Bukit Tabur / Bukit Melawati @ Klang Gate (Part I)

Bukit Tabur (click on image to enlarge)

On Sunday early morning of 2 Nov 2008, I joined my wife and her collegues to have hill hiking at Bukit Tabur (Tabur Hill), which was also known as Bukit Melawati (Melawati Hill). Bukit Tabur is actually located near to Taman Desa Melawati, somewhere near to Setapak area. The actual map is shown as below:


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(The blue color icon is the west trail head to Bukit Tabur while the blue lines are Bukit Tabur hill. You may zoom-in to view the details roads) **(more information at the bottom of this blog)**

Bukit Tabur can be reached from MRR2 (Jalan Lingkaran Tengah 2 or Middle Ring Road 2) and exit to Taman Desa Melawati or the same exit to TARC (Tunku Abdul Rahman College) or UTAR (University Tunku Abdul Rahman) but opposite direction. Bukit Tabur can be easily spotted on MRR2. Bukit Tabur has two trails, west and east trail. The easier one is the west trail.

I had been quite some time did not go for hill hiking since I moved back to KL from Penang. I used to hike at Bukit Jambul, Penang. Bukit Tabur was quite new to me because it located quite far from my house. We reached to the west trailhead at 6am and it was raining lightly but the weather didn't undermine our determination to conquer Bukit Tabur. The journey was dark and rocky, thereby it is advisable to bring torch light and hand glove.

After around 40 minutes, we eventually reached to the half journey. It was the most beautiful and fascinating place in the whole journey. I was thrilled and excited when I saw the Klang Gate Dam surrounded with hill admist in the fresh mist. On the other side, KL early morning view was presented with streetlights were still shining.

Early morning KL view

Lake view and rocks

Iconic mountain view in Bukit Tabur

Fascinating misty lake

My wife and I @ Melawati Hill

Whole members - take1

Whole members - take2

Panoramic view of Bukit Tabur (click on image to enlarge)

Panoramic KL view from Bukit Tabur. Can you spot KL tower & KLCC?
(click on image to enlarge)

Can see Genting Highlands (using DSLR)

If you have sharp eagle eyes, you could spot Genting Highlands building!! By using high zoom-power digital SLR, you should be able to snap the building if the weather is not cloudy. Of course, I was able to spot it and it was a cool experience!

Sunrise @ Bukit Tabur (using DSRL)

The write up so far was only about the half journey to the Bukit Tabur (part I). Most of the hiker will stop here and return back by using the same route. If you have guts and stamina, you could continue the journey which needs another 45 minutes. The route is more challenging and dangerous. The picture below is Bukit Tabur whole journey where you need to pass through 5 or 6 rocky peaks.

Bukit Tabur whole journey with 5 or 6 rocky peaks

Bukit Tabur Video:

Video about Bukit Tabur / Bukit Melawati View

Map / Direction to Bukit Tabur / Bukit Melawati @ Klang Gate (updated on 30 March 09)

• From southern part of MRII. Will pass throught two roundabout in the residential area.
  

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• From the UTAR / TARC exit.
  

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• Visit Bukit Tabur Part II which was very adventurous and dangerous

Bukit Tabur Part II Picture

Malaysia Petrol & Diesel Price Chart since 1990

Malaysia Petrol Price Chart in 2008 (source: Malaysiakini)

On 3 Dec 2008, Malaysia government announced a "good news" that petrol and diesel prices were reduced 10sen to RM1.90 and RM1.80 respectively. I had made an update on Malaysia petrol and diesel price chart from year 1990 to 2008 as shown in the figure below:

Complete Malaysia Petrol and Diesel Price Chart since 1990
(updated on Jan 09)

Complete Malaysia Petrol and Diesel Price Table since 1990
(updated on Jan 09)

As Malaysian citizen, should we be happy and excited on the "good news"? Was this news much better than you expected? or you did not expect the petrol price was reduced so soon?

Malaysia petrol price vs global crude oil price (source: Anil Netto Blog)

According from Penang Chief Minister Lee Guan Eng , Malaysia petrol price should be RM1.52 and not RM1.90 because the global crude oil price was $50 per barrel. How did he claim this? By refering to Anil Netto Blog, it listed the Malaysia past petrol price with corresponding global crude oil price as shown in the figure above which I had re-plot the chart. From the data, it is clearly that Malaysia petrol price should be RM1.52, because the current crude oil price is around USD48-49 (as dated on today) which is same to the past petrol price on May 2005! In other words, we are paying more than what we supposely to pay! Are we subsidize goverment? Is goverment taking advantage on us?

Goverment should revise the petrol price immediately since Malaysia inflation rate is pretty high. The high inflation rate causes depreciation on RM even you put your hard earned money in fixed deposit FD!! I really hope another good annoucement on petrol price cut.

Aik Han & Jenny Wedding Dinner @ Banting

7 Dec 08 was an important day for my university coursemate, Heng Aik Han, because it was his wedding day. He married with his lovely wife called Jenny (Here is a link to their wedding photo). SER coursemates and I were invited to his wedding dinner at Banting.

Handsome Aik Han & lovely Jenny

Taking picture with bride & bridegroom

SER Gang

Besides attending wedding dinner, it was also a friend gathering time. It had been a long time that I had not met up with university friends. It was a pleasureable moment. I was happy to know that my university roommate, Jiunn Seng, was having girl friend from Melacca. The most interesting one, I was surprised by Roger Ng that he would be getting married in next year with his lovely girlfriend. Look at the photo above, he was so excited and thrilled....

Ah Seng & Roger Ng

EPF Contribution in Malaysia

Worldwide is entering into recession period, Malaysia is no way to be escaped from this big blow. Retrenchment is happening everywhere around the world, especially in US. In order to induce domestic growth, Malaysia government announced that EPF contribution by employees was cut from 11% down to 8%, in the hope to generate active internal money flow. EPF contribution by employers is remained the same at 12%. The EPF deduction is not compulsory. If you dont feel like to withdraw more money and want to maintain to 11%, you can fill up a form and submit it to EPF center.

EPF Contribution chart in Malaysia

The chart above depicts EPF contribution in Malaysia from year 1952. From the chart, the employee contribution varies from 8% to 11% since year 1992. While the employer contribution is remained the same at 12% since year 1995.

Conjunction of Moon, Venus, and Jupiter

Conjunction of Moon, Venus, and Jupiter

(source: http://www.stargazer.com.my)

On 1 Dec, smiling face could be seen in almost whole Asia. The smiling face was formed by the venus, jupiter and the moon. Why the heaven was smiling at us during the world recession period. Was the heaven giving hope and luck to us? Was the heaven giving support and spirit to us? Who will know? Only the God knows! haha..

Smilling face

unhappy face

On 3 Dec, the smiling face was turned into unhappy face. Was the heaven disappointed on us? What did the heaven signal about it? Who caused the heaven becoming unhappy? Any idea?

I think the heaven wants us to know that happiness and sadness are part of our life, so we must be brave to face our future challenges. You could be happy and sad, it is your choice in your life!

Google Map

I found Google Map very interesting and useful. It allows users to calculate the distance from one place to other place, and to add special landmarks or interesting places. I added a starting point from Semenyih town to Multimedia University, my current work place in Google Map. It estimated the distance to 35.8km and 41 minutes, which is quite true. Figure below are the route.

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I also added Semenyih Sentral zone into the Google Map. You should be able to search it from google.

Added Semenyih Sentral zone in Google Map!

Google Map does allow users to add photo to a place, making the place more informative. Feel free to try out!!

Added a Semenyih Sentral photo in Google Map!

Nephew: Jing Hong

I am a pig..(monster?)

Guess! Who is this guy with piggy face? Haha, he is my nephew; my elder brother's son, called Jing Hong. His nick name is Hong Hong. What a cute child. Sometimes he is quite naughty. Look at him, how he pretended himself as a pig to tease me :P

Macho Look?

Sometimes he is very cool and smart. Look at the photo above, he was wearing my father sunglass with his Apple kindergarten school uniform. "hehe, I am big boy already!"

Wearing Smart Coat.

I also teased him back. I used my handphone to capture his look with monkey and rabbit background.

Hehe, I can transform to a monkey

Becoming a cute cute rabbit

Playing diner dash game

Was he playing diner dash game in laptop? No lah.. my young brother was the one to play the game. He was just sitting aside and learning how to play the game.

Lantern Festival @ 2008

Jing Hong Robot

The picture above was a product from him, a robot built from Lasy. He has creative mind but sometime he will lose of patient :P

Ganbatte ne!

There is a link posting more pictures about Jing Hong. It is my brother blog, called Life Blogger!

FishMonger @ Semenyih Pasar / Market

Selling fish @ Semenyih Market/Pasar

My mother suddenly transformed from a housewife to a fishmonger, selling fishs at Semenyih market near to Semenyih Sentral. Did she look proffesional? What was the reason caused she had this change? Fed up becoming a housewife? The main reason is that my uncle having an accident, causing bone fracture in his leg. He was on hospilazation at Kajang KPS hospital for 1-2 months. Therefore my mother helped my uncle out on weekends.

Semenyih market / Pasar

In the past, my mother used to be a wet-market seller at Semenyih market, selling vegetables and fishs. Therefore there was no problem to her picking up this new task. Look at the photo, she was happily selling fish.... the lady at the back was my uncle's wife.

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