Volume 1 Issue 4

Tiara Landscaping

Our present landscaping company, Semaian Intan Maju, is contracted to provide Tiara Damansara with 3 gardeners, 1 supervisor, forty new plants per month and fertilisers.

I would like to point out that the landscaping contractor is helpful and obliging and I am very happy with their work for the amount of money paid them.

However, it is now apparent that the present allocation of money spent only allows us to maintain the grounds, and not much more. The grounds itself requires much more soil maintenance treatment, fertilisers and certainly, a greater increase in new plants.

Covering an expansive 12 acres with an allocation of forty new plants every month is like a drop in the ocean. These hardly make much impact when viewed in its entirety. I have had people asking me 'Where are the forty new plants the contractor said he would provide every month?'

So, I am happy to note that after persistent requests from residents for the grounds and gardens to be further upgraded, the Tiara Management Corporation (TMC) has now increased the allocation of money to be spent on landscaping. Toward this end, TMC has asked for quotations from other landscaping companies. Once the landscaping company has been selected, work should hopefully commence by the third quarter of this year.

Should any resident have any thoughts or ideas about improving the landscaping, please feel free to pass your letters or emails to the Tiara Office or Tiara Times – they will be much appreciated. We may not be able to take on board all individual ideas sent in, but we can promise you that they will be read and considered.

A perennial grouse seems to be the felling of trees on our grounds. However lovely as they may look, we have to continue with our project of removing those trees that are damaging building foundations, sewerage pipes, monsoon drains and harbouring white ants. Furthermore, the trees shed leaves; raking the leaves on the grounds, as well as from clogged up gutters and drains, costs us for the increased work.

Besides, the trees are forest trees, which are totally unsuitable for condominiums. Eventually, the felled trees will be replaced with more appropriate ones. Naturally, it will take time for the trees to mature, but when they do, Tiara's landscaping scenery should be beautiful.

Parking Summons

Hi Tiarans,

For those who have been issued an MPPJ summons for parking along Jalan 17/1, you may appeal the summons on the grounds that you are a resident. I have gotten my summons as well as my friends’ summons waived.

You have to go to the Menara MPPJ Summons Counter in person to get the summons cancelled. I do not recommend sending by post as they might not entertain it. No action was taken when I sent my first two letters. However, when I went in person, I got the summons waived.

Do prepare a letter stating that you are a resident of Tiara Damansara and wish to have the summons waived. Also, provide proof of residence such as photocopy of your phone / electric bill or any official document stating your address.

I’m uncertain if there is a time limit to the waiver of the summons being issued. The last summon that I got waived was issued 3 years ago. – Keith Kok

Editor’s Disclaimer:

The Tiara Times wishes to inform readers that the above is based on the writer’s own experience and not to be construed as official MPPJ policy. We are not guaranteeing that your summons will be waived. However, there’s no harm in trying.

Furthermore, it was brought to our notice that summons may also be issued by Traffic Police which obviously cannot be waived by MPPJ and has to be settled with the Traffic Police.

Cook Your Own

It is a fact that Malaysians enjoy their food. Eating seems to be a past time for some too. Before they can even get through lunch, some are already thinking what they would like for dinner…

But with the recent fuel price increase, restaurant and food stall operators have raised their prices, which means that food lovers will have to dig deeper into their pockets for their cravings.

A Tiaran recently commented that, not being a high salaried worker, every dollar counted. Since she worked from morning to about 7pm daily, by the time she returned home ,it would be about 8pm. She would be tired and not in a mood to cook; more so if she had not done any marketing, and had only Maggi Mee in her cupboard.

But why complain, she said. "Since I can’t change the situation, I can change my lifestyle."

She now buys vegetables and meats from the market, taking a ride to the Section 17 wet market close by from a neighbour.

"That's when I started cooking and taking my lunch to the office, having cooked the night before. And I leave aside a portion for my dinner ", she said.

She added that this was healthier too, since she could control the amount of oil and salt in the food. Besides, she managed to save more too, since vegetables and meats were not all that costly since she bought in small portions, sufficient for one .

"So, to my neighbour Tiarans who may be facing a similar situation, why not try this," she advised.

Editors’s Note: Well said. Not only will you acquire a new skill – cooking – you will be able to save more money, besides maintaining a healthier lifestyle too.

Health News

For those who enjoy the taste of ginger in their cooking, here is good news – ginger is said to be a cancer killer.

In a report by health expert Jon Herring, he had this to say:

"The powerful healing effects of ginger have been well documented. It's a proven remedy for upset stomach. Reams of studies show that it inhibits inflammation. And there is substantial evidence that it fights cancer too.
For instance, a recent University of Michigan study showed that when ginger was added to ovarian cancer cells in the laboratory, it caused the cancer cells to self-destruct (a process known as "apoptosis").

In a separate study at the University of Minnesota, researchers injected colon cancer cells into mice that were bred to have no immune system. Half of these mice were routinely fed gingerol, the main active component in ginger. The researchers found that the mice that were fed gingerol lived longer, their tumors were smaller, and the cancer did not spread as widely as in the control group.

With all these health benefits, you should be using ginger as often as you can. The best way I've found to get a healthy serving of ginger is to juice it. Two or three days a week, I juice an apple or two, some carrots, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and a big piece of ginger root. The ginger gives the drink a great flavor and a powerful anti-cancer kick. I highly recommend that you try it."

Letter - Parking Woes

Dear Editor,

I recently got a summons for parking outside the condo on May 11th, 2006. Whilst we in Tiara recognize that parking is a problem, I am concerned at the suggestion to turn the green bank in front of the condo into a parking lot. It will ruin the aspect and reduce the value of the units fronting this green bank, and not to mention giving Tiara Damansara an ugly facade.

I suggest we press MPPJ to widen the road and
provide legitimate parking bays.

Concerned

Lettter - Playground

Dear Editor,

As a parent I would like to thank the Tiara Management for the new playground with the soft mat. But I would like to point out a few matters concerning safety and cleanliness.

The soft mat is bordered by hard cement which sticks out of the ground. I’m afraid some children might trip and hurt themselves falling on the cement. Can the ground level be raised up to the mat to cover the cement part? Or better still – cover up the whole playground?

There is a pond nearby the playground which is not fenced off. A child wandering off from the playground could fall into it and drown. Children can drown even in a basin of water, what more a big pond. Can the pond be fenced or surrounded by bushes high enough for the kids’ safety?

There are older kids playing football in the playground. While I think it is a good idea for kids to be playing football, I am also afraid that a football may hit a smaller child (especially on the head). Can the Management allocate another area for the boys to play football and prevent them from playing in the playground?

I have sometimes seen dogs in playground, sometimes even sitting on the bench. Can the Management please disallow dogs from the playground?

Thank you for listening to my concerns.

Concerned Parent

Letter - Job Well Done

Dear Editor,

I would like to commend Tiara Times for a job well done. Normally, I don’t have the patience to go through what I feel may be a boring read, but I must say that I have been going through both issues of the latest TT from front to back...and I enjoy the read.

I like the information about what services we can get from Tiarans, the articles about our neighbours, the goings-on in our condo, what a unit is worth approximately, etc. Do keep up the good work.

I would also like to add that I have been staying here for the past 7 years. The earlier years, when the condo was managed by the developer, was not well run at all. It was unsightly too, since it had not been painted for as long as I can remember.

But I must say that ever since the TMC took over, there have been vast – and very noticeable –improvements in our condo. My sincere thanks to the TMC for their good work.

When I first rented a unit here, I chose this condo simply because it was close to my work place, walking distance, to be precise. But after living in it for some time, I find I like the peace and quiet And after seeing the vast improvements when TMC took over from the developer, I decided to buy a unit here.

Today, I am the happy owner of a unit in Tiara. My grateful thanks to TMC for making the condo such a great place to live in.

Happy Tiaran

Massage, manicure, pedicure and reflexology services

Good news for Tiarans who prefer the comfort of home when having a massage, manicure, pedicure or reflexology.

Nina is providing these services for people who desire such services but dislike traveling through traffic jams and parking woes.

Nina is trained in Swedish Massage (RM50 for 1 1/2 hours), French Pedicure (RM20), French Manicure (RM20), Sticker Design Manicure (RM20) and reflexology (RM35 for 1 1/2 hours).

Nina also provides ironing services, at RM12 an hour.

Contact Nina at (016-6869271)

Computer Repairman

Recently, during a violent storm, my computer went on the blink. Since I find it difficult to live without my computer even for a day, I called my regular repairman, Mr. Chan Kim Seong, Solutions Adviser of Precision Computer Solutions.

After some investigation, Mr. Chan informed me that my modem was out and had to be replaced. This was the second time he had to get me a new modem.

I asked if a lightning arrestor would make my computer less vulnerable to lightning strikes and thunder. I was told that if a really strong lightning strike took place, the arrestor could get spoilt. Then, not realising it was faulty, and living under the false impression it was fine to continue using the computer during bad weather, my computer could be hit again.
"With electrical gadgets, one can never say for sure," he added. His advice to computer users is to always unplug the telephone line and power plug when not using it.

With a Masters in Computer Engineering and 5 years of experience, Mr. Chan is capable of fixing almost any computer mishaps. However, his expertise covers only Windows-based computers but not the Mac. He is busy every single day attending to clients, doing house calls, covering the Klang Valley from Cheras, to as far as Shah Alam. He also takes computers home to fix if these cannot be repaired at his clients' homes. Mr. Chan, who is 26 and a bachelor, also sells and installs computers.

Not only does Mr Chan charge extremely reasonably but he is patient when asked to explain why this or the other cannot be done or the appropriate steps one should take. He is also soft spoken and polite as well.

For those requiring his services, Mr Chan can be contacted at:012-2299248.

Handyman

I was in a bit of a fix. My friend from Australia was coming to stay with me for a few days from June 1st and my unit needed things to be fixed urgently.

My ceiling fans needed cleaning, glass fixtures wiped clean, windows and doors oiled so they would not creak, the air-conditioners serviced, the water filter changed so that crystal-clear water would sprout forth, the revolving fan repaired so it would revolve – in short, a major spring cleaning job.

So I was most pleasantly surprised, when I was recommended Mr. Param Jeet Singh, whose sisters live in Tiara. Not only was he fast and efficient, but he was also clean and neat, cleaning up after completing the job.

I had never been able to open one of the windows in my master bedroom since the day I bought the apartment nearly three years ago. I had been told by the painter who repainted my unit, that if I tried to force it open, the glass panes would break. So I lived with it.

To my pleasant surprise, when I mentioned this to Param, he had it opened in less than 30 seconds. He explained that he just had "to remove the old paint which had glued the window pane to the metal".

He also cleaned my windows, serviced my air-cons, steadied my old refrigerator so it would not wobble, rewired some old wires, wiped the blades of my ceiling fans till they looked like new; in brief, did my entire spring cleaning.

I did not even have to clean up after him. He said, “I don’t like the place to be messy after I am done with it. Most contractors and handymen do not clean up, but I like to leave the place neat and clean." And the best part - he is so reasonable in his charges.

He will go that extra mile, to find that elusive part which is vital to get something repaired. He does not give up easily.

I asked him where he had learned his trade and how long he had been in the business. "Sixteen years," he said, "and I was trained three years at the Montfort Boys School.”

Param, who is in his thirties, also does plumbing painting,, renovations (extensions), carpentry, mosaic tiling, refrigerator and air-con services and repairs. He is also into something totally unrelated to a handyman: he does crystal designing for shirts, pants, t-shirts, curtains and evening wear. He is also experienced in landscaping and gardening as well.

"Some of my clients call me the ‘10-in1handyman’ lah," he said. All I can say is - I am very satisfied with his services.

For those who would like to contact Param for work done, he can be contacted at 016-6869271.