and sometimes across the road too.

Another area which I hope management could consider building speed bumps is the multi-storey car park. Some of our residents do drive moderately fast at the location. Please remember, slow speed can kill too. A survey says that a moving car with a speed of 30 ~ 40 km/hr can be fatal.

I hope the management will continue to be attentive towards the safety of the residents, especially children. Well done.

Sunday, 27 September 2009

Lee Hom for Ping and Friend



Ping, this one is for you or your friend...enjoy Lee Hom

J, just for you...



For our Pearl Garden friend, J.

Transparency International gives good grades to Penang



The success of the Penang Pakatan Rakyat state government in fighting corruption has been commended by Transparency International in the 2009 Global Corruption Report (GCR) released earlier that stated, "Penang state has introduced several measures to improve the regulatory environment with regard to government procurement in what is referred to as a CAT - a Competent, Accountable and Transparency - government.

Video by Jimmy Leow

Tennis Courts Need Repairs


The tennis courts at Pearl Garden are in a bad shape. The special coating is peeling off and it is slippery when wet and sandy when dry. It is hazardous to players and the management should take the necessary steps to restore the condition of the tennis courts.

To save cost, management should consider repairing one tennis court and convert the other to a basketball court. The basketball court can be cement rendered.

Saturday, 26 September 2009

Slumberland or Dreamland?



Snoozing or Meditating? You decide...

Friday, 25 September 2009

Security guard ‘slapped’ by ghosts at housing area

TAMIL Nesan front paged a report of a security guard who was said to have been slapped by ghosts in Port Dickson.

It said S. Albert 32, was making his rounds of bungalow houses in Taman Indah Mas at about 5.30am on Friday when he heard noises coming from a vacant unit.

He shone his torchlight through the window and was shocked to see mysterious white figure with red eyes and long hair.

Albert ran to the guards control room and inform his colleague who told him that his face had scratch marks and was bleeding.

Residents who got wind of the incident gathered with batons and sticks to check the empty bungalow but found nothing suspicious.

Policemen later broke the locks to enter the bungalow and found nothing unusual. The crowd were left stunned when the scratch marks on Albert’s face disappeared the moment he washed it with water.

This was reported in the Star on 27 July 2009.

Is this for real? Luckily, this did not happen at Pearl Garden.

Thursday, 24 September 2009

Dreamland or Slumberland, you decide...


Taken from the CCTV at the guard house recently. Many are waiting for the video clip but at the meantime, satisfy yourselves with these 2 photos first. The sleeping positions they can think of..... He changed two positions. The first position seems to show that he is reading or writing.

What is management going to do about this? Do you need an official complain?

Wednesday, 23 September 2009

Are You Type A or B Survey....

You Have a Type A Personality

User Submitted Image

You are ambitious, driven by your desire to get things done. Type A personalities are characterized by their drive and intense work ethic. You are competitive; you want respect, not affection. You may become irritated when you have to wait on a line or at a red light.

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Hard Rock Hotel, Penang



This blog is getting too serious, we need to loosen up and chill out, make a trip to the 1st Hard Rock Hotel in Malaysia, nice food and nice people there...

Situated along the scenic, famous beaches of Batu Ferringhi, Hard Rock Hotel Penang offers 249 tricked-out rooms with great views and balconies. Featuring unconventional layouts and the unmistakable Hard Rock vibe, the hotel also comes with extensive facilities including an oversized free-form swimming pool and kiddies clubs to keep its young guests occupied.

The iconic resorts walls are adorned with showbiz icons and memorabilia; together with the hotels rock-star treatment of its guests and a rock-and-roll atmosphere, Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the ultimate Rock Retreat suitable for all ages.

CJ Jimmy Leow met up with very cheerful people of HRH who makes a big difference in comparison to other hotels. Penang Hard Rock Hotel rocks!

Video by Jimmy Leow

Saturday, 19 September 2009

Please Come Home, Hubby



See Kuan Teik went missing after being admitted into the Penang General Hospital a few weeks ago. His wife and son today seeks help from YB Sim Tze Tzin, ADUN of Pantai Jerejak to track him down. See Kuan Teik, age 68 was last seen by the hospital personnel a few weeks ago. It was just recently that his family lodged a missing person report. If anyone sees this person, please contact his son, See Tean Aun at 016-467 5806.

Video by Jimmy Leow

Really Lock Up - Don't Take Chances

Take no chances, do take extra precautions and really lock up if you are going away for holidays during this festive season. Even though, there is a better security in place now, it is never enough to deter a break in which had happened so frequently at Pearl Garden.

There has been alot of finger pointing to who is responsible to keep the security team in ship shape condition and many security companies had been replaced for the past years (I have stayed here for the past 10 years and I have my share of experiences with our security guards). The previous ones (a few years back) were caught having beer during working hours and I believed sacking them was the right decision. No mercy.

Yup, I was the one who told off the previous security supervisor (Jeffrey) that her men were having fun drinking beers and getting drunk when they were supposed to be working. Sure, some will say, what is a few beers? What harm can it do? Small matter what, a few beers only...so petty things..

You see, no one appreciates such things, until something really bad happened, for example to the extreme, these security guards got so drunk and they slept throughout the night and burglars ransacked your home, beat you up and "abused" your family. But when that happens, it is too late, there is no way to turn back the clock. But what the heck, petty things, right? As long as it does not happen to you or your family, it is ok...

Nevertheless, thanks to all of the residents' feed backs and support all this while, the current security team is on their toes, surprisingly some improvement can be seen (sometimes I pity them, when they see me, they see Satan or they try to look busy or something).

Anyway, that's beside the point, the most important thing is, they know that they are here to provide a sense of security to all who lived at Pearl Garden, whether they are owners or tenants, there are expectations. They know that we expect a certain commitment and quality from them. By the way, owners and tenants are paying their salary. Or do they protect the owners only and leave the tenants to fend for themselves?

You see, "residents" (owners and tenants = residents) should dictate the quality of service and I am not only talking about security, it can be cleanliness of the surrounding area or it could the manner the management team is handling certain issues. It could just be anything.

This blog will continue to provide such insights and information to those who appreciate it, and this blog will continue to voice out issues which may not be pleasant or favourable to certain people, it will continue to demand for answers, it will remain constructive, fair and I always preach freedom of speech.

For those who have weak hearts or may feel offended by the contents of this blog, please stay out. You have no business here.

Selamat Hari Raya to our Muslim Residents


Selamat Hari Raya, to all our Muslim friends at Pearl Garden

Friday, 18 September 2009

Chicken Den As A Neighbour

‘Fowl play,’ cry neighbours

This article was emailed to me by our resident, CAT. It seems there may be a similar (smaller scale) in PG too. Anyway, just hope that you do not have a neighbour like Yong Chin Teck.

MALACCA: A 40-year-old unemployed man ran afoul of local authorities here for turning his flat in Jalan Bukit Senjuang into a poultry-breeding den, much to the annoyance of his neighbours.

Local councillors Alex Lye and Lim Siew Wan had a shock when they found Yong Chin Teck living with more than 50 chickens and ducks in his apartment located on the second floor of the Bukit Senjuang Flats.

“We were called to investigate complaints by residents of the stench and noise coming from the man’s apartment.

“We were shocked to find him breeding chickens and ducks in his apartment,” Lye told reporters after visiting the site here on Thursday.

He said this was not the first time Yong had run afoul of the local authorities over his poultry-breeding. He had done so 2006 as well, but stopped following complaints.

However, Yong said he decided to start rearing ducks and chickens again as he needed the income, Lye said.

He added that Yong, who lives alone, has been given two weeks to stop his poultry breeding and clean up his apartment.

“We will also assist Yong apply for welfare aid so that he will not have to resort to such activities in the future again,” Lye said.

Yong, a bachelor, said he has been living in the apartment belonging to his uncle for the past two decades.

“I do not have any work at the moment so I decided to breed chickens and ducks to sell them to villages for the Hari Raya festivities,” he said, adding that he sold his live birds for RM10 each.

Tuesday, 15 September 2009

Any Beds?



CJ Jimmy Leow wonders if private hospitals in Penang are keen to accept patients with Influenza Like Illness since the cases of H1N1 cases are increasing every single day. Will these hospitals take in these ILI patients or will they be refused? Will these hospitals "reserve" the beds for more "added value" patients? Jimmy Leow has the tele-conversations recorded as he asked requested a bed for a high fever patient.


Thursday, 10 September 2009

Another Breach Of Security

While everyone (sub committee, SASA security and GE Tan) was busy discussing about the current security hot issues, there was another breach of security this evening.

Two unknown motorists were stopped by security near block A entrance at approx 9:30 ~ 9:45pm and based on their explanation, they came to distribute leaflets and I overheard that they knew the previous guards and was allowed into the premises to distribute their flyers "all the time". And who were these previous guards who have been allowing these people in at this time of the night? I smell a rat here!

I hope the security guards who stopped them took down their details and motorcycle registration number for further clarification. By the way, how could two strangers pass thru security gate at the first place? For all you know, these two strangers could be thieves or burglars, maybe they have been surveying some units for their next move....I am worried, aren't you?

I would like to have a report on this incident from SASA Security or GE Tan and I would like this incident to be reported to the police if necessary. And please come up with some proposals to eliminate reoccurence of such incidents.

A dialogue with the MC, security sub committee, SASA Security and GE Tan to trash out security issues is appropiate. Anyone want to join me?

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Alert! Stray Dogs On The Loose in PG

At least 4 dogs were seen early this morning at 12:15am tailing a bitch near the pool side. This evening at about 5:30pm I again saw 3 dogs near the guard house and as I was driving towards the multi-storey car park, I noticed another one wandering at the children's playground.

Please be aware of these stray dogs and by the looks of it, they may be dangerous if provoked since it is the mating session. Do not let your young children wander too far from you, keep them in sight.

At the mean time, can GE Tan get MPPP or SPCA to catch these dogs before someone gets bitten? Buta buta one....

BREAKING NEWS : 09-09-09 9:00pm Pearl Garden guard bitten by stray dog.This was reported by LT via email to me.

Tuesday, 8 September 2009

Can We Use PG's Facilities To Earn Money?


Just received this comment below from a new resident of Pearl Garden and his or her questions are quite valid. Can GE Tan and MC comment on this? I am keen to know the answers too. Thank you very much.

Hello Jimmy,

Nice to meet you.

I’m curious to know whether we can use the facilities of PG’s club-house (like swimming pool, Gym room, Aerobic room, squash court) to earn side-income? Is there any rule/law in PG’s handbook describe the Do & Don’t?

Sometime I observed we do have Yoga-course, swimming course or other courses which I believe is not organized by PG right (I do see some outsiders coming to join the courses). hence, it triggers me to think whether we can use these facilities for business purposes.

If yes, what is the condition?

Rgs,

Resident from Block C

Sunday, 6 September 2009

Hungry Ghost Entertainment



Teochew operas and puppet shows are making a comeback in Penang this Hungry Ghost festival. These performances are part of the original package for the Hungry Ghost Festival celebration. CJ Jimmy Leow takes a look at the colourful sights and sound of the little known Puppet Show in Penang.

Video by Jimmy Leow

Security Guards Are Foreigners?

I saw sitting by the poolside yesterday morning and for the first time, I did not recognise the faces of our security guards. Usually, it was the usual faces but there were these 3 guards with uniform who are strangers to me, well at least for me...

I think it would be helpful if the management could put up the security guards' faces on the notice boards like before. When I checked with a MC, he told me that all security guards at Pearl Garden are Malaysians, but yesterday morning, I was quite sure some of them were foreigners.

Maybe I should get in touch with Roland Yeoh who also saw them as he was walking to his car yesterday morning, just to be sure.

Still on the security matter, one of our resident (codename ET) took this photo of a guard sleeping, but I do not know the exact date the photo was taken. Sleeping on duty is a big offense and such incident should not happen. Before the appropriate "authorities" take the necessary steps to eliminate such recurrence, kindly check in detail the cause of this problem. Root cause is important.

Shifts are too long? Overtime? Working conditions? Sick?

This morning (Sept 7, 2009) at about 06:48 hours, I noticed that 2 security guards were doing their rounds at the multi-storey car park which is very good and at the same time, I saw a security guard patrolling the service road. Good job and keep it up!

Just a note, can the guards wear proper shoes rather than slippers?

Friday, 4 September 2009

Aedes Fogging Today

Kementerian Kesihatan will fog Pearl Garden this evening at about 5.00pm today.

Free Wifi at PG? What's the password?

The last time I checked "View Available Wireless Network", Pearl Garden wireless secured network appeared, but requires password...

If the WIFI service is for the residents of PG, can GE Tan or MC let the residents know the password for internet access? So, as usual, me the KPC called up management office at 1:30pm today and spoke to "management" and asked if they could provide the password.

She told me that the internet line is not "properly fixed" yet, but I told her that our computers have detected a "Pearl Garden" secured network (which means that there is a network la, who is she trying to fool). Maybe MC can explain why GE Tan refuses to provide this password to residents when the WIFI is for the residents of PG.

Moreover, I believe we have invested a computer with an internet line for the management office to enhance communication and how come there is no email address for the management office, if there is, why is it not provided to the residents? Don't use the computer as a word processor only, use its full capability.

Car Wash Bay To Be Repaired

Thanks to the comments from the residents of PG about the car wash bay, repair works will be carried out in September 2009 to mend the road.

Also, I would like to expressed thanks to MC and GE Tan for looking into it. At the same time, please include another RM 200.00 for the repair of post bar (above) which was damaged by a "tiada lesen punya" driver.....

Wednesday, 2 September 2009

Double Standards, Resident Fuming

A resident's feed back about a security guard parking his own car at a "No Parking" area. I am not sure if it is this car but I saw this when I came back from work yesterday. Later on, at about 8:00pm yesterday, I saw double parking (2 cars) at the area too. The feed back from the resident as indicated below:-

Jimmy, lately I always saw a Produa Kelisa part just right opposite of our guard house. I believe that areas should be consider a NO PARKING area, and I do talk to the security guard Kanan, and understand that is his car that park there.

And he is very rude on replying me that, that is not Pearl Garden areas, he can park as he like. And I did call up his manager Mr. Wong to share about this. Unfortunately Kanan does not really care about what had being complain.

He still park his car there. I just would like to request the security company to relocate this particular security guard Kanan from on duty at Pearl Garden, since he cannot perform his duty as a security guard, we have service road at the back, he can park the car just like most of us which no parking lot inside Pearl Garden.

Rather than park at gate entrance, will sometime some cars need to make U turn after dropping someone, it make inconvenience from those who want to make U turn.

Tuesday, 1 September 2009

Attitude Problem, Nothing Else

Not sure if you wanna cry or laugh....After so many times of complains, still residents with attitude problem still throw their rubbish in this rubbish bin.

Why do you guys stuff in your old matteress into this bin too and see if it fits !

Of cow heads and arrogant Muslims

By Prof Mohd Tajuddin Haji Mohd Rasdi

I wish to comment on the 'cow head' incident in Shah Alam. As a Muslim and as a Malaysian citizen I do not support such a wanton display of disrespect for Islam and for Malaysia.
As a Muslim, my readings of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad's traditions or hadiths have taught me to respect animals and other religions.

With respect to animals, the Prophet warned Muslims against overburdening animals in carrying objects. The Prophet explained a story of how a prostitute was forgiven her sins by the simple act of giving a thirsty dog a drink.

The cow is one of the animals which Muslims slaughter not just for food but also as a sacrificial offering of our thankfulness to Allah as well as remembering Abraham's 'sacrifice' of his son Ismail.

The cow is thus 'holy' to Muslims as well as to Hindus. Muslims sacrifice a cow for the aqiqah ceremony or during the Qurban celebrations.

Thus as a Muslim, we must respect animals that become our food as well as our symbolic act of sacrifice.Standing or putting once's foot on a dead cow is a 'biadab' act that speaks of a person steeped in racial bigotry and of a person low in education of Islam.

With respect to other religions, there were occasions where the Prophet taught me about my attitude towards them. Once, the Prophet stood up as a sign of respect when the body of a Jew was carried to the grave.

When dispatching the army to a campaign, the Prophet warned the soldiers from desecrating houses of worships, those who reside in them, the young and the old and even trees should not be cut down if necessary.

Never had the Prophet taught me to desecrate another person's religion. The great Indonesian scholar Hamka wrote in his magnum opus, Tafsir Al-Azhar that there are hundreds of thousands of 'Nabi' and they might even be the founders of other religions.

It is common to find other religious faiths making fun of Islam and Muslims but as a Muslim I will never be allowed by my religion to make fun of other religions much less to desecrate them.

As a Malaysian citizen, I wish to ask why these people who showed such contempt for the religion of the Hindus not be arrested under the Sedition Act?

Were these people given permits by the police? If so why were they granted permits to desecrate another religion? Why were they not stopped and told to disperse? If Hindus can tolerate the Muslim call for prayers five times a day for the rest of their lives, what disruption can a Hindu temple be?

I live next to a Hindu Temple about 150 meters away and I observe a procession thrice or twice a year. It is quiet 362 days of the year.

Lastly, if these residents were proven to be members of any political party or parties, their membership should be revoked in order to ensure that we should not tolerate any political entity that uses racial hatred as their means of achieving political ends.

If not, then the said party or parties should be outlawed and their registration terminated immediately.

After more than 50 years of merdeka, I still cannot raise five children without the threat of racial disharmony and hatred. What does that say about our present leadership and future of our country?

Phor Thor at Pearl Garden


Photos courtesy of Mr. Teh (14th Floor, Block A)

Residents of Pearl Garden took part in providing offerings to "hoe heah ti" or good brothers who are said to be wandering among us during this Hungry Ghost month.

Chinese legend has it that a long time ago, there lived a young man, Mu Lian and his widowed mother. His mother was a wicked woman. She often turned away beggars who came to her door asking for food. She liked to jeer at the working poor and their dirty clothes; in essence, the only person she cared about was herself.

Mu Lian on the other hand was a kind soul. He was a gentle person and always willing to help anybody who was in need. One day he decided to become a monk and this did not please his mother. She scowled at him for being such a useless son; she wanted him to go out and work to earn more money for her. Wealth and materialistic things meant more to her than anything else.

When she saw that she could not dissuade her son, a plan began to hatch in her mind. She decided to play a trick on the monks just to get back at them for taking away her son. Now it was the custom to offer food to the monks (this custom still exists to this very day), but only vegetarian food. Mu Lian’s mother thought that it was nonsensical that these monks did not eat meat, so one day she offered food to some monks and slipped in some non-vegetarian items.

According to one version of the story, the wicked woman was punished immediately and was sent to hell. Mu Lian wanted to save his mother’s soul because he knew her soul was suffering.

He set out and ventured deep into the bowels of hell. Soon he came upon his mother and he saw that she was sitting a bed of very sharp pointy stakes and was holding on to a basin of blood.

Mu Lian tried feeding her some food but the food would either turn into fire or blood. It was hopeless: he couldn’t do anything for her so he left. He returned home and started to pray.

It is said that Buddha heard Mu Lian’s prayers and was touched by Mu Lian’s compassion. Thus Buddha decreed that once a year, the gates of hell be opened so that the lost souls will be able to roam the earth and be fed. This is why every year on the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, the Chinese celebrate the festival of the hungry ghost. This is one of five major festivals in the Chinese culture.

Food and drink will be offered at night outside the gates of houses. This is so that the ghosts do not enter their houses and cause trouble. A traditional food made for this festival is steamed sweet bread. Lanterns are lit to help guide the ghosts to the feasts set out for them. Special paper money is also burned as offerings to these ghosts so that they can take it back to hell and spend it there. To make sure that these souls stay out of trouble, entertainment is set up round the clock, mainly Chinese operas performed on outdoor stages.

Dazed Driver at Pg Bridge

The Malay lady driver was still in the car after the accident. She looked dazed and I cannot blame her. I noticed that her front bumper was totally damaged by the impact. I reckoned she whacked the bridge's side concrete retainer.

Luckily, this happened very near to the end of the bridge (towards Prai). Or else, sure long %$@#@%% traffic jam.