Was at 777X – Galleriiizu last Saturday for the digital art launch. Honestly, the artwork was not impressive. I’ve always felt that although Malaysians are a creative bunch, they always lack good technique compared to their global peers. Technique comes with practice and dedication. But I’ve seen some really good digital art in advertising. Some art/creative directors are really good.

Then I hopped off to Hisham Rais’s cafe, Bau Bau, for some musical relief on the weekend. Read on for more…

Experimental jazz band (above) was playing. The cafe is really nice. Open air. Affordable menu. Nice crowd. Away from the pretentious artsy fartsy scene of KLPAC etc…It’s always encouraging to listen to new musicians or veterans playing at open mike sessions like this. All still practising their art and expressing their unique individuality.

And the fare is STILL 70 sen. And, and, and….true to its name, it ran a red light! Hahahhahahahaha…Also, the passenger capacity as written on its inside walls is apparently 25 seated and 10 standing (check out the photo below on the top right where this is painted in black).

But the bus sure looks smaller than I remembered it.

Date: 7th July 2007, this Saturday
Time: 4 pm to midnight
Venue: Stadium Bukit Jalil
Admission: Free

From The Star:
More than 50 artistes will perform at the concert. They include Bandi, Faizal, Fazli Zainal, Sassy The Don, Shazzy, Syed Azmir, Zainal Abidin, Atillia, Cheryl Samad, Dayang Nurfaizah, Dia Fadilla, Dina, Elyana, Erra Fazira, Farah Ashikin, Fairuz Hussein, Fauziah Ahmad Daud, Jaclyn Victor, Karen Kong, Khatijah Ibrahim, Maya Karin, Noryn Aziz, Norish Karman, Nurfatimah, and Sharifah Zarina.

Singaporean and Indonesian artistes such as Ahli Fiqir, Ferhad, Imran Ajmain, Ramli Sarip, Yuni Shara, Katon Bagaskara, Titi DJ, Tangga, Element and Slank, as well as Jordanian superstar Toni Qattan, will also be performing.

The concert will also pay tribute to the late Loganathan Arumugam, a founding member of the Alleycats, who died of lung cancer recently. About 2,000 limited edition T-shirts imprinted with the face of the entertainer will go on sale, priced at RM26 each. The Alleycats will also be there.

Possibly aware that they have to make some noise in parliament to boost support for the looming general election, two MPs slammed the Youth and Sports Ministry for allowing ’scantily’ clad sexy models in the Super GT Grand Prix held in Malaysia.

But it’s the reply that takes the cake.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Youth and Sports Ministry S. Vigneswaran said the models did not wear swim suits but were attired in hot pants.

At the rate things are going for PKR, it may soon change its status from political party to social club in memory of the misnamed Reformasi (Reformation) movement of 1998, which should have been more accurately called Resusitasi (Resuscitation) as its main aim was to save the suddenly sacked deputy premier, Anwar Ibrahim.

Founding leaders are deserting the sinking ship while the party’s self-declared de facto leader, Anwar, is on tour in some part of the world.

So Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People’s Justice Party) may soon be Parti Kenangan Reformasi (Reformasi Memorial Party). Party on, dudes!

Malaysians are not a particularly creative bunch. Perhaps this is because we are taught to follow and believe blindly – crticisms and even innocent questions are looked upon with great disdain. Ask why certain policies are perpetuated to seeming eternity, and you will be accused of sedition — legally accused, mind you, it’s the LAW.

So it’s expected when we just plagiarised an idea from London — the London Eye. And all this talk about wanting to break free from the chains of imperialism. It looks like we are still kow-towing, at least in ideas, to our former colonial masters.

And guess what? We celebrate 50 years of ‘independence’ this August. Maybe it’s true, reality is perception. What happens if most are deluded?

For more on the Malaysian copycat version of the London Eye, read an earlier post by plonkwork here.

The city’s shopping hub is now a colourful melange of vivid colours, peddlers and rampant pickpockets.

This kiosk just by the Bukit Bintang monorail station sells an assortment of toys but the promoter doesn’t look too jubilant although a ‘bubble gun’ is supposed to be fun.

Happy faces, happy sales?

A common route by foot from Central Market/Pudu Raya/Chinatown/Kota Raya to Bukit Bintang is along Jalan Raja Chulan, which will take you about 45 minutes to an hour.

On a nice day, it’s a soothing walk past the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve right in the middle of the city. And for the first time since my close to 30 years of living in KL, I spotted the Forest Reserve office, which had a sign saying there were WIFI facilities provided. I wasn’t sure if that meant I could get WIFI if I trekked up the primary forest.

Earlier, when FL2020 walked towards this bubble world, she heard a group practising dhol drums and saw a wall of scrawled with angst-filled, urban graffiti. It was as if she stumbled upon the twilight zone of a hidden art scene.

Also, notable was a small community of government quarters and pre-war shoplots at Lorong Raja Chulan, just off Jalan Raja Chulan.

A resident, who was cutting grass with a parang — a short sword-like knife usually about 3-4 feet long — told FL2020 that the quarters were built in 1957 — the year of our independence.

It was really like walking into a time warp as it was kampung life just a few minutes from Jalan P. Ramlee — an entire street populated by clubs, bars and restaurants. From here, one can see the KL Tower and the Am-Bank building rising high into the cloudy skies.

Two young children, probably aged between four and seven, were also playing in a garden with a homemade swing hanging on a tree all right in the middle of the city. Unbelievable.

‘Merdeka’ government quarters that were built in 1957.

Kampung life in the middle of the city?

And I am not sure what this mansion is……

Foreign workers hang out at an older part of the city just next to Chinatown around Kota Raya shopping mall on Sundays.

Some are degree holders from Burma or Vietnam but immigrated to Malaysia as there are too few jobs in their countries. Over here, as blue-collared workers, they are mostly treated with disdain and little respect. But if you look closer, they are just like you and I, who want a better life.


Kota Raya shopping mall located just opposite Chinatown and a few blocks from Central Market – the city’s bohemian arts hub.

I hung out here during my secondary school days from Form 3 onwards. I just liked the area and still do. There is something very real about life here. I feel very real here. I dunno why. It just is. ;)

When the McDonald’s opposite Central Market just a few blocks down from here opened, I spent many days there just reading or doing my homework. Also, dated my high school sweetheart there a few times.

Incidentally, Kota Raya is also a good place for used (maybe stolen) mobile phones . Around the area are some of the oldest kopitiams (coffee shops) that serve some of the best local food.