White Elephant of Bukit Kiara

Bukit Kiara is a small jungle-clad set of hills on the west side of Kuala Lumpur bordering with Petaling Jaya. Surrounded by up-coming residential and commercial areas such as Damansara Heights, Sri Hartamas, Desa Sri Hartamas, Mont' Kiara, Taman Tun and prestigious sporting venues such as Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club and Bukit Kiara Equestrian Centre this small area of land has become increasingly under pressure for potential development given its strategic location. Bukit Kiara has numerous trails and paths originally used by rubber tappers and now increasingly used by walkers, runners, and mountain bike riders. At the weekend this area can get busy with these outdoor enthusiasts and it has been these groups that have been pressing the authorities to maintain this area for such activities and to protest against development in these hills.

Bukit Kiara Location

On the east side of Bukit Kiara on a prime hilltop location facing eastwards with a tremendous city view, an impressive mansion construction was started many years ago. With large, palatial, multi-level floors and three distinctive large domed roofs, this property would have been an incredibly impressive and prestigious piece of architecture, had it ever been completed. It now stands a mere concrete skeleton of a building with the framework of the large roof domes in place. The unfinished building has been left in this state for at least 2 years now like many other projects in Malaysia. Did the owner/developer run out of funds for this incredible building or is there some other reason the building was left incomplete? I have read that this abandoned mansion project was started by Y. Bhg. Datuk P. Kasi, MD/CEO of MK Land Holdings Berhad and was estimated to be in the order of RM45 million (excluding the land cost!). Interestingly enough Datuk Kasi was also the developer of the nearby Matahari condominium project in Desa Sri Hartamas - is it a coincidence that both projects have stalled and been abandoned?

I have passed by this hill countless times so at last I decided to go and explore the building at close quarters for myself and document this with some on-location photographs. I had spotted some time ago a small path opening into the forest close to the school in Desa Sri Hartamas so decided to take a bag of camera gear and head into the jungle at this point and hope to get close to the abandoned mansion. This path initially took me into an area where there had been some attempted development and where I saw again the presence of a large fence, having seen many similar large fences al over the hill. Apparently these large fences were constructed under the pretence of maintaining and protecting the environment but after much protest and complaints from the many hill users this construction was halted. The fences however still stand and are not only an eye sore to the environment but in the process of construction there has been some significant damage to the environment. At the fence there was an open gate into the trees but I headed up the steep hill to the right side following closely to the fence which eventually brought me up to the rear of the abandoned property.

The property is now surrounded by large undergrowth and abandoned construction equipment but it was fairly easy now to enter the building from this direction. Walking into this level I was immediately under the large central dome with extensive areas running off left, right and then all the way to the front of the building where perhaps the swimming pool was meant to be located. From here a great panoramic view of the city could be seen. This front area was now littered with abandoned and rising scaffolding. There were about two levels of floors below this and above on both sides a further 3 floors running up to the two domed roofs at each side of the building. Apparently the mansion was planned to have about 20 bedrooms, a large banquet room and a super-sized master bathroom. The building shell had some concrete steps already in place so it was easy to walk upstairs to the upper levels. I could also see that there was an elevator shaft already constructed.

At this point a security guard popped out of nowhere and of course he approached me and asked what I was doing there. He was a small Nepalese guy and although he initially told me his boss would not be happy I was there I chatted to him for some time telling him I was a photographer, had visited his wonderful country last year trekking up the Everest Base Camp Trail and all I wanted was a few photos he became friendlier and I also realised his boss was certainly not there. Another Nepali guy appeared who was his friend and after showing them photos I had on my iPhone of Nepal they had no problem with me taking some photos. The guard mentioned he had a Buddha downstairs so this I had to see. He led me down one level to where their "office" was and their simple sleeping area and there on one wall they had constructed a Buddha shrine with Buddhas painted on the wall and complete with "Nepali style" prayer flags strung across the ceiling. After photographing this they insisted on me taking their photo and they also took my photo with their phone camera. 

Having appeased the "guards" I now had a free run of the building so took my time to explore each floor and take numerous photos. The top floors had wonderful views over the city and being on the edge of the hill also had a pleasant breeze blowing through. On the top level on one side two large piles of sand had been left dumped and having been there for so long now grass had seeded there. 

I tried to imagine how this building would be in its finished state and looking down from the top level down through the numerous floors below you could imagine that it would indeed be a very impressive piece of architecture and with the stunning, prime view over the city of Kuala Lumpur it would be hard to match this for location. However, sad to say, it it now been left abandoned and who knows if it will ever get completed or will be left to rot away in the tropical climate like I have seen happen to many other abandoned building projects in the city. It's a shame that authorities cannot impose rules and regulations (and enforce these!) to ensure buildings are completed to plan and if not then the land returned to its original condition to maintain our precious environment like the one we have at Bukit Kiara.

Bukit Nanas Heritage Buildings

Right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and under the shadow of the KL Tower at Bukit Nanas are a variety of wonderful old heritage buildings which have been left to decay and rot in the hot tropical heat and humidity. On the main Jalan Raja Chulan road is a row of houses which in their day probably represented the very best and elite accommodation in the city. These 8 houses in a row have an elaborate crest on the wall with the letters OES and the date of 1931 but there is little else I can find out about them.

Amazingly there are some people still living in one or more of the houses but no doubt these wonderful heritage buildings will eventually disappear and this prime land be re-developed.

Walking behind this row of houses I came across another magnificent old house right below the KL Tower. This house was habited by an Indian family who were more than welcome to me taking photographs of their house and even their dog posed for the photo! This location is rather unique being on the Bukit Nanas hill surrounded by jungle trees and foliage but yet it is right in the middle of the city.

There were also a number of other rundown and decaying buildings I discovered close by which similarly in their time must have been prime real estate.

Mussoorie Methodist Church

This is the central Methodist Church in Mussoorie, India. Mussoorie is a city and a municipal board in the Dehradun District of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is located about 35 km from the state capital of Dehradun and 290 km north from the national capital of New Delhi. This hill station, situated in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges, is also known as the Queen of the Hills. The adjoining town of Landour, which includes a military cantonment, is considered part of 'greater Mussoorie', as are the townships of Barlowganj and Jharipani.

Mountain Bike

These cyclo drivers wait in anticipation of some work in the hill town of Dehradun, India. This small hill town sits in the foothills of the Himalayas and can be very cold and misty as you can see in this image. 

Dehradun is the capital city of the State of Uttarakhand in northern India. Located in the Garhwal region, it is 255 km north of India's capital New Delhi and consists of 6 tehsils, 6 community development blocks, 17 towns and 764 inhabited villages. The city has been chosen as one of the "Counter Magnets" of the National Capital Region (NCR) and is being developed as an alternative centre of growth to help ease the migration and population explosion in the Delhi metropolitan area.

Dehradun is renowned for its natural resources, publishing services, and for its prestigious educational institutions such as the Forest Research Institute, Indian Military Academy and several day and boarding schools which are highly reputed across the country. It is also home to national foundations such as the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Survey of India, Wildlife Institute of India and the Oil and Natural Gas Committee.


Located on the foothills of the Himalayas, the Doon Valley is nestled between two of India's mightiest rivers - the Ganges on the east and the Yamuna on the west. Dehradun is famous for its picturesque landscape and pleasant climate and provides a gateway to the surrounding region. It is well connected and in close proximity to popular Himalayan tourist destinations such as Mussoorie, Nainital and Auli and Hindu holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh along with the Himalayan pilgrimage circuit of Char Dham.

Horse Break

This could be a scene from the wild west in US or perhaps the high mountains of Peru but you would be wrong. It's India. In the hill town of Mussoorie just above the town of Dehradun in northern India. This hill town sits in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains and you can see many horses here used to trek into the hills and carry supplies to the hill town. These horses are having a welcome break and a time to nose bag!

Leifeng Pagoda on West Lake

Leifeng Pagoda is a five story tall tower with eight sides, located on Sunset Hill south of the West Lake in Hangzhou, China. Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002, since when it has been a popular tourist attraction.

Hilltribes of North Thailand

100 years ago or more, the Hilltribe peoples migrated south from China into what are now Burma, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. The six major tribes are the Karen (Kariang, Yang), the Hmong (Meo), the Yao (Mien), the Akha (Ekaw), the Lisu (Lisaw), and the Lahu (Mussur). The main profession of all these tribes is farming, and all of them tend to migrate whenever they feel that the soil at their present location is becoming depleted. Each tribe is very distinct, with its own culture, religion, language, art, and dress. 

On the outskirts of Chiang Rai the Government have set up a communal village area where a number of these hilltribes are allowed to stay for free. This gives them the advantage of access to the local services, such as schools and medical facilities, and also with visiting tourists the chance of additional income to supplement their simple agricultural life through the sale of their handicrafts.

With Thailand undergoing rapid modern development, it is difficult yet to say whether these tribes will continue in their traditional ways of life, or whether they will eventually be absorbed into the surrounding, and ever more encroaching, Thai society.

Akha

Akha (Ekaw) villages are distinguished by their carved wooden gates, presided over by guardian spirits. The Akha live in raised houses, within which one small room is set aside for paying respect to ancestors.

The focal point of community life is the open ground where the tribe celebrates its major festivals, especially that of the Giant Swing and where young men and women come to meet (under the watchful eye of the elders). This tribe is easily recognized by the black caps covered with silver coins, worn by the women.

Villages of these colourful people are to be found in the mountains of China, Laos Myanmar (Burma) and northern Thailand. There are approximately 20000 Akha living in Thailand’s northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai at high altitudes. This tribe originate in Tibet. Every Akha village is distinguished by their carved wooden gates, presided over by guardian spirits. They live in raised houses on low stilts, with a large porch leading into a square living area with a stove at the back. The roof is steeply pitched. They live on marginal land and find it difficult to eke out a living through their slash and burn method of agriculture. In order to supplement their income, many Akha are now selling handicrafts, employing the traditional skills used in making their own clothing and cultural items. 

Akha women spin cotton into thread with a hand spindle, then weave it on a foot-treadle loom. The cloth is dyed with indigo, then sewed into clothing for the family. The women wear broad leggings, a short black skirt with a white beaded sporran, a loose fitting black jacket with heavily embroidered cuffs and lapels. The black caps are covered with silver coins. Akha men and women produce various decorative items of bamboo and seeds. The men make crossbows, musical instruments, a variety of baskets, and other items of wood, bamboo and rattan.

The Akha are deeply superstitious, their religion prescribing exactly how each action should be performed. This tribe is the poorest of the hill tribes, but well known for their extraordinary costumes and exotic appearance.

Yao

The Yao (Mien) prefer to live among low hills near dense forest. Their houses also sit on the ground, and feature a space designed for a cooking fire in the center of their main room, as well as a small shrine dedicated to their ancestors and to the guardian spirit they believe to inhabit each individual house.

Their language, long ago derived from Chinese, is written in Chinese Characters, and their paintings, mostly of religious subjects, reflect certain very ancient Chinese artistic styles, although the Yao paintings have a unique flavor of their own, and are coveted by many Western collectors. 

The Yao are the "businessmen" among the Hilltribes, and they also excel in the making of metal farm implements such as axes and plows. Because they've long had a written language --unlike several of the other tribes, who had no written version of their language prior to the coming into their midst of Christian missionaries -- they also know how to make high quality paper.

They are to be found in China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. In Thailand there are approximately 55000 Yao in widely scattered villages in the provinces of Phayao, Nan and Chiang Rai, and perhaps another 10000 or so refugees from Laos, living in refugee camps along the border.

The Yao originate in southern China, and are the only hill tribe to have a written language. Yao villages are mostly found on low hills, and their houses built usually of wooden planks on a dirt road. There is a guest platform of bamboo in the communal living area. Their economy for several generations has been based quite largely on the cultivation and marketing of opium, although opium addiction is relatively rare among them. With the present drive to stamp out the cultivation of the opium poppy in Thailand, the Yao find it necessary to seek other means of livelihood.

Yao women are noted for their magnificent cross-stitch embroidery, which richly decorates the clothing of every member of the family. The costume of the women is very distinctive, with a long black jacket with lapels of bright scarlet wool. Loose trousers in intricate designs are worn and a similarly embroidered black turban. Yao silversmiths produce lovely silver jewelry of high quality.

The Yao have a written religion based on medieval chinese taoism, although in recent years there have been many converts to christianity and buddhism. They are very peaceful and friendly, who pride themselves on cleanliness and honour and they are called the "businessmen" among the hilltribes.

Lahu

Lahu people are to be found in the mountains of China, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and northern Thailand. There are approximately 25000 Lahus now living in Thailand. There are four tribes within the Lahu: Black, Red, Yellow and She-Leh. Lahu villages are mostly at high altitude in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Sorn. They originated in south west China. Houses are built on high stilts with walls of bamboo or wooden planks, thatched with grass. A ladder leads to the open central living area, with a store room to one side and living quarters to the other. Their domestic animals like chicken, pigs and buffalos are kept in the basement corral. Their practice of slash and burn agriculture does not provide them with even the basic essentials of life, let alone the enrichment to be found in education for their children, adequate medical care, and the simple amenities of modern life.

Lahu women are skilled in weaving cloth, both on back-strap and foot-treadle looms, producing delicate patchwork trims, and unusual embroidery work. The Black Lahu women wear the most distinctive costumes within this tribe. They wear a black cloak with diagonal cream stripes. The top of the sleeve is decorated in bold colours of red and yellow. Red Lahu women wear black trousers with white edging and vivid sleeves of broad red and blue stripes. All the other Lahu tribes have supplemented their traditional costumes by sarong and Thai shirt. Men and women together make some of the finest baskets to be found anywhere in Thailand. Lahu men produce excellent crossbows, musical instruments, and other items made of wood, bamboo and rattan.

The Lahus are animist and believe in one spirit with overall control all the others. About 30% of the Lahus have been converted to christianity and have abandoned their way of life. The Lahu are independent people and love entertainment and the easy life. They are abviously pride themselves on their skills in hunting and trapping.

Karen

The Karen (Kariang, Yang) like to settle in foothills, and live in bamboo houses raised on stilts, beneath which live their domestic animals: pigs, chickens, and buffaloes. They, like all the tribes, are skilled farmers who practice crop rotation, and they also hunt for game, with spears and crossbows, and use tame elephants to help them clear land.

Karen women are skilled in sewing and dyeing, and dress in white blouse-sarong combinations with colorful patterns or beads for trim. They wear their long hair tied back in a bun and covered with white scarves.

The Karen are gentle, peaceful, and cooperative people, who, like all the Hilltribes, reserve their highest veneration for their ancestors and living elders.

The majority of the Karen people live in Burma, and yet they also form by far the largest of the major tribes of northern Thailand. There are as many as 280000 Karens living in Thailand. They can be found living both in the mountains and on the plains, most of them in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Sorn, Chiang Rai, but also in central Thailand. They live in bamboo houses raised on stilts, beneath which live their domestic animals, pigs, chickens and buffalos. The mountain-dwelling Karens practice swidden agriculture, and the plains-dwellers, for the most part, cultivate irrigated paddy fields.

Each of the many sections of this large ethnic group has its own style of dress. Unmarried girls wear loose white vee necked blouses. Married women wear blouses and skirts in bold colours, predominantly blue and red. Karen men produce musical instruments, animal bells, unique tobacco pipes and numerous other crafted items.

Karens are originally animist, but about 25% of Karens living in Thailand have been converted to christianity by western missionaries. The Karen people are very peaceful and cooperative, who like the other hilltribes, reserve their highest veneration for their ancestors and living elders.

The most famous subgroup of the Karen tribe are the long-neck Karen tribe or Padaung, known for the practice of the women wearing brass rings on their necks. The appearance of a long neck is a visual illusion. The weight of the rings pushes down the collar bone, as well as the upper ribs, to such an angle that the collar bone actually appears to be a part of the neck!

There are many different accounts of why the Padaung practice this bizzare custom. Their own mythology explains that it is done to prevent tigers from biting them! Others have reported that it is done to make the women unattractive so they are less likely to be captured by slave traders. The most common explanation, though, is the opposite of this - that an extra-long neck is considered a sign of great beauty and wealth and that it will attract a better husband. Adultery, though, is said to be punished by removal of the rings. In this case, since the neck muscles will have been severely weakened by years of not supporting the neck, a woman must spend the rest of her life lying down.