MY EYE

MY EYE:Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:49:00 +0000

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Length	1.90km kilometres ({{{length-mi}}} miles)
Direction	North -South
Start	Chow Kit
Main destinations	Medan Tuanku Dang Wangi Dataran Merdeka
End	Jalan Tun Perak
Roads joined	Genting Klang-Pahang Highway Jalan Ipoh Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz Jalan Chow Kit Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) Jalan Dang Wangi Jalan Tun Perak Jalan Raja
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Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Chow Kit

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, facing towards Merdeka Square.

The shopping strip along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur.

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman or formerly Batu Road is a prominent road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and is named after the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia.

It is located in the business district of Kuala Lumpur and is a stones throw away from Dataran Merdeka and Little India

History

The road was previously known as Batu Road as it was originally a path leading to the Batu village where mining activities took place.

In the 1930s, development overtook the village turning the swamps, rice fields and coconut estates in the area into one of the busiest roads in Kuala Lumpur.

Traders here sell a variety of items along with the retailers, wholesalers, and hawkers. There are also hotels and a cinema here.

Post-war buildings with interesting architectural designs are also part of the road’s draw.

The road was later renamed after the country’s first Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad. He was also the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Seri Menanti and second Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan.

In present day, the older folks still refer to the road as Batu Lut, a localised version of its old name while the younger generation often refer to it as Jalan TAR.

Attractions

The road comes alive early in the day and is always bustling with activities as shoppers throng the street for its many boutiques and shopping arcades.

The road is a haven for textile companies, carpet traders and small boutiques that sell modern Malay designs. There are also many small second-hand books dealers who have thrived despite the boom of giant bookstore chains.

One of the significant landmarks on the road is the Coliseum cinema. It is still popular and screens movies that cater to different segments of society, mainly Tamil movies.

At the end of the road, the newly-built Maju Junction stands tall, creating a modern touch to the surrounding older architecture.

MY EYE:SMART Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:34:00 +0000

E38 Expressway
Syarikat Mengurus Air Banjir dan Terowong Sdn Bhd (SMART)
Length	4 kilometres (2.4 miles)
Direction	North→South
Start	Jalan Tun Razak on Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1
Main destinations	Cheras Petaling Jaya Seremban Melaka Johor Bahru Bukit Bintang Imbi
End	Sungai Besi Airport on AH 2 Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway
Construction dates	2003 - 2007
Road/Expressway joined	Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1 AH 2 Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway Sultan Ismail-Kampung Pandan Link Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road
Asian Highway Network	none
Technical specifications
Development Cost	RM1,887 million (US$514.6 million)
Number of lanes	4 lanes (double-decker)
Interchanges	3
Toll plazas	4
P Layby	1 (at SMART Tunnel Operation Office)
R&R Rest and Service Area	none
R&R Overhead Bridge Restaurant	none
V Vista Point	none
Highway tunnels	1
Type of roads	Motorway tunnel Concrete
Toll systems	Open toll systems
Highway patrol unit	SMART RONDA
Hotline service	SMART HELPLINE
Maps
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The "Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel" or "SMART Tunnel", is a storm drainage and road structure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a major national project in the country. The 9.7 km (6.0 miles) tunnel is the longest stormwater tunnel in South East Asia and second longest in Asia.

The main objective of this tunnel is to solve the problem of flash floods in Kuala Lumpur and also to reduce traffic jams along Jalan Sungai Besi and Lok Yew flyover at Pudu during rush hour. There are two components of this tunnel, the stormwater tunnel and motorway tunnel. It is the longest multi-purpose tunnel in the world.

It begins at Kampung Berembang lake near Klang River at Ampang and ends at Taman Desa lake near Kerayong River at Salak South. The project is led by the government, including Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran = JPS) and also a company joint venture pact between Gamuda Berhad and Malaysian Mining Corporation Berhad (MMC).

Route background

The Kilometre Zero of the tunnel starts at Salak Interchange.

History

Construction of the tunnel began in 25 November 2003. Two Herrenknecht's Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) from Germany were used, including "Tuah" on north side and "Gemilang" on south side.

On 11 December 2003, the 13.2 m diameter Mixshield TBM, Tuah, completed a 737 m section after 24 weeks of excavation. By the end of January 2004, Tuah would start a second drive covering a distance of 4.5 km to Kampung Berembang lake. A second TBM, Gemilang, has bored 350 m since getting underway in August 2004. Operated by Wayss & Freytag of Germany, this second Herrenknecht's TBM would drive 5.3 km in the south of the city to Taman Desa lake.

On 22 April 2006, the Gemilang's TBM completed digging on the south side at the Taman Desa outfall, while the Tuah's TBM completed digging in the Kampung Berembang area in 2 April 2007.

The motorway sections on the SMART system was officially opened at 3:00PM, 14 May 2007, after multiple delays.

Meanwhile, the stormwater sections on the SMART system began operations at the end of June 2007.

How SMART Tunnel works

First mode (Normal conditions)

The first mode, under normal conditions where there is no storm, no flood water will be diverted into the system.

Second mode (Most storms)

When the second mode is activated, flood water is diverted into the bypass tunnel in the lower channel of the motorway tunnel. The motorway section is still open to traffic at this stage.

Third mode (Major storms)

When this mode is in operation, the motorway will be closed to all traffic. After making sure all vehicles have exited the motorway, automated water-tight gates will be opened to allow flood waters to pass through. The motorway will be reopened to traffic within 48 hours of closure.

Tunnel safety

Ventilation or escape shafts at 1 km intervals provide ventilation within the motorway. To protect the ventilation system during floods, the system consist of a series of shafts; each containing an exhaust and fresh air injector. This design enables fans situated outside the SMART Tunnel to create a longitudinal flow in the tunnel between the shafts that permits the air in the tunnel to be continuously renewed and to enable extraction of exhaust fumes. The feature also allows smoke control in the event of a fire. The SMART Tunnel is also equipped with fire-fighting, telecommunication and surveillance equipments at 1 km intervals.

Technical specifications

SMART Tunnel during a test on 29 January 2007

The north bound entrance of SMART Tunnel on the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway.

Stormwater tunnel

Construction cost: RM1,887 million (US$514.6 million)
Stormwater tunnel length: 9.7 km (6.0 mi)
Diameter: 13.2 m (43.3 ft) (outer diameter)
Tunnelling method: Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)
TBM type: Slurry shield

Motorway tunnel

Motorway tunnel length: 4 km (2.5 mi)
Structure type: Double Deck
Ingress and egress: 1.5 km (0.93 mi) at Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Imbi
Length: 1.4 km (0.87 mi) at Jalan Tun Razak
Links: 1.6 km (1 mi) at Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway Links: City Centre near Kg. Pandan Roundabout KL-Seremban Expressway near Sungai Besi Airport

Features

Longest tunnel in Malaysia.
9.7 km (6.03 miles) stormwater by-pass tunnel.
4 km (2.49 miles) double-deck motorway within stormwater tunnel.
The motorway tunnel is suitable for light vehicles only. Motorcycles and heavy vehicles are not allowed.
Ingress and egress connections to the motorway tunnel linking the southern gateway to the city centre.
Holding basin complete with diversion and tunnel intake structures.
Storage reservoir and a twin-box culvert to release flood discharge.
State-of-the-art operations control room equipped with the latest systems in operations management, surveillance and maintenance of the SMART system.
Custom-made fire engine units consisting two modified Toyota Hilux, parked at two different locations for quick access to the tunnel in case of fire at both carriageways.

Toll rates

Class	Type of vehicles	Rate (in Malaysian ringgit (RM))	Notes
1	Private car	RM 2.00	TnG and TAG are also available at this toll plaza.
4	Taxis	RM 2.00	Toll charges are paid by passengers only.

FM Radio channels available in the tunnel

Radio	Frequencies
Klasik Nasional FM	87.7 MHz
KL FM	97.2 MHz
Muzik FM	95.3 MHz
Hot FM	97.6 MHz
Fly FM	95.8 MHz
hitz.fm	92.9 MHz
Traxx FM	90.3 MHz

List of interchanges

From/To East-West Link Expressway

km	Interchange	To	Remarks
0		EAST-WEST LINK EXPRESSWAY SOUTHEAST Cheras NORTHWEST Petaling Jaya Shah Alam	Direction Y junctions
AH 2 KUALA LUMPUR-SEREMBAN EXPRESSWAY MetaCorp border limit
SMART TUNNEL SMART border limit
	P SMART Tunnel operation office	TnG TAG i Customer Service Centre SMART Tunnel operation office	South bound on Cheras, Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam stretches only
SMART toll plaza SMART RM (Cash) TnG TAG TAG TnG RM (Cash) Open toll system Pay toll
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Dry sections Start/End of tunnel Maximum height 2 m Speed limit 60 km/h
			From/To Motorway tunnel

From/To Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway

km	To	Remarks
	SOUTH AH 2 KUALA LUMPUR-SEREMBAN EXPRESSWAY Kompleks Sukan Negara Klang AH 2 NORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY SOUTHERN ROUTE Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) AH 2 Seremban AH 2 Melaka AH 2 Johor Bahru
AH 2 KUALA LUMPUR-SEREMBAN EXPRESSWAY MetaCorp border limit
SMART TUNNEL SMART border limit
0
SMART toll plaza SMART RM (Cash) TnG TAG TAG TnG RM (Cash) Open toll system Pay toll
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Dry sections Start/End of tunnel Maximum height 2 m Speed limit 60 km/h
		From/To Motorway tunnel

Motorway tunnel

km	Exit	Interchange	To	Remarks
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Dry sections Start/End of tunnel Maximum height 2 m Speed limit 60 km/h
	EXIT 3801	Motorway Tunnel Dry sections Tunnel exit south bound	EXIT 3801A P SMART Tunnel Operation Office EAST-WEST LINK EXPRESSWAY Cheras Petaling Jaya Shah Alam EXIT 3801B AH 2 KUALA LUMPUR-SEREMBAN EXPRESSWAY AH 2 Kompleks Sukan Negara Klang AH 2 NORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY SOUTHERN ROUTE Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) AH 2 Seremban AH 2 Melaka AH 2 Johor Bahru	Tunnel interchange
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Dry sections
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Water gate boundary
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Wet sections
		Motorway Tunnel Wet sections
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Wet sections
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Water gate boundary
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Dry sections
	EXIT 3802	Motorway Tunnel Dry sections Tunnel exit north bound	EXIT 3802A SULTAN ISMAIL LINK TUNNEL JALAN DAVIS KUALA LUMPUR INNER RING ROAD Jalan Imbi Jalan Sultan Ismail Jalan Bukit Bintang EXIT 3802B KUALA LUMPUR MIDDLE RING ROAD I JALAN TUN RAZAK (Jalan Pekeliling) Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Ampang	Tunnel interchange Lower floor
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Dry sections Start/End of tunnel Maximum height 2 m Speed limit 60 km/h
SMART TUNNEL Start/End of expressway SMART border limit
KUALA LUMPUR MIDDLE RING ROAD 1 DBKL border limit
			NORTH KUALA LUMPUR MIDDLE RING ROAD I JALAN TUN RAZAK (Jalan Pekeliling) Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Ampang

Sultan Ismail link tunnel

km	Exit	Interchange	To	Remarks
	EXIT 3802	Sultan Ismail link tunnel Dry sections Tunnel entry south bound	MOTORWAY TUNNEL Cheras Petaling Jaya AH 2 Kompleks Sukan Negara Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) AH 2Seremban AH 2Melaka AH 2Johor Bahru	Tunnel interchange Upper floor
MOTORWAY TUNNEL Dry sections Start/End of tunnel Maximum height 2 m Speed limit 60 km/h
SMART TUNNEL Start/End of expressway SMART border limit
JALAN DAVIS DBKL border limit
			NORTHWEST SULTAN ISMAIL-KAMPUNG PANDAN LINK (JALAN DAVIS) KUALA LUMPUR INNER RING ROAD Jalan Imbi Jalan Sultan Ismail Jalan Bukit Bintang

Tunnel in popular culture

The SMART Tunnel was featured in an episode of Extreme Engineering on the Discovery Channel.
The SMART Tunnel was featured in an episode of Truly Malaysia on the National Geographic Channel.
The SMART Tunnel was featured in an episode of Man Made Marvels on the Science Channel.
The SMART Tunnel was featured in an episode of Megastructures on the National Geographic Channel

MY EYE:Masjid Jamek

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:20:00 +0000

Masjid Jamek is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak River and was designed by Arthur Benison Hubback.

History

The Sultan of Selangor officially opened the mosque in 1909, two years after construction was completed. The mosque was built on the first Malay burial ground in the city. Before the national mosque, Masjid Negara, was opened in 1965, Masjid Jamek served as Kuala Lumpur's main mosque.

Features

The mosque has a Moorish architecture. Across the Klang River stands the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, a building that was designed by the same architect and shares a similar style.
Nearby is the Masjid Jamek LRT station that is served by the Kelana Jaya Line, Sri Petaling Line and Ampang Line. Dataran Merdeka is also nearby.

MY EYE:Carcosa Seri Negara

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:04:00 +0000

Carcosa Seri Negara is a luxury hotel on two adjacent hills inside the Lake Gardens park in Kuala Lumpur. It is owned by the Malaysian Government. The hotel includes two colonial mansions, one named Carcosa, the other Seri Negara.

Carcosa

The Carcosa mansion was built in 1896-1897 as the official residence of Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham the first British High Commissioners in Malaya of the then Resident-General of the Federated Malay States. It was designed by Arthur Charles Norman a senior government architect of the Public Works Department in Malaya, at a cost of about $25,000. With the eclectic fusion of Neo-Gothic and Tudor styles, the residence has more than eight bedrooms including master bedroom and guest rooms; and eleven bathrooms..
It became a hotel in 1989.

Seri Negara

Seri Negara or Beautiful Country in Malay, was originally known as the Governor's Residence when it opened in 1913 as the official guest house of Governor of the Straits Settlement. Later it was called King's House.
King's House was vacated by the British High Commissioner on August 31, 1957, and returned to the Malayan Government. It was then opened as the Istana Tetamu or Guest's Palacehosting many a visiting dignitary. In 1989, when it was combined with Carcosa into a luxury hotel, the building was renamed Seri Negara.

The name CARCOSA

Choice of name explained by Sir Frank Swettenham.
To the Editor of “British Malaya” [British Malaya, May 1936]

SIR,

In the April magazine your correspondent in Malaya asks me, in courteous terms, to tell him why I gave the name “Carcosa” to the house that was designed and built for me at Kuala Lumpur by the late Mr. C.E. Spooner, assisted by Mr. A.B. Hubback – as he was in those days – and I have no objection to answer the question even though the simple truth may spoil a number of excellent stories. When this house was finished and occupied I read a book which interested me. It was called “The King in Yellow” and at the beginning of this book there were some verses with a note explaining that they came from Cassilda’s song in “The King in Yellow”, Act 1, Scene 2. Here are two verses: -
“Strange is the night where black stars rise, And twin moons circle in the skies, But the stranger still is Lost Carcosa.”
“Song of my soul, my voice is dead; Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed Shall dry and die in Lost Carcosa.”
I did not call the Resident General’s dwelling “Government House,” or “King’s House,” because neither seemed an appropriate name in Protected States. I did not give it a Malay name, because it was to be the residence of a British Officer; so I took a book name as has often been done before.
As to the word Carcosa, I imagine it was the Castle of the King in Yellow, but the book explains nothing about either the place or its occupant. That apparently can be found in the play, to which there are only occasional allusions. Probably it is a word created by the author’s fancy, though it looks like a combination of the Italian words cara and casa and would mean “desirable dwelling,” as indeed I found it.
The only curious fact is that this name was prophetic for, as I understand, the house has lost its name and is thus, “Lost Carcosa.” The occupant, I am told, is now styled “F.S,” instead of “R.G.”

Yours obediently, FRANK SWETTENHAM
19 April, 1936.

Afternoon Tea

One of Carcosa Seri Negara's trademarks is the English afternoon tea, served in the elegant drawing room, or on the charming wrap-around verandah, overlooking the beautiful gardens. It is served daily.

History

With Malaysian independence imminent in September 1956, the Chief Minister of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman, presented the deeds of Carcosa and its 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land to the British Government as a gift, a token of goodwill. He moved a resolution in the Federal Legislative Council which read, "That this Council approve of the proposal to make a free gift of the house and buildings known as "Carcosa", together with the gardens and land attached, as a token of the goodwill of the Malayan people to Her Majesty's Government, for use as the residence and office of the future representative of that government in an Independent Federation."
Carcosa then became residence to a succession of British High Commissioners.
The Carcosa “issue” was taken up by young radical politicians, in particular one Anwar Ibrahim. "By 1987, my father had highlighted the absurdity of letting go of such massive 40 acres (160,000 m2) of prime land to the British and successfully led the campaign for the Malaysian government to own it, yet again".
Carcosa was returned to the Government of Malaysia in 1987. was the official residence for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, when the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1989 was held in Kuala Lumpur.

An early photo of Carcosa

MY EYE:Coliseum Theatre (Kuala Lumpur)

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:43:00 +0000

The Coliseum Theatre is one of a handful of remaining pre-war cinemas in Kuala Lumpur that still plays films, as of 2007. Two-storey shop buildings housing the Coliseum Café and Hotel are seen in the background, on the right.

AddressJalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
City:Kuala Lumpur
Country:Malaysia
Owned by Khor Joo Saik Sdn Bhd
Capacity:900 people
Type:Movie theatre
Opened:1921
Years:active 88

The Coliseum Theatre is a movie theater in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. One of the oldest movie theaters in the country, it was built in 1921 by the Chua family led by Chua Cheng Bok. The Art Deco-style building is capable of seating 900 people and also features a balcony. The famed Coliseum Café and Hotel are located behind the theatre, just down the road. The oldest and continuously running cinema hall in the country (save for a break during the Japanese occupation during World War II), most of the movies premiering in the building are Indian movies. After Chua Cheng Bok's demise in 1940, his estate continued to administer the Coliseum until its acquisition in 1973 by a company owned by his nephew Dr Chua Boon Teck and his wife Mdm Khor Joo Saik.

In 2006, the Malaysian government proposed to close the theater and turn it into a cultural heritage center, but relented when there was a public outcry to the scheme. The government later decided not to close the cinema. Instead, they planned to build a cap park nearby.

In that year, Dr Chua Seong Siew, elder son of the late owners Dr Chua Boon Teck and Mdm Khor Joo Saik, had successfully appealed for the cinema theater to remain open, and so it continues to operate to this day.

MY EYE:National Art Gallery (Malaysia)

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:19:00 +0000

National Art Gallery (Malaysia)

The National Art Gallery of Malaysia (Malay: Balai Seni Lukis Negara) was established on August 28, 1958, by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia. The gallery is also a statutory body and an agency under the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Tourism of Malaysia.
The gallery is situated along Jalan Tun Razak, on the northern edge of central Kuala Lumpur. It is located next to the Istana Budaya, which is Malaysia's main venue for all types of theatre including musical theater, operetta, classical concert and opera from local and international performances.

MY EYE:Kuala Lumpur Tower

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Kuala Lumpur Tower

The Kuala Lumpur Tower (officially known as Menara Kuala Lumpur; referred later as KL Tower) is a tall tower located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its construction was finished in 1994. It is used for communication purposes and features an antenna that reaches 421 m (1,381 ft), which currently makes it the fifth tallest freestanding tower in the world. The roof of the pod is at 335 m (1,099 ft). The rest of the tower below has a stairwell and an elevator to reach the upper area, which also contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners a beautiful view of the city. Races are organized yearly where participants race up the stairs to the top. The tower also acts as the Islamic falak observatory to look for the crescent moon to mark the beginning of Muslim month of Ramadhan, Syawal, and Zulhijjah, to celebrate fasting month of Ramadhan, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha.

Construction

The construction of the KL Tower which began on 4 October 1989 was a 3-phase process. The first phase was the widening of Jalan Punchak and the excavation of soil from the construction site. This phase went on until 15 August 1992.

On 6 July 1990, the second phase began with the construction of the foundation and basement of the tower. Approximately 50,000 cubic meters of concrete were continuously poured for 31 hours thus setting a record in the Malaysian construction industry. The foundation work, requiring no piling, was completed by 1 April 1991.

The third phase was the construction of the 'superstructure' which began in 1 May 1992. The tedious construction of the tower started with the erection of the tower shaft, then the tower head. As the finishing touches to the tower head were being done, the construction of the touristic building began.

The touristic building is adorned with designs that reflect the Malaysian Islamic culture. The main lobby of the upper ground floor is decorated with exquisite glass-clad domes that sparkle like giant diamonds. These domes were designed and arranged in the form of the Muqarnas by Iranian craftsmen from Isfahan.

On 13 September 1992, Prime Minister, YAB Dato Seri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad performed the Topping-up Ceremony where the antenna mast was installed, thus marking the final height of the tower, 421 meters above the ground. Lastly installation of the facilities and amenities was executed to ensure comfort and safety.

The KL Tower was officially opened by the Prime Minister on 1 June 1994. Among the distinguished guests to the Tower were the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Jaafar, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Najihah, the wives of the Sultan of Brunei, DYMM Paduka Seri Baginda Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha and DYTM Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam.

Facts

The KL Tower is the fifth tallest telecommunication tower in the world (after the CN Tower in Canada, the Ostankino Tower in Russia, the Oriental Pearl Tower in China, and the Borj-e Milad in Iran). Built to enhance the quality of telecommunication services and the clarity of broadcasting, KL Tower represents the symbol of Kuala Lumpur.

The structure is divided into 5 basic sections:

1. The foundation base houses 3 basement floors for safety purposes, storage and maintenance work.
2. The touristic building bears the administration office, souvenir shops and the 146 meters pedestrian mall with cascading pools.
3. The tower shaft comprises 22 levels with 4 elevators and flights of stairs with a total of 2,058 steps.
4. The tower head holds the public observation platform (276 m) and revolving restaurant as well as the telecommunication and broadcasting stations.
5. The antenna mast crowns the tower and is specially utilized for telecommunication and broadcasting transmissions.

When constructing the KL Tower, the builders took special care to construct a retaining wall around a 100-year-old jelutong tree (Dyera costulata). The tower was moved at a cost of RM430, 000 to avoid harming the monumental tree, which is found near the pedestrian mall.

KL Tower is managed by Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn. Bhd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Telekom Malaysia Group.

KL Tower is also the first pit-stop in The Amazing Race Asia 1 and fielded a route marker on the final leg of the same race.

MY EYE:Petaling Street

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:17:00 +0000

Petaling Street

Petaling Street (Malay: Jalan Petaling, Simplified Chinese: 茨厂街, Traditional Chinese: 茨廠街, pinyin: Cíchǎng Jiē, Cantonese: Chee Cheong Kai) is a Chinatown located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is infamous for pirated clothes and accessories along with bootleg DVDs and CDs. Petaling Street however does not exclusively offer pirated products. Haggling is a common sight here and the place is usually crowded with locals as well as tourists.
The area has dozens of restaurants and food stalls, serving local favorites such as Hokkien mee, ikan bakar (barbecued fish), asam laksa and curry noodles. Traders here are mainly Chinese but there are also Indian, Malay, and Bangladeshi traders.

History and development

The original Chinatown centered on Market Square. High Street, now known as Jalan Tun H.S. Lee, became increasingly popular as it was higher than the rest of the town and therefore less prone to floods. The wealthier and more ornate shop houses were built north of Jalan Cheng Lock, closer to the business centre.
Kuala Lumpur was a typical "pioneer" town at the turn of the century, filled with a rough and tough population that was largely male.
They were largely Cantonese and Hakkas who came to the city because of the tin trade, working as coolies in the mines. They were governed by a Chinese Capitan or headmen. The most famous Chinese Capitan is Yap Ah Loy, a Hakka.
In 1870, civil war erupted with the Chinese community being split along partisan lines into the Cantonese Ghee Hin and the Hakka Hai San secret societies. The British were called in to help end the strife but many of the buildings in the settlement were burnt down or severely damaged.
During the Selangor Civil War, the tin mines were abandoned and when the miners returned after the war, they found that the mines were flooded and therefore could not work. Yap Ah Loy persuaded the miners and coolies to remain in KL and the Malays in surrounding districts to grow rice and other garden products. He opened a Tapioca Mill in Petaling Street where the tubers from his farms were brought here to be ground into flour. Petaling Street is still fondly called ‘Chee Cheong Kai’ in Cantonese which means starch Factory Street.

Features

There is a McDonalds on the 1st shop lot of Petaling Street. Located inside Petaling Street is a 3-star Business Class and Hostel like: Hotel Malaya and Swiss Inn Hotel, and no frills hotel, Stay orange Hotel. Also near there are a Chinese bookshop and a few stalls selling Hainanese chicken rice and Noodles. A small longan stall is also located there.
Nearby is Masjid Jamek, an old mosque of Moorish architecture while a tourist spot known as Central Market is within walking distance. Also nearby are the Pasar Seni LRT station of the Kelana Jaya Line and the Maharajalela Monorail station.
One of the most famous landmarks, the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, is located along Jalan Tun H.S. Lee is KL's Chinatown. It is one of KL's oldest and richest Hindu temples. It receives many devotees and tourists daily.
Development

In 2003, the road underwent a major RM11.3mil face lift with two large Chinese arches placed at both ends of the street to welcome visitors. It still pulls in many tourists, who go there to shop and will be regarded as a heritage site.
However, Petaling Street is still the best place to shop for counterfeit branded products and has large selection of local Chinese cuisine. For buyers, it is often possible to negotiate the price tag of an item such as watches, clothing and all counterfeit items. Petaling Street does not exclusively offer pirated products. Haggling is a common sight here and the place is usually crowded with locals as well as tourists.

MY PHOTO(S):

MY EYE:National Mosque

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:11:00 +0000

National Mosque

The Masjid Negara is the national mosque of Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur. It has a capacity of 15.000 people and is situated among 13 acres (53.000 m2) of beautiful gardens. The original structure was designed by a three-person team from the Public Works Department - UK architect Howard Ashley, and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin Kassim. Originally built in 1965, it is a bold and modern approach in reinforced concrete, symbolic of the aspirations of a then newly-independent India.

Its key features are a 73-meter-high minaret and an 18-pointed star concrete main roof. The umbrella, synonymous with the Tropics, is featured conspicuously - the main roof is Reminiscent of an open umbrella, the minarets cap a folded one. The folded plates of the concrete main roof is a creative solution to achieving the larger spans required in the main gathering hall. Reflecting Pools and Fountains spread throughout the compound.

Local reports have drawn metaphors about the significance of its main roof: 18 points symbolize the (then) 13 states of Malaysia and the Five Pillars of Islam. However, design member Hisham Albakri revealed in an interview with Badan Warisan Malaysia that this was Erroneous.

History

Malaya gained its independence from the British government on 31 August 1957. Major development programs in areas of economy, social and architecture were actively implemented in line with the new government. The programs were also to portray new progressive culture and achieved democracy. Therefore, on 30 July 1957, in the meeting of the Federal Executive Council an idea to build a national mosque as a symbol of the country's independence was mooted. In another meeting on 5 March 1958, Chief Ministers of the eleven states in the Federation of Malaya, a proposal was made to name the mosque Masjid Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, in recognition of the Royal Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj's Guiding the country in efforts to gaining independence. However, Tunku refused this honor; on the contrary he named it the National Mosque in thanksgiving for the country's peaceful independence without bloodshed.

The mosque underwent major Renovations in 1987, and the once-pink concrete roof is now clad in green and blue tiles. Today, Masjid Negara continues to stand sleek and stylish against the Kuala Lumpur skyline. An underground passage leads to the National Mosque located near the railway station, along Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin. Its unique modern design embodies a contemporary expression of traditional Islamic art calligraphy and ornamentation. Near the mosque is the Makam Pahlawan (Heroes' Mausoleum), a burial ground of several Malaysian politicians. Bukittinggi is a 7-pointed star concrete roofed structure.

Imams of Masjid Negara

1. Ghazali Haji Abdullah (1965)

2. Hj. Mohd Salleh Hassan Farid
3. Datuk Hj Sheikh ibn Abdul Mohsein. Kes (1974-1975)
4. Dato 'Hj. Shahir Ahmad ibn Haji Daud (1975-1980)
5. Dato 'Hj. Hassan Din Al-Hafiz (1981-1983)
6. Dato 'Hj. Shahir Ahmad ibn Haji Daud (1984-1992)
7. Arifin Haji Harun (1992-1993)
8. Haji Md Taib Azamudden. Taib (1993-1999)
9. Haji A. Jalil ibn Sindring (1999-Sep. 2001)
10. Haji Wan Halim ibn Harun (2001-2004)
11. Dato 'Haji Kamaruddin Hj Zakaria ibn (2005-2006)
12. Tan Sri Dato 'Sheikh Hj.Ismail ibn Hj.Muhammad (February 2007-current.)

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PETRONAS Twin Towers

noreply@blogger.com (AMSYAR) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:58:00 +0000

The PETRONAS Twin Towers (Malay: Menara Berkembar Petronas) (also known as the PETRONAS Towers or just Twin Towers), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are twin towers and were the world's tallest buildings before being surpassed by Taipei 101. However, the towers are still the tallest twin buildings in the world. They were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004 if measured from the level of the main entrance to the structural top, the original height reference used by the US-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat from 1969 (three additional height categories were introduced as the tower neared completion in 1996).

Comparison with other towers

The Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004, as measured to the top of their structural components (spires, but not antennas).Spires are considered integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The Petronas Twin Towers remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.

The Willis Tower and the World Trade Center towers were each constructed with 110 occupied floors – 22 more than the Petronas Twin Towers’ 88 floors. The Willis Tower and the World Trade Center’s roofs and highest occupied floors substantially exceeded the height of the roof and highest floors of the Petronas Twin Towers. The Willis Tower’s tallest antenna is 75 m (246 ft) taller than the Petronas Twin Towers’ spires. However,in accordance to CTBUH, the pinnacles contributed to the overall height of the towers, thus surpassing the Willis Tower.

The PETRONAS Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004, as measured to the top of their structural components (spires, but not antennas). Spires are considered integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The PETRONAS Twin Towers remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.

The Willis Tower and the World Trade Center towers were each constructed with 110 occupied floors – 22 more than the PETRONAS Twin Towers’ 88 floors. The Willis Tower and the World Trade Center’s roofs and highest occupied floors substantially exceeded the height of the roof and highest floors of the PETRONAS Twin Towers. The Willis Tower’s tallest antenna is 75 m (246 ft) taller than the PETRONAS Twin Towers’ spires. However, in accordance to CTBUH regulations and guidelines the antennas of the Willis Tower were not counted as part of its architectural features. The spires on the PETRONAS Towers are included in the height since they are not antenna masts. Therefore, the PETRONAS Twin Towers exceed the official height of the Willis Tower by 10 m, but the Willis Tower has more floors and much higher square footage.

History

Designed by Argentine-American architect César Pelli, the PETRONAS Towers were completed in 1998 after a seven year build and became the tallest buildings in the world on the date of completion. They were built on the site of Kuala Lumpur's race track. Because of the depth of the bedrock, the buildings were built on the world's deepest foundations. The 120-meter foundations, were built within 12 months by Bachy Soletanche, and required massive amounts of concrete.

The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion. Another Islamic influence on the design is that the cross section of the towers is based on a Rub el Hizb (albeit with circular sectors added to meet office space requirements).

Due to a lack of steel and the huge cost of importing steel, the towers were constructed on a cheaper radical design of super high-strength reinforced concrete. High-strength concrete is a material familiar to Asian contractors and twice as effective as steel in sway reduction; however, it makes the building twice as heavy on its foundation as a comparable steel building. Supported by 23-by-23 meter concrete cores and an outer ring of widely spaced super columns, the towers use a sophisticated structural system that accommodates its slender profile and provides 560,000 square meters of column-free office space. Below the twin towers is Suria KLCC, a shopping mall, and Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, the home of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Other buildings have used spires to increase their height but have always been taller overall to the pinnacle when trying to claim the title. In the aftermath of the controversy, the rules governing official titles were partially overhauled, and a number of buildings re-classified structural antenna as architectural details to boost their height rating (even though nothing was actually done to the building).

Tenants of the PETRONAS Twin Towers

Tower One is fully occupied by PETRONAS and a number of its subsidiaries and associate companies, while the office spaces in Tower Two are mostly available for lease to other companies. A number of companies have offices in Tower Two, including Accenture, Al Jazeera English, Carigali Hess Bloomberg, Boeing, IBM, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, McKinsey & Co, TCS, HCL Technologies, Krawler Networks, Microsoft, The Agency (a modeling company) and Reuters.

KLCC Park

Spanning 17 acres (69,000 m2) below the building is the KLCC Park with jogging and walking paths, a fountain with incorporated light show, wading pools, and a children's playground. Suria KLCC is one of the largest shopping malls in Malaysia.

Sky Bridge

The towers feature a sky bridge between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors, which is the highest 2-story bridge in the world. It is not directly bolted to the main structure, but is instead designed to slide in and out of the towers to prevent it from breaking during high winds. The bridge is 170 m (558 ft) above the ground and 58 m (190 ft) long, weighing 750 tons. The same floor is also known as the podium, since visitors desiring to go to higher levels have to change elevators here. The sky bridge is open to all visitors, but free passes (limited to 1700 people per day) must be obtained on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors are only allowed on the 41st floor as the 42nd floor can only be used by the tenants of the building.

The sky bridge also acts as a safety device, so that in the event of a fire or other emergency in one tower, tenants can evacuate by crossing the sky bridge to the other tower. The total evacuation triggered by a bomb hoax on September 12, 2001 (the day after the September 11 attacks destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City) showed that the bridge would not be useful if both towers need to be emptied simultaneously, as the capacity of the staircases was insufficient for such an event. Plans thus call for the lifts to be used if both towers need to be evacuated, and a successful drill following the revised plan was conducted in 2005.

The lift system

The main bank of Otis lifts is located in the centre of each tower. All main lifts are double-decker with the lower deck of the lift taking passengers to odd numbered floors and upper deck to even numbered floors. In order to access an even numbered floor from ground level, passengers are required to use an escalator to access the upper deck of the elevator.

From the ground floor, there are three groups of lifts. The "short haul" group of 6 lifts takes passengers to floors between level 2/3 and level 16/17. The "mid haul" group of 6 lifts takes passengers to floors between level 18/19 and level 37/38. There is also a set of shuttle lifts that take passengers directly to levels 41/42. In order to get to levels above 41/42, passengers are required to take the shuttle lifts and then change lifts to the upper floors. These connecting lifts are placed directly above the lifts serving levels 2 to 38. The pattern now repeats with the upper levels, one set serving levels 43/44 to 57/58 and one set serving levels 59/60 to levels 73/74.

Apart from this main bank of lifts, there are a series of "connecting" lifts to take people between the groups. Unlike the main lifts, these are not the double-decker type. Two lifts are provided to take people from levels 37/38 to levels 41/42 (levels 39 and 40 are not accessible as office space). This avoids the need for someone situated at the lower half of the building to go down to the ground floor in order to gain access to the upper half of the building.

The lifts contain a number of safety features. It is possible to evacuate people from a lift stuck between floors by manually driving one of the adjacent lifts next to it and opening a panel in the wall. It is then possible for people in the stuck lift to walk between elevator cars. During an evacuation of the buildings, only the shuttle lift is allowed to be used, as there are only doors at levels G/1 and levels 41/42; therefore should there be a fire in the lower half of the building, this enclosed shaft would remain unaffected. Firefighter lifts are also provided in case of emergency.

Service building

The service building is to the east of the PETRONAS Towers and contains the services required to keep the building operational, such as dissipating the heat from the air-conditioning system for all 88 levels in both towers.

Notable events

Thousands of people were evacuated on September 12, 2001 after a bomb threat was phoned in the day after the September 11 attacks destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Bomb Disposal squads found no bomb in the PETRONAS towers but they evacuated everyone. Workers and shoppers were allowed to return three hours later, around noon. No-one was hurt during the evacuation.

On the evening of November 4, 2005, a fire broke out in the cinema complex of the Suria KLCC shopping centre below the PETRONAS Twin Towers, triggering panic among patrons who joined screaming in the thick, acrid smoke. There were no reports of injuries. The buildings were largely empty (except the shopping mall, Suria KLCC) because of the late hour; the only people involved were moviegoers and some diners in restaurants.

On the morning of September 1, 2009, French urban climber, Alain "Spiderman" Robert, using only his bare hands and feet and with no safety devices, scaled to the top of Tower Two in just under 2 hours after two previous efforts had ended in arrest. On March 20, 1997, police arrested him at the 60th floor, 28 floors away from the "summit." He made a second attempt on March 20, 2007, exactly 10 years later, and was stopped once again on the same floor (though on the other tower).

Popular culture

The PETRONAS Towers were a setting for some scenes in the 1999 film Entrapment starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.[30] It ends in a dramatic pursuit of the two stars by the Pasukan Gerakan Khas, eventually leading to Connery's capture and Zeta-Jones's escape. In the episode "Bound and Buried", in Life After People: The Series, the towers are shown collapsing 500 years after people due to corrosion and the weakening of the concrete columns. The towers also feature in three levels of the game Hitman 2: Silent Assassin where the player travels from one tower to another using the sky bridge, though it is unlike the real sky bridge; instead of being a narrow passageway, the sky bridge is wide and entered by breaking a panel of glass. The PS2 game Burnout Dominator features the Twin Towers as Spiritual Towers. Episode 22 from the anime series Cowboy Bebop shows what closely resembles the PETRONAS Twin Towers being blown up by a terrorist. This was taken off the air for a short time post-9/11. The PETRONAS Towers are also a major setting in the 2006 Bollywood film, Don - The Chase Begins Again, starring Shahrukh Khan and 2005 Bollywood film, Anniyan, directed by S. Shankar. Also, in the 2007 movie, Billa starring Ajith, Nayanthara, Namitha, a remake of the 1980 classic Billa by Rajnikanth, the PETRONAS Twin Towers are being seen as a major setting. In Joseph Vijay starrer Kuruvi you can see the PETRONAS towers. Followed by Surya Sivakumar's Ayan

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