December 2016 - Visiting Hainan Island for 5 days playing 4 courses, namely Haikuo Mission Hill (Blackstone), The Dunes, Haikou Mayflower International Golf Club, Hainan Dongshan Golf Course,
Abu Dhabi’s most iconic structure has to be the Sheikh Zayed Mosque: a $550 million white stone, gold and crystal confection capped by 82 domes and four graceful minarets rising 350 feet over a grand courtyard festooned with the world’s largest marble mosaic. Arrive early to avoid the later-morning heat and book a guide to fully detail this mellifluous marriage of Moghul, Moorish and Arab architecture.
In true “Furious 7” style, Yas Island is all about speed — home, as it is, to both Abu Dhabi’s annual Formula One race each November and the futuristic, auto-themed Ferrari World theme park.
I cannot understand why rubbish has to be dumped by the river and as I tried to reason it out, my thoughts drifted towards the mud-stained concrete steps on the town side of the bank.
Way back when Tondong, in Bau District, was bustling with commercial activities, the bottom of these steps close to the river surface were where goods were loaded and unloaded from boats plying between the small upcountry outpost and Kuching.
I was told the concrete steps used to be made of hardwood (belian) and their site was an important entry point to Tondong bazaar in the early days when there were no roads.
The town now has some 20 shops but only people from the area and those who often visit Bau District are familiar with its off-the-beaten-track location, some distance inland from the relatively new Bau-Kuching road and accessible from Kuching, Bau and Lundu.
Although it may not be the town it once was, Tondong, now accessible overland from Kuching, Bau and Lundu, still engages in commercial activities as evidenced by the number of city folks, local villagers and nearby residents doing their shopping there. In fact, a short visit to the town will reveal the town is still very much alive.
For motorists who pass by the area, it is a favourite refreshment stop-over and for locals, it is the place to buy daily provisions.
The locals usually go there for breakfast at one of a handful of eateries serving kolok mee, one of Sarawak signature dishes, which the shopkeepers highly recommend to visitors.
Storm water and floods
At the height of the Monsoon, the people of Tondong are on “red flood alert” as storm water, dumped by incessant downpours into Sungai Sarawak Kanan, often causes the river to break its banks and inundate the town.
Almost every year, the residents are having to put up with this natural calamity — and count their losses.
“When the rain comes and the river spills over to the town, we have to take every precaution to minimise the loss of business and properties,” shopkeeper Thian Fook Leong, 58, told thesundaypost.
Thian, a Chinese kek, stays on in Tondong to run the grocery he inherited from his father.
He was born and grew up in the town and confesses to feeling nostalgic for the past, saying Tondong bazaar is different from before and the surrounding areas have changed through development.
He said people heard about Tondong only when there is a natural disaster like flooding, adding that the town’s history as a busy trading post has generally been forgetton.
“The floods are, of course, the worst thing. We have been hoping something could be done about it but so far the problem keeps cropping up every year.”
Thian said when the river overflowed, the shopkeepers had to rush to save their properties, especially stocks and goods, from being destroyed by the rising water.
“It’s a trying time. Business was already hit hard when the floods came but the lossses would be even heavier if we didn’t act fast to move our properties to a safe place,” he added.
However, the shopkeepers will continue to serve their customers like their forefathers before them and they have also a close rapport with the people in the surroundings area who are mainly farmers.
Thian said he knew his customers since young — and because they know him so well, they keep coming back to his shop.
Meanwhile, Tondong Chinese community leader Pemanca Bong Jong Long showed me pictures of storm water submerging everything in its path, including his shop.
He said in 2009, the Tondong area was badly hit by floods as storm water spilled over from Sungai Sarawak Kanan after continuous heavy rain.
He disclosed the shopkeepers’ losses that year were higher than previous years but they were philosophical about their situation, always patient and believing “it’s a one-off natural calamity and everything will be back to normal soon.”
Bong is optimistic business in the town will pick up and bring prosperity to the people, especially the future generations.
Community development
Community-based activities are frequently organised held in Tondong bazaar.
The Association of Research & Development Movement of Singai Sarawak (REDEEM) at Kampung Apar holds an annual event to showcase the socio-economic development of the mainly Bidayuh community in the area.
Once a year, visitors converge at the Bidayah Community Centre to enjoy cultural activities and learn about the Singai Bidayuh — how they have improved and succeeded in many fields.
The setting up of the National Service Training centre at Puncak Permai and the deer farm with homestay services will bring an influx of visitors to the Tondong area and boost the local economy.
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/04/14/been-to-tondong-lately/#ixzz2QRMmM4wy
Borneo Post reported "All 16 passengers and two crew – pilot and co-pilot – were lucky to escape unscathed as MH3516 aircraft skidded to a stop a short distance from the river at the end of the runway. According to one of the passengers, the plane stopped just 5metres short of the river. Fine weather was reported at the time of the incident...following the incident, the Lawas terminal was temporarily closed to traffic to facilitate investigation.."
1. Prior to an investigation started MASWing was already releasing a statement which said "... the airline would extend its full co-operation to the Department of Civil Aviation which is investigating the incident. This is an isolated incident and that safety remains a high priority in the company."
3. MASWings flies six daily from Miri. In a week it makes 17 flights to Lawas from Miri, three from Ba Kelalan and one from Kota Kinabalu. This accident will obviously created backlog due to limited aircraft servicing the RAS. The 19-seater Twin Otter aircraft is one of four used by MASWings for its rural air services (RAS) in Sarawak.
Only those who know the gravity of traffic woes that people of Makkah experience could realize the significance of establishing a new airport for the city.
Similar is the case of Haj and Umrah pilgrims as well as visitors to the holy city who travel to Jeddah’s airport and spend more than two hours to complete procedures for their departure to various domestic and foreign destinations.
They have to confront numerous problems at King Abdul Aziz International Airport mainly due to the heavy rush all through the year, especially during the peak Haj and Umrah as well as vacation seasons.
Needless to say, the difficulties due to the delay or cancellation of flights without prior notice are routine in the case of our national carrier — Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Moreover, the unexpected traffic problems along the Makkah- Jeddah expressway also more often than not result in the delay of passengers reaching the airport.
It is true that the idea of an airport for Makkah is not a new one. It has been a hot topic of discussion for the local dailies for some time.
Some officials used to declare that such an airport is not necessary and that one in Jeddah is enough. But it seems that some of these people who oppose an airport in Makkah do not understand the magnitude of the difficulties passengers face in Jeddah. There seems to be no respite to these hardships, but they are aggravating day by day.
There are some factors contributing to this. These include the traffic congestion along the Haramain Road, especially from the Jeddah checkpoint up to the airport.
Most often there is a heavy rush on the road especially in the morning and after Dhuhr and Asr prayers, and this perhaps extend to the late hours in the night. This means that there is no end to traffic congestion on the road. This is more evident when traffic accidents often occur.
There should be urgent remedial measures to solve traffic jams on this portion of the road. There has not been any noticeable advantage with the expansion of the road a few years ago.
Whatever the solutions in place to tackle the problems facing Jeddah’s airport, they would neither be sufficient nor stand in the way of the demand for establishing a new airport for Makkah.
There should be one new airport at least providing domestic flights, especially between Makkah and Madinah. Apart from easing the heavy pressure on Jeddah’s airport, this would also be a big comfort to the people of Makkah as well as pilgrims and visitors to the holy city.
The proposed Haramain Rail that would connect Makkah and Madinah is said to be instrumental in solving traffic problems or at least ease them by enabling people to reach both the cities within the short span of one and a half hours.
But that is not an excuse to turn down the demand for a new airport, especially in the wake of the growing number of Haj and Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the holy city. No doubt the Haramain train would solve the problem partly but it is not at all a total solution.
Remove all obstacles facing pilgrims, king tells officials
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah holds talks with Jordan's King Abdallah at his palace in Makkah on Monday. The two leaders discussed major regional and international issues and explored ways of strengthening bilateral ties. (SPA)
By ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 23, 2011 01:34 Updated: Aug 23, 2011 01:37
MAKKAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Monday urged government departments to mobilize all their resources to extend the best possible services to the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who have come from around the world to perform Umrah during Ramadan.
Addressing the weekly Cabinet meeting, King Abdullah expressed his satisfaction for laying the foundation for the largest expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and opening a number of vital projects in Makkah and Madinah, and hoped the new projects would benefit the guests of God who visit the holy places.
"Every effort should be made to improve facilities for the huge number of pilgrims who have arrived in the holy city and remove the obstacles facing them," the king told officials during the Cabinet meeting.
The Cabinet reviewed the progress of the national fundraising campaign to alleviate the suffering of the Somali people and urged Saudis and residents to respond positively to the king's call by donating generously to the Somalia relief fund.
The king briefed the ministers on the outcome of his talks with Jordanian King Abdallah and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani.
The Cabinet expressed deep sorrow over the killing of several people in different parts of the Islamic world during the past week and reiterated the Kingdom's condemnation of terrorist activities.
The meeting also denounced the Israeli air strike on Gaza, killing and injuring several Palestinians. It urged the international community to stop Israel's escalation of violence in the region.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet adopted a number of decisions to speed up implementation of delayed government projects.
The Cabinet also decided that a single person should not be allowed to become a member of more than five boards of directors of listed holding companies at a time. But one can become a board member of non-listed companies without any limit. A person can also become a member of both listed and non-listed companies.
The Cabinet banned real estate timesharing system in Makkah and Madinah on non-Saudis and urged the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities to enlighten the public on the matter and monitor violations.
The Cabinet appointed Ibrahim Al-Khalil as the mayor of Asir, Saad Muflehi, assistant undersecretary for environment affairs at the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment, Attiyah Al-Ghamdi, minister plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry, Muhammad Al-Zamil, economist at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and Othman Al-Raqie, director general of customs at King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam.
Banyak dikatakan mengenai Bali terutama sekali setelah meletupnya bom di kota Kuta. Semasa berada di Bali selama 4 hari, saya sempat berramah mesra dengan penduduk di sana ingin mengetahui lebih banyak lagi cerita-cerita yang tidak diceritakan dalam bentuk tulisan.
Pulau Bali yang merupakan sebahagian Kepulauan Sunda Kecil mempunyai keluasan sepanjang 153 kilometer dengan lebar 112 kilometer. Terletak pada garisan lintang selatan 8° dan mengambil masa 3 jam penerbangan dari KL. Bali beriklim tropika sebagaimana dengan kawasan-kawasan Indonesia atau Malaysia.
Ibu kota Bali ialah kota Denpasar, manakala kota Ubud merupakan pusat kesenian. Destinasi pelancungan yang utama di Bali termasuk Kuta, Sanur, Seminyak, Jimbaran dan Nusa Dua. Disebabkan Bali adalah 'syurga' pelancung asing maka di setiap penjuru Kuta boleh didapati pelancung dari seluruh dunia terutama sekali dari benua Australia.
Disebabkan oleh kebanjiran pelancung asing, penduduknya yang 93% menganut Hindu lebih ortodok dan berlaku pertembungan budaya antara pelancung dan penduduk tempatan. Walaubagaimanpun, hormat-menghormati diantara dua budaya ini sering dijaga dengan harmonis. Dari bilangan penduduk lebih kurang empat juta, 7% berbahagi diantara penganut agama Islam, Kristian dan Buddhisma.
Budaya Nyepi, [tahun ini jatuh pada 5 Mac] ialah perayaan Hindu yang diraikan pada setiap hari tahun baru dalam takwim Saka. Nyepi berasal dari perkataan "sepi" (sunyi, senyap). Nyepi sebenarnya merupakan perayaan Tahun Baru Hindu berdasarkan takwim Saka, yang dimulai sejak tahun 78 Masehi. Tidak seperti perayaan tahun baru Masihi, Tahun Baru Saka di Bali dimulai dengan menyepi. Oleh itu, kegiatan seharian adalah dilarang sama sekali pada hari ini, termasuk perkhidmatan awam, termasuk sekali penerbangan, tetapi khidmat perubatan seperti hospital dikecualikan.
Tujuan utama sambutan Nyepi adalah memohon kepada tuhan agar menyucikan Buwana Alit (alam manusia) dan Buwana Agung/macrocosmos (alam semesta). Sebelum Hari Raya Nyepi, terdapat beberapa upacara yang diadakan oleh penganut Hindu, khususnya di pulau Bali.
Rush On: Communities across Bali are racing to complete their ogoh-ogoh monsters in time for this year’s Nyepi, which falls on March 5. During the dusk-to-dawn day of silence, television broadcasts and all forms of travel to the island have been ordered suspended.
Visit: from 24 - 27 February 2011
Hotel: Paradaiso Hotel Bali, Kuta.
Pulau Bali yang merupakan sebahagian Kepulauan Sunda Kecil mempunyai keluasan sepanjang 153 kilometer dengan lebar 112 kilometer. Terletak pada garisan lintang selatan 8° dan mengambil masa 3 jam penerbangan dari KL. Bali beriklim tropika sebagaimana dengan kawasan-kawasan Indonesia atau Malaysia.
Ibu kota Bali ialah kota Denpasar, manakala kota Ubud merupakan pusat kesenian. Destinasi pelancungan yang utama di Bali termasuk Kuta, Sanur, Seminyak, Jimbaran dan Nusa Dua. Disebabkan Bali adalah 'syurga' pelancung asing maka di setiap penjuru Kuta boleh didapati pelancung dari seluruh dunia terutama sekali dari benua Australia.
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| Pertembungan antara DUA budaya - Barat dan Bali |
Budaya Nyepi, [tahun ini jatuh pada 5 Mac] ialah perayaan Hindu yang diraikan pada setiap hari tahun baru dalam takwim Saka. Nyepi berasal dari perkataan "sepi" (sunyi, senyap). Nyepi sebenarnya merupakan perayaan Tahun Baru Hindu berdasarkan takwim Saka, yang dimulai sejak tahun 78 Masehi. Tidak seperti perayaan tahun baru Masihi, Tahun Baru Saka di Bali dimulai dengan menyepi. Oleh itu, kegiatan seharian adalah dilarang sama sekali pada hari ini, termasuk perkhidmatan awam, termasuk sekali penerbangan, tetapi khidmat perubatan seperti hospital dikecualikan.
Tujuan utama sambutan Nyepi adalah memohon kepada tuhan agar menyucikan Buwana Alit (alam manusia) dan Buwana Agung/macrocosmos (alam semesta). Sebelum Hari Raya Nyepi, terdapat beberapa upacara yang diadakan oleh penganut Hindu, khususnya di pulau Bali.
Rush On: Communities across Bali are racing to complete their ogoh-ogoh monsters in time for this year’s Nyepi, which falls on March 5. During the dusk-to-dawn day of silence, television broadcasts and all forms of travel to the island have been ordered suspended.
Visit: from 24 - 27 February 2011
Hotel: Paradaiso Hotel Bali, Kuta.
According to a friend, a visit to Saigon would not be considered completed if you are not visiting the Ben Thanh Market. Well, I made it a point and informed our driver to drive us there.
Ben Thanh Markets, the French-built municipal marketplace, reflect an explosive wave of entrepreneurship has hit Vietnam and Saigon. Ben Thanh is the market where hundred of vendors create a narrow maze of stalls touting everything from the latest Japanese gadgets to bolts of silk, titbits and fruits.
Go for the colour and exotics chaos, but realise that no matter how good your negotiating skills, you are still going to pay twice as much as the local customers.
Ben Thanh Markets, the French-built municipal marketplace, reflect an explosive wave of entrepreneurship has hit Vietnam and Saigon. Ben Thanh is the market where hundred of vendors create a narrow maze of stalls touting everything from the latest Japanese gadgets to bolts of silk, titbits and fruits.
Go for the colour and exotics chaos, but realise that no matter how good your negotiating skills, you are still going to pay twice as much as the local customers.
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| Ben Thanh Market |
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| Roundabout Infront of Ben Thanh Market |
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| Evening can be very crowded near the Market |
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| Next to the Market |
