Monday 5 October 2009

The "development" Of Mr. ISA (aka Umno's "Rohaizat II")


"I couldn't bring myself to spend another night here. After a few hours I wanted to leave Seremban".
- CochinJew, Virtual Tourist

That was the sentiment of the tourist after visiting Seremban and it is very true. I went there just yesterday, hoping to show a dear friend the "beauty" of this place ..... It was so embarrassingly dead, that I made the excuse that I need to find a decent parking space!! In the end, I just dropped her off at Terminal-1 which has an abandoned "skyscraper" (see picture below) which has some make-up on to cover its "blemishes" (like the fat lady who today helms our country's and Umno's leadership la...).

By and large, the development there has been quite "ecofriendly" during the time of Mr. Isa - in that it didn't change much. It is still the same old boring town it was 30 yrs ago - albeit with some "cosmetic surgery" after Isa's departure.

Tersergam Indah - the leftover of the structure used for "Musabaqah membaca Al-Quran" which was moved from the NS Padang after eons to house a "museum".

The "Olympic size swimming pool" smack at the entrance of Seremban - the former site of the Convent, which was flattened and apparently acquired by the state. Some say that the water has developed "supernatural" powers (like the zam-zam water la ...)

Addendum:
[
"Ammar" said in the comment below, that saying "zam-zam" here is "sensitive" might offend Muslims - so I'll rephrase that sentence to "offend" everybody alike- Some say that the water has developed "supernatural" powers (like the Lourdes, Bukit Mertajam, Ganges and maybe even Yang-Tze water la ...).
Hmmm - that should do it. If more are really offended - please highlight it, and I shall offer my heartfelt apologies, and also delete the names of these special places and waters]

This has definitely gotta be the "pride and joy" of Isa - the Wisma Punca Emas, which is apparently a famous drug addicts' haunt. I vaguely remember a notice put up at the onset of the project saying that it was supposed to be a quite tall .... 20 or 28 floors. It was the old Location for SPI - St. Paul's Institution. Yes my friends - the pace of development in Seremban was like Dubai on steroids, and they had to acquire these lands from the heritage sites like the Convent and SPI.

This my friends, is a pedestrian friendly city - laid back,
and fit for anyone who wishes to have a boring holiday
.

Okay la - they have a Jusco in Seremban 2 which renders some respectability and normalcy to the otherwise dead project. This is what NST Property had to say to future homeowners of Seremban 2 -"They will feel uplifted by the gorgeous views and wideopen spaces that can inspire them to set higher goals, for they will be perceived to be more successful by society."
Hmmm - Wide open spaces ... how inspiring ....

Beyond the "Seremban Siew Pau" that came out of it, Seremban has been pretty much left out of the economic boom of the 90s just next door in the Klang Valey and Melaka.
You could read "'Abandoned projects mar Seremban's image' - Story and photos by CHARLES FERNANDEZ" (from The Star) here, at the entry on February 13th, 2009, 05:48 AM.

You could also consider the destruction of the waterfront in Port Dickson (that's where Bagan Pinang is right?) beaches of its beauty, after the waterfronts were sold off wholesale (or whatever) to hoteliers - and now the public cannot use these beaches anymore, unless they fork out mega bucks.

Diaphenous Memories gives a pretty "polite" picture of what Seremban is after much cosmetic surgery - believe me ... he was extremely polite in his review. Probably, he had some good company to overshadow his boredom.

Here are some comments on the review page of Virtual Tourist:
"Seremban is one of the few State capitals that has not obtained city status yet. So the Municipal of Seremban is working hard to achieve city hood by 2009."

"Today, as you go around Seremban you can see the interesting design of the five-foot way outside each building - like a connecting corridor and the window and door decorations."

Here are some things you can check out about the development brought by Isa. I cannot find anything about a sprawling ghost-town called Bandar Baru Nilai, but you could pay it a visit if you think counting your fingers was an interesting thing to do.

Yes my friends ... these were the developments Isa boasts about!

PS
I hear that the state coffers were wiped clean during Isa's time (apparently to the tune of billions!!), and it was the current MB who did at least did some face-saving gesture to give this town some respectability as a state capital. (Oh ya ... I forgot - after Isa's departure, Rasah has got Seremban's first flyover okay ... don't play, play!!)

13 comments:

  1. Dear Dr. Cruz,

    I very much agree with your comment and I know that you meant well (or rather well in the way that I would agree).

    How ever your quote "Some say that the water has developed "supernatural powers (like the zam-zam water la ...)" is very sensitive to us Muslim, I would really like if you could rephrase it and do omit zam-zam and change to something else. I would almost certain that you would not use Ganges as it will then sensitive to the Hindus!

    TK - Ammar Jais

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  2. "Development" is an utterly meaningless word, especially when uttered by the likes of Mahathir and Isa Samad who interpret it strictly in terms of PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS from which massive "commissions" can be siphoned off. In the last 40 years, scarce attention has been placed on the MENTAL & SPIRITUAL development of the nation - and that has never been the purpose of government to ensure or encourage, as a CONSCIOUS, THINKING & FEELING electorate would naturally vote only for those it can respect and trust. And you won't find many within the ranks of Umno/BN, if at all, who qualify.

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  3. What you say about Seremba is very true. I live here and you know the Goverment in charge does not do anything to make life easy but hard. Like moving buses from Terminal 1 to Terminal2 which is no where but near grave yard. Like you say costmetic cover - Like the Dataran which is built right in front of the abandon project fill with water - right air zam-zam, whihc is very dangerous to child -w hat happen if there go into that area and waht a waste closing the convent and not making the project at all - what this says - reduce convent school. Go the the back lane of a Tamil school right in town back to the Guruwada - beside all old house abandon - again danger to children - waht is this Indai people think -don't speak up to MIC to do something about this.
    Seremban 2 is the best. Open township to cause traffic jam at peak hours and police waiting to summons at corners. I realy do not know how they plan. Wait fri ISA to come back as CM again and thing will be much........... better. What a laugh. Hope everone understand.

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  4. I never really noticed the situation until I read this blog. Well, its not like everyday I get to read an "article" on Seremban. In retrospect, its because the town has nothing to talk about.

    Sadly, potential heritage sites like the SPI (now Wisma Punca Emas) and Convent (now the Olympic pool) are now history. I saw the Convent school when it was still around. Definitely looks every bit of historical value. Unfortunately, I only saw photos of SPI. It could rival St.John's or St.Michael.

    But who are we kidding. These 2 schools around with NS UMNO hq right at the corner? The pea brains will never allow that.

    Hence, the interest of the state (which could have been a crow puller) was put aside for the benefit of a political party.

    Fine, the past is the past. Now the present.

    Everytime I drive towards S2, I always ask myself this. Why a dedicated flyover to PD when less than 50 cars drive on it and NOT a dedicated flyover into S2?

    Pea brains...nonetheless.

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  5. Okay ammar ....
    I'll be fair and "offend" all religions okay - I'm adding Lourdes, Bukit Mertajam, Ganges and maybe Yang-Tze also to that.
    Thanks for the tip ....

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  6. I don't see pictures of Seremban 2...what about Seremban 2?? many more stuff there?

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  7. I'm sure that there's plenty on S2 ....
    but I thot I'd leave that to the imagination and industry of the readers ....

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  8. hi doc...

    what you say about seremban is very true... for a state capital like seremban, you should see how much attention they have put in developing the town... don't look far, just look at the toll plaza from the n-s hiway... the kajang toll plaza is many times bigger than that toll plaza into seremban, either north-bound or south-bound... and from south-bound, you will have to do a ridiculous u-turn at the flyover...

    the much talkabout railway station is only good in looks but not functional... to get to the northbound platform requires a man of good physique... not for senior citizens as you have to up and then down the overhead bridge...

    and the hiway toll to pd is a real ripoff for those using it... pd has nothing to offer and that is why you can count the number of vehicles using the sban-pd highway...

    i would think that seremban certainly needs a better deal from those who will rule the town in future... a lot of development needs to be done to this old deplored town...

    btw, i drive to seremban once in a while for golf at sigc...

    ~chia

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  9. Doghead mentioned about moving buses from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. This is not a people-friendly move; more of a money friendly move for the cronies involved. People please remember this Terminal 2 belongs to Datuk Chua (of the article 1 TanSri n 2 Datuks)

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  10. do not forget Seremban is full of rubbish everywhere and in the backlane. take some pictures of the backlanes the market river the food court and all the taman taman and you will see it is a total disgrace.......

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  11. i had one job in bagan pinang way back in 1989.for a year i was there.now 2009,i made a trip back to bagan pinang yesterday to check my election post.well truly said NOTHING happened.the once prestine beaches were totally raped by isa and his goons,leaving a devastating trail of abandoned projects....this isa guy just got to go once and for all!!!

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  12. frankly, malacca is way better then seremban.. hey, can we have Rahim back in malacca as CM ah? hehehe, jus kidding...

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  13. This no shame idiot ISA dare to insult the MB of Kelantan saying that under PAS there is'nt any development. He thought he has done a fantastic job during his time as the MB of N.S.

    It is very glare that everyone can see for themselve the progress and development in N.S.

    All that we can see is he had acquired all the billions whereas Nik Aziz is still living still simplicity.

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