Zakaria... sigh... double sigh...

Opinion by LEE KIM CHUAN
Friday November 3, 2006

Turn Zakaria’s mansion into public library

EVER since Datuk Zakaria Md Deros' controversial “Istana Idaman” in Klang was highlighted in the media, there have been many calls by the people to demolish the mansion which reportedly costs over RM8mil.

By law, any structure that is illegally built has to be demolished. Many small temples on government land and squatter homes have been levelled to the ground for the same reason.

Both the Prime Minister and Selangor Mentri Besar have said that no one is above the law. Thus, it is obvious that the mansion has to be demolished.

But, as a Klang resident, I do not agree. It is a complete waste of money and resources to demolish the mansion.

It serves no real purpose to tear down the beautiful building.

Many visitors to Klang have complained that this royal town of the only developed state in Malaysia is dirty and dusty with uneven and dark roads, noisy and ugly crows, and poorly maintained public facilities.

One example is the Klang public library in Jalan Tengku Kelana. It is very small and the reading materials are pathetically outdated.

The library is supposed to serve more than 500,000 Klang residents, but how many people actually go there?

I suggest that the government turn Zakaria's mansion into a new public library complex.

And I am sure Zakaria, who is known for his contributions to charity, will not mind.



i don't quite agree on the mansions aesthetics. although, the proposal for a library isn't half bad.

and you thought... the durians were everything.

singapores moving real fast. and we all thought that there isnt any space left for huge developments. behold! Vivo City... supposed to be the largest shopping centre in singapore (maybe SEA as well) by Toyo Ito. makes Berjaya Times Square look really pathetic.
vivo city has a similar look to the EPLF centre by SANAA. its the in thing to design undulating platforms...

check out the Vivo City video!!




then there is the ever so awaited Marina Bay Sands. Moshe Safdie's newest masterpiece. Jayjun tried to discribe the building to me but i couldnt really process the image in my head. i guess seeing is believing.

bolehland is really losing out on this design escapade. Please no more lame-o Danga Bay like designs. our type of tropical design style is getting us nowhere.

there isn't enough love to give... for all the ladies

Women over 30 prefer to marry younger men

KUALA LUMPUR: Educated women above 30 prefer to marry younger men even though they are financially unsound and are less educated, a Universiti Malaya associate professor revealed in her working paper.

National Family Development and Population Board acting director-general Aminah Abdul Rahman said this was happening because women of this age found it hard to find men of the same education level, economic status or age. Most who fit this criterion were already married anyway.

She said this was based on a working paper by associate professor Tey Nai Peng from the Economic and Administration Faculty of Universiti Malaya titled “Marriage and Family Development in Malaysia” presented at a national seminar, Building the Future Generation, recently.

According to the working paper about 13% of women above the age of 30 and well educated in this country were still not married. Based on a racial breakdown, about 29% were Chinese followed by Indians (26%) and Malays (16%).

“But it is a different story altogether for bachelor professionals, and one of the major reasons for not getting hitched was that getting married was expensive.

“Of bachelors, 34.5% of those above 30 said it was economically not viable to get married because of the cost of marriages,” Aminah added

She said if this trend was not checked, it would certainly contribute to a fall in the fertility rate and this was expected to have a big implication on the plans for Vision 2020 in the next 15 years.