Current situation in Kuala Lumpur - Himpun 16 - Red Shirt Rally - Kuala Lumpur

Live from Kuala Lumpur..

Police beef-up at Petaling Street in Chinatown.

Shop owners around the Petaling Street have been advised to close their shop on Malaysia Day to avoid trouble.

More images of Himpun 16.. and here as well.

Situation this morning at Bukit Bintang area and Low Yat Plaza - rather deserted by comparison considering this is a public holiday where the malls and shopping complexes would be crowded normally on a public holiday. Strong Police presence in the area today. One thing nice about these videos is you get to see parts of Kuala Lumpur - which give an idea of what the city looks like for one who hasn't been here.



This is an article worth reading: Let’s see who the red shirts are


Ok, now to the issue about the haze in the country - Visibility in the Klang Valley (including KL) may have improved slightly after a bout of rain yesterday morning, but there is yet to be any significant improvement in the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings. All outdoor activities have been discouraged and called off.

After parents expressed their concerns regarding schools still operating despite the haze, the Education Ministry made a last-minute decision to order schools in several states to close for at least two days.

Pharmaniaga Berhad a pharmaceuticals company staff members distributed face masks to motorists in Putrajaya.


Just to give you an idea of what's the current haze situation in Kuala Lumpur..

The Kuala Lumpur city skyline cannot be seen at all in this photo taken at Taman Maluri, Cheras. The KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers can normally be seen when the weather is clear.SAMUEL ONG / THE STAR

Petaling Street - Kuala Lumpur Chinatown

On my last visit to Chinatown, particularly Petaling Street which is the hub of Chinatown, I was taken aback by the people manning the stalls. It felt somewhat strange seeing foreigners, mainly Burmese and Nepalese, manning the stalls which used to be manned by people of Chinese descent, afterall it is Chinatown.

Chinatown is no longer Chinatown in its true sense. I am not racist nor have I ever been but it brought home that times they are a-changing and we have no choice but to move along with the times.

The redeeming factor is that the foodstalls are still being operated by the original owners or their family. Food-wise, Chinatown is still intact - the taste is still very much authentically Chinese. In this part of Kuala Lumpur, you can still find KL's best Hokkien fried noodle, best roast duck, best soya bean drink, and more. A common sight I delight in is of visitors (Caucasians mostly) hanging out having a beer or two soaking in the sights and sounds of Chinatown. It always puts a smile on my face.

I am glad Chinatown is still attractive enough to entice visitors. It is often said that, you have not seen Kuala Lumpur if you have not been to Chinatown. Just the other day, a visiting colleague was given a shopping list which included football jerseys from Chinatown. His friend even equipped him with the stall number and the contact person!


Baunach Ulrich and his wife (above) from Germany said they were fine with foreign workers selling the merchandise, but were not in favour of the cramped placements of stalls. Fortunately, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has shelved a plan to add 94 new stalls at Petaling Street following strong objections from traders who find it increasingly difficult to do business in the area.

Another visitor, Lindy from Australia likes "the atmosphere here - red lanterns, haggling, good food - and I can shop cheaply, it doesn’t really matter if those who man the stalls are foreign workers."

Come, let me take you to Chinatown - through a video. The place is shown in daylight. It never used to be that busy during the day as business only begins at nightfall when the street is closed to auto traffic. These days (since the last few years), business starts early, as early as ten-ish.

Welcome to Kuala Lumpur. Welcome to Chinatown!


Source...The Star
Tourists have no qualms about Petaling Street’s image
DBKL: No new stalls in Chinatown

Petaling Street, KL Chinatown

It's been many years since my last visit to Chinatown, so a few of us decided to make a trip there. We parked along Jalan Sultan, just beside the Furama Hotel and walked to Petaling Street.

Along the way, we discovered two very interesting shops. They have things Chinese - paintings and antiques. There are lots of Chinese folklore figurines - big and small, vases, etc. One thing caught my eye - a Buddha's head. I've always wanted one of these but am worried that I might place it in a wrong place thus could be inadvertently showing disrespect. I guess I better live with not having one.

A visit to Chinatown is not complete if you don't go down the entire Petaling Street. This part of Chinatown is closed to auto-traffic from evening onwards. You can bargain on anything from bags to clothes, the famous fake watches, fake CDs, DVDs, fruits, pickles, phones, fashion accessories, toys, and lots more. If you love roast duck, it is believed that the best roast duck in KL is found here sold from a stall.

Anyone who has been to Petaling Street or Chinatown would have to put up with noise, traffic (human and auto type), dust and dirt. Thank goodness for skin care products.

I wish I had my camera with me though. Maybe next time.

Picture source: Wikipedia

Shopping for the Chinese New Year

Chinatown/Petaling Street - Photo source: Yahoo! Travel

The Lunar New Year or more commonly-known as the Chinese New Year here in Malaysia is just around the corner. To be exact, it falls on Feb 18. Being a country with a good portion of the people being Chinese, they are busy making preparations for this auspicious occasion. One of the key activities is shopping for new things both for the home and for oneself like clothes and other personal items.

Shopping places like the Suria KLCC (KL City Center), the Mid-valley Megamall and Chinatown town or the Petaling Street area are packed with shoppers day and night.