Cameron Highlands Again

24th November 2010

I had the opportunity of visiting Cameron Highlands again because my better half was invited to speak on his company's latest products, the 1-Rod Anchor System and the 4DEC Net at the JKR Seminar on Effective Slope Stabilization held at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Golf Resort at Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands.

I learned that water is the main culprit behind landslides and other earth movement, as manifested by the Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy in 1994 when 48 victims died. I also learned that the 1-Rod Anchor System(Patent pending) is the best system for effective slope management. Once installed, the site is maintenance-free. Their other product, 4DEC Net is also an environmentally product because after installing the anchor system, the site is covered with the Net that allows grass to grow, hence greening the environment.    

Having an eye for anything beautiful, I love to see the picturesque view of tea plantations, reminding me of my first visit to Cameron Highlands on a school trip way back in 1966. The view of the tea plantations remain unchanged. However, the surrounding areas had changed due to the development of the economy up the hill resort. There are many shophouses, restaurants, hotels and resorts, the weather is much warmer now than before. We were staying at the Strawberry Park Resort Hotel overlooking the greenery around us.

NB. The 4DEC Net has to compete with an earlier product that I know ie the EcoMat made of oil palm fibre. This Malaysian product has been widely exported to China, the biggest traditional market for our palm oil and used effectively at the Gobi Desert to prevent soil erosion due to heavy winds.

Birthday Celebrations

19 November 2010

NOVEMBER 19 is a historic date for the Aziz family because we celebrate this date every year without fail, big or small. This time, all of us chose to go to the FELDA plantation resort at Sg Klah (again!). Our children and grandchildren (now 3 in number) loved it very much. We had fun time, dipping ourselves in the the natural hotspring, and later celebrating their Dad (and Tok Dad's) birthday in the room that we bunked in together. I felt the family closeness together, but deep inside my heart I do wish my son Ammar would have been with us at that time. Nevertheless, we had quality time together, amidst the wonderful ambience provided by the oil palm trees providing the backdrop to our weekend getaway.

NB...The sulphur content in the natural hotsprings can heal skin irritations; the green moss from the hotspring can smoothen your outer skin. The staff told me that the hotsprings, if regularly visited can cure weakness in the knees and paralysis. They noticed over time that an elderly man kept on immersing himself in his wheelchair on his regular visits there. In 6 month's time, he was moving around without his wheelchair. This is a very good testimony of  the healing and therapeutic characteristics of natural water from the hotspring.
Psst....I tried the traditional massage at the Spa Village, very relaxing indeed but the service can be improved. I have tried various massages in the course of my overseas visits to Thailand, China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam. Nothing can beat the Thai massage at the Wat Temple. The masseau would bend your body over and your bones would give out cracking sounds! Your tired legs would be able to walk again, without feeling any pain at all. Very true to their claims! Practitioners in traditional massage in Malaysia must strive to develop a certain characteristic that is unique about them. Otherwise, traditional massages at the spas would not be able to market their services in the competitive wellness industry.   

Hotspring water has therapeutic values 

Sunday 14 November 2010

Today I took the opportunity to visit an exclusive eco-resort, Tanah Aina,  in Bentong, Pahang. And what a wonderful time I had experiencing  the back-to-nature feeling. The visit was made more meaningful because we were given a conducted tour of the 5 resort facilities by the gracious host herself, Pn Sri Sabrina.






The River



The Beautiful Backdrop

All the 5 resorts were beautifully designed to fit the terrain of the orchard land - the hills, the waterfall  and the river - and decorated with such exclusive taste by the owner herself. The most attractive common feature of all the resorts is the serene and picturesque backdrop of surrounding environment.
For further information, please go to http://www.tanah-aina.com/

Along the way, we stopped by an Orang Asli settlement, comprising 13 families, and we donated some food and clothing items. Tok Batin, the headman of the settlement, was there to receive the goodies.

NB. The environment especially the hilly areas around the Bentong has been ravaged by development. We could clearly see hilly slopes being cleared for oil palm cultivation, which to my mind is a good development because the forest clearing is being replanted with new vegetation, this time our golden crop, the oil palm. Despite many foreign-based environmental groups condemning our Malaysian government on the cultivation of oil palm, I stand by the belief, backed up by authoritative R and D facts and figures that Oil Palm Feeds the World, Greens the Earth!

Happy Deepavali

5 November 2010
This year, Deepavali falls on 5th November, coincidentally my first grandson's birthday. So in a way, we celebrated his 4th birthday bash at Saujana Resort, the residence of my beloved niece, who kindly hosted the celebrations. So, another family gathering, this time an outdoor one at the gazebo around the swimming pool.

The next day, we took a drive around Little India@ Brickfields which recently was officially opened by our Prime Minister, YAB Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The VIP guest was the Prime Minister of India himself, Mr Man Mohan Singh. His Excellency's visit to Malaysia resealed the very good diplomatic relations we have had with India in terms of trade as well as social relations. Malaysians looked up to India, being the oldest democracy in Asia. India too is the greatest traditional market for palm oil, Our Golden Crop. Historically speaking, the British brought in Indians to work at our rubber plantations in the 1880's when the East India Company started the rubber industry in the then Malaya. So, Malaysia and India have many things in common, then and now.
The development of Little India at Brickfields is a deserving project to promote tourism in Malaysia. I personally loved to visit Brickfields to get some Indian trinkets here and there. However, we have to make sacrifices in the face of development - the old Pines, which used to be the favourite haunt for many people wayback in the 70's - is no longer there. New eateries took their place. Many shops and eating outlets were still closed because of the Deepavali holiday break.
We stopped by for lunch at Nagas, a newly revamped restaurant serving dosai, chapatti, briyani rice and other Indian delicacies.  While eating our sumptious meal, my eyes caught an advertisement on the noticeboard of  the restaurant. It is about a book called the Malaysian Indian Dilemma. A best seller, it says. Must be interesting reading.....
Psst...Happy Deepavali to all our Indian friends. May the Festival of Lights enlighten our lives in the spirit of 1Malaysia.
Today 8th Nov 2010, the Star highlighted Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's statement, "We want to achieve a developed nation status and no one race can do it without the support and commitment from the other races. We are not only taking about the Malays, the Chinese, the Indians; but all ethnic groups, including those in Sabah, Sarawak and the Orang Asli."