10:21:00

<b><b><b><b><b>Hotel di kuching</b></b></b></b></b></b></b> - Come <b>...</b>


<b><b><b><b><b>Hotel di kuching</b></b></b></b></b></b></b> - Come <b>...</b>

Posted: 21 Jun 2014 07:32 PM PDT

attractionI am going to take you to a country which is full of islands. Any guess? Yes, you are right. It's Malaysia. There are878 islands in Malaysia. This country is known for its stunning sights and attractions. We are going to explore its astounding natural beauty that magnetizes vacationers/ tourists or visitors attraction. It's a country of exclusive culture and tradition. It's one of the best places on the globe with delicious cuisine and hospitable people. Kuala Lumpur is its capital with charming iconic Petronas Twin Towers.  Malaysia has many offshore geographical places. There would be around 510 which include ridges, sandbank and rocks. It's a multicultural state with many festivals and celebrations. Tour to Malaysia, is really a unique and pleasant experience.

There're lots of choices to stay in Malaysia, so it's tough to decide where to stay?

Mid-range hotels and 5 stars hotels with Chinese, Indian or Malaysian traditional cuisine and cozy rooms are easily available for vacationers/visitors anywhere in cities. You can enjoy luxury hotels or resorts located on islands. Accommodation is so cheap in Malaysia, you can easily get a room for $ 3 to $ 9 USD/night. Private rooms are available for $ 11 to $ 20 USD/night. You can camp in Taman Negara and can save lodgings cost.

Anyways, here're some suggestions.

Lone Pine Hotel, located Batu Ferringhi, Penang Island, posses welcoming staff, stunning swimming pool, lip-smacking food, and calm atmosphere with beautiful sea views. You can get a huge variety of cocktails in bar corner.

Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La, located on Batu Ferringhi beach, Penang Island, is a fantastic family resort, offers services such as water sports, tennis court, delicious food, pools, cozy rooms, hospitable staff and family entertainment center. Its cuisine includes Bar & Grill pizzas and seafood, tea/coffee, snacks, pastries.

where to stay

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, in Kuala Lumpur City Centre, is a fantastic hotel with superb services. Welcoming staff, comfortable rooms, suspended pool and delicious Malaysian food make it more worthy staying.

Tanjong Jara Resort, located on Batu, Dungun, is one of the top 25 hotels in Malaysia, offers services such as Spa village, Pools, tennis court, delicious dining out, air-conditioned rooms, seafood and bar. You can spend a relaxing morning with coffee and newspaper on the beach.

Berjaya Tioman Resort, located in Pulau Tioman, is a traditional Malay style resort, offers services like pools, golf, tennis court, spa, coffee, snacks, global drinks, tasty food, air-conditioning cozy rooms and water sports including diving, fishing, snorkelling etc.

The Majestic Hotel, Majestic Malacca, Cameron Highlands Resort and Sama-Sama Hotel, in Kuala Lumpur, Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa and Four Seasons Resort in Langkawi, Miri Marriot Resort & Spa, Mega Hotel, Grand Palace Hotel and Imperial Palace Hotel in Miri, Seven Terraces, Yeng Keng Hotel, Museum Hotel and Hotel Panega are also wonderful places to stay in Malaysia. 

As far as meal is concerned, you can have it in restaurants, western hotels , cooking own when living in camping or as a street meal and just have to pay $1 to $3 USD /head for street meal, $4 to $6 USD/head in restaurants while western food is a bit expensive. Malaysia is a Muslim country that's why drinks are expensive here. Anyways, here are some suggestions of restaurants for you.

Dining in the Dark, located on Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, is an amazing restaurant deeply into darkness and offers delicious food including soups, desserts etc.

Malaysian-Food-2

Black Forest, located on Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, offers German cuisine.

Kebaya, located on Stewart Lane, Georgetown, Penang Island, offers good services and food.

Living Room Cafe Bar & Gallery, located on Batu Ferringhi, Penang Island, is a good place for families, lovebirds, special occasion or groups. You can enjoy Bar, Asian and Eclectic cuisine here until late night.

Top Spot Food Court, located Bukit Mata Kuching, Kuching is a family restaurant, offers best seafood and opens until late night.

Jambu Restaurant and Lounge, located on Crookshank Road, Kuching is a restaurant offers best pasta in town. It also deals with Bistro, Bar for cocktails and Tapas etc.

Black bean, The Heritage, Tribal Stove and Bella Italia are also superb restaurants in Kuching with the fantastic setting near river.

La Casa Kuantan, Crocodile Rock Pizza & Grill Restaurant, Satay Zul, and Dallah Restaurant in Kuantan offer great services with superb cuisine.

Malaysia is a country with many attractions or points of interests and more exciting thing is those are quite cheap. Here're some suggestions, and you must visit those places once you are in Malaysia.

Birch Memorial Clock Tower, located in one of the biggest cities of Malaysia named "Ipoh". Here're plenty of attention-grabbing sights such as museums, temples and historical buildings.

attraction

Galeria Perdana, Rice Museum, and  Padi Langkawi, in Langkawi, are amazing places with precious stuff and collection, to visit. Langkawi is a beautiful island with lovely beaches and plenty of interesting sights. Ave Stella Maris Catholic Chapel is a beautiful church. Langkawi Wildlife Park and Underwater World are educational and exciting places with lots of fun.

The Islamic city "Kota Bharu" is a great city with royal places, museums, and plenty of other eye-catching sights.

Taman Negara National Park is a beautiful park in oldest rainforest Taman Negara. It's a place with lots of activities like trekking, safaris, and canopy walks.

activities

Islamic Art Museum, Petronas Twin Towers, Putrajaya Bridge, Petrosains Science Discovery Centre, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Thean Hou Temple, and Lake Garden Parks are some suggested amazing places to visit in Kuala Lumpur.

Mount Kinabalu National Park, is the best choice for hiking, this Park is full of fun and will never disappoint you on your visit.

Malaysia is a land of festivals and celebrations as multicultural people exist here. Tourists or vacationers can enjoy these festivals almost every month of the year. Here are some suggestions for our visitors.

Tamil Community celebrates festival named "Thaipusam". It's a unique festival that is worth seeing. It can be best observed at Batu Caves in Selangor or Penang, in Januanry.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in February and last for 15 days. You can enjoy lion dances, fireworks, and delicious Chinese meal.

In April, Good Friday and Malaysia Water Festival are celebrated.

Wesak Day, and Harvest Festival are celebrated in May.

June is a month with amazing festivals like Hari Gawai and Dragon Boat Festivals.

July and August are the months with festivals such as the Rainforest World Music Festival, Independence day, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hungry Ghost Festival.

September becomes more colorful with Malaysia Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Hari Raya Haji, Deepavali Festivals of Lights, and Christmas are celebrated in October, November and December.

Malaysia is not less than a heaven for shopaholics. Super international brands have covered Malaysian market and have luxury stores here. Sales at shopping mall attract many tourists every year. Mega Sales held on Christmas and Independence Day and last up to two months.

Utama, BB Plaza, Fahrenheit88, Lot10, Plaza Low Yat, Suria KLCC and Sogo are some remarkable shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.

shopping3

ICT@Komtar, Island Plaza, Midlands One Stop, Plaza Gurney, Prangin Mall, Queensbay Mall and Straits Quay are some suggested shopping centers in Penang.

Langkawi Fair is a beautiful place for a shop in Langkawi.

Malaysia is a country with beaches. Therefore, beach holidays can be enjoyed all around the year. Summer season is mild, and usually climate is pleasant in Malaysia so you can visit it in all seasons. Anyhow, December and January are two peak tourists' seasons.  From June until August is also a good time to enjoy beaches activities.

when to fly

I assure you, your vacations to this country holding natural beauty, would be a treasured and unforgettable experience.

My Lovely Arina : KURSUS <b>DI KUCHING</b> SARAWAK

Posted: 29 Jun 2014 08:33 PM PDT

Assamuailaikum buat semua bloggers tersayang.....

Dah buat rutin harian semua....

DAH SENYUM PAGI NI

DAH RCA PAGI NI

DAH BACA SURAH YASIN

DAH ISTIGHFAR 100x PAGI NI

DAH ZIKIR YA WAHHAB 300 x

DAH AKHIR SEKALI DAH NIAT PAGI NI NAK BANTU ORANG LAIN JADI LEBIH HEBAT LEBIH SIHAT....

Jika dah buat alhamdulillah......semoga allah memberi dan terus memberi.....

Mai la kita ceta sikit pasal perjalanan saya menghadiri Kursus di Sarawak.

Pengalaman kursus dan perjalanan seorang diri tanpa teman...

Hari Pertama

Pada tanggal 27 Mei 2014 yang lepas, aku sekali lagi di beri peluang oleh Kementerian pergi berkursus di Kuching, Sarawak. Pada tahun lepas aku ke Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Tahun ni lak ke Kuching...ya Allah sempat jugalah melihat bandaraya Kuching yang belum pernah aku kunjungi. Ini adalah kunjungan pertama aku di Kuching. 

Rasanya gembira tidak terkata...dah lama berhajat nak ke Kuching tetapi belum sempat. Tapi kali Allah bagi kat aku peluang untuk melihat sendiri bandaraya Kuching. Rasa syukur sangat. Alhamdulillah kepadanya.

Wah..wah..best la cik linda pergi ye...... Dah dah jangan duk merapu tak tentu pasal lak....nanti kementerian tak hantar baru padan muka....hahahahaha....harap tahun depan dapat lagi hadir......jom jom kita sambung ceta...

Hari Pertama 27 Mei 2014

Aku bertolak dari rumah ke Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, Kepala Batas pada jam 8 malam. Flight aku kul 9.45 malam. Aku selesaikan bagasi aku sebelum ke Gate. 

Alhamdulillah tepat 9.45 flight telah berlepas dari Sultan Abdul Halim Airport ke KLIA 2. Sebaik tiba di KLIA 2 tepat jam 11 malam. Aku selesai urusan bagasi dan menuju ke Arrival Hall di KLIA 2. Sambil tu aku sempat jgak meronda sepintas lalu di situ sebelum perutku keroncong.  

Tanpa membuang masa, aku mendapatkan KFC dulu. Sempat lak update apa yang patut di dalam smartphoneku...nasib baik la ada jgk smartphone pemberian hubby ku sempena birthday ku last year. 

Setelah selesai supper dan pengambilan vitamin yang diperlukan bagi diri aku untuk perjalanan yang memenatkan  aku pun beralih arah ke tingkat 3 Depenture Hall untuk mencari tempat lepak dan tidur sebentar sementara menunggu flight check in jam 4 pagi. Sempat tidur dengan beg2ku...hahaha. ..sapa nak join mai la...tidur kat airport....bagi aku dah biasa because  aku suka travel. 

Hari Kedua

Tepat jam 3.30 pagi aku sudah terjaga dari tidur. Wah dah ramai orang...just rileks dulu srblm check in. Jam dah masuk kul 4 pagi..Aku pun bergerak ke bahagian check in apa yang patut. Sebenarnya aku telah check in sebelum aku datang..check awal lebih selamat dari check in terlewat. Aku hanya tgu check in bagasi ku saja. 

Jam menunjukkan kul 4.30 kaunter telah mula beroperasi.  Syukur alhamdulillah aku dapat check in bagasi sebelum orang ramai. Setelah urusan  bagasi selesai aku menunggu ke bahagian gate untuk masuk. So masih awal lagi sempat gi toilet dulu sebelum subuh. Solat dulu.

Apabila selesai solat aku gi lepak2 kat gate sambil window shopping pagi2 buta...hahahaha...mungkin orang tk pernah buat..tapi aku buat dah...best la shopping orang pun tak dak..hi hi hi. ..

Apabila selesai semua aku setia menunggu di gate untuk pelepasan pada jam 7.10 pagi. Alhamdulillah penerbangan dengan cuaca yang sangat baik. Jom layan breakfast dulu..Nasi Lemak Pak Nassier. Makan dulu...lambat lagi nak sampai sebelum tu jangan lupa ambil B Complex untuk kecergasan berpanjangan...and then ..boleh tidur sebentar. Hihihi...

Ronda2 lihat kawasan dan window shopping

Mencari gate pelepasan ke Kuching

nasib jumpa gate 10

paling dekat dan tidak perlu jalan jauh

Alhamdulillah syukur dah sapai ke bumi kenyalang...mengirup udara di sarawak tepat jam 8.45 pagi. Jom ambil beg dulu boleh pusing2 airport dulu sebelum check in kat hotel di bandaraya Kuching. 

Selamat tiba di bumi Sarawak.....wah..wah..

First time datang ke ini dengan hati yang ceria.

Pas lawatan bagi mengesahkan anda tiba di bumi sarawak dengan selamat telah diperolehi daripada arrival hall and immigration department. 

Selesai urusan beg dan immigration di Airport aku menuju ke Counter Taxi untuk ke Hotel Merdeka Palace and Suite di tengah2 Bandaraya Kuching. 

Selamat tiba di hadapan hotel. Orang kedua dari semenanjung tiba...masih du awak pagi lagi..Kaunter pendaftaran kursus belum dibuka lagi. Pukul 2 petang baru pendaftaran akan dibuka. So apa lg....boleh gi jalan nih...beg2 semua dah selamat berada di hotel...Tak kan nak duduk kat hotel ye kot, baru kul 10 pagi..masih awal kedai2 pun baru dibuka apa lagi cik linda jom kita ronda dulu.

Bilik yang aku dapat..apartment you...

wah ada dapur lak...tak kan nak masak kot..datang pun 3 hari ye...hihihi...kalau bawa family best nih....

Ruang Tamu

Ni la bilik aku...

 Water Front Kuching

Petang herbovac.....jalan2 sekitar

Water Front  Kuching. 

Dewan Undang Negeri Sarawak

Bersama kak Rati jalan2 petang ambil angin

Sampan ke seberang. Membeli belah Kek Lapis Sarawak dan Ikan Terubuk

Jom makan mee golok...wah sedap giler first makan...tersangat lah sedap. Thank you Dayang bought for me Mee Golok. 

Selesai di petang hari berjalan2. Sampai masa untuk masuk ke kelas lak. Jom kita belajar dulu....

Sesi perkenalan dan ramah mesra bersama peserta dari Sarawak dam Semenanjung bermula bersama Mentor Saranjit Singh.

Selesai jam 10 malam. Semua boleh masuk tidak..jom..jom tidur dah kepenatan berjalan disiang hari.

Tak sempat nak tidur..ada pulak member dari Sarawak..maira..ajak jalan2 di Bandar Kuching dan bwrjumpa dengan kucing..hahaha

Apa lagi aku sarungkan jubah ye la...nak pi tengok kucing so jom layan gambar kucing2 Sarawak...hihihi

Hari Ketiga

Selamat menuntut ilmu bagi program Neuro Linguistics Programming For Leadarship. Bermula hari ini dengan program yang di tunggu oleh semua peserta. 

Kami diterangkan apa itu NLP....

Dengan panjang lebar mentor atau penceramah memberi aku dan rakan2 penerangan yang sangat terperinci. Memang best giler.

Bersama rakan2 menuntut ilmu sambil bergambar. Jangan lupa posing2 semua..hihihi

Mentor En Saranjit Singh tengah tekun memberi talk pada aku dan rakan2.

Jangan lupa peace  for good luck..Ada exam lak Mr Saranjit Singh bagi...

Bersama rakan2 kumpulan yang hebat2 memberi talk NLP

Maira memulakan talk yang panjang lebar. Aku menunggu giliran untuk talk tersebut. Alhamdulillah selesai sudah talk by personal and group pada hari ini. 

Hope successfully. 

Acara petang macam biasa di teruskan dengan jalan2 untuk membeli souvenir dan buah tangan untuk balik esok...sebelum tu yahooooo....kelas malam tak ada...memberi kesempatan jalan2 nih...

Menaiki sampan untuk ke seberang sungai membeli Kek Lapis Mira dan Ikan Terubuk Masin

Bersama Dayang 

Geng jalan2

Second time naik sampan...

Sebelum ni di vietnam

Maira jurupandu profesional kami di Kuching..Thank you for your help and support. 

Nampak tk kedai Kek Lapis Mira...

Wah ramao betul orang. Jem semasa nak bayar sebab lusa mereka akan sambuat Hari Gawai. Tu yang meriah.....

Kedai menjual Ikan Terubuk Masin bersebelah kedai kek Mira.

Selesai sudah bershopping Kek Lapis dan Ikan Terubok Masin

Naik sampan untuk pulang ke hotel...

Penyampaian Sijil buat semua peserta.

Semoga lepas nih dapat berjumpa lagi di kursus akan datang. Jemput2 lah masuk nama lagi boleh gi kursus lagi...hihihi...

nak bagi dapat banyak ilmu untuk dicurahkan dan di sharekan kepada orang lain.

Seronok datang ilmu yang disampaikan sangat bagus dan berkesan untuk diri sendiri dan jabatan.  

Geng Semenanjung

Bersama Encik George Blaise (Ketua Bahagian Cawangan Latihan Ibupejabat Mindef)  dan Encik Saranjit Singh (Penceramah)

Terima kasih Mindef Sarawak dan Staf Sarawak yang sudi membawa kita orang gi jalan2 semasa berada di sana. Insyallah jika diberi kesempatan lagi aku akan datang lagi ke sana. Harap geng sarawak dapat membantu ya..

Dan lupa jugak buat Encik Pemandu Mindef Sarawak yang hantar ke Airport pada hari terakhir kursus. 

Kek Sarawak yang sempat di bawa pulang.

Sedap rugi sapa yang tak beli.....

Insyallah ada masa dan kelapangan dapat datang lagi ke Sarawak.

Bertolak dari hotel jam 2 petang dan flight dari Kuching ke Kuala Lumpur jam 4 petang ..tapi delay lak...kul 5 baru berlepas..Aduh kalut aku sebab flight ke Alor Setar jam 8 malam.

Aku selamat tiba di KLIA2 jam 6.30 petang. Kekalutan melanda.....dah lah jauh gi ambil beg kul 7 baru dapat...nasib baik dh check in cuma nak check  bagasi saja. Alamatnya terpaksa potong orang depan la..sebab flight dah buat first call utk penerbangan ke Alor Setar...

Nasib baik lah counter sraf mau tolong. Aku lak berlari jgk la nak ke Gate. Jauh ya rabbi.. sampai jem kaki aku ...nasib baik beg semua masuk dlm bagasi..kalau tidak tak tau la....

Selamat sapai ke gate dan selamat masuk ke penerbangan ke Alor Setar......

Alhamdulillah selamat sampai ke alir setar airport pada jam 9.30 malam. Tapi kali nih ribut telah melanda semasa berada  dalam flight. Haaa..hura hara sebab ada yang mengandung terpaksa pramugari memberi bantuan kecemasan.  Agak lama jgk. Nasib baik allah pelihara semua..semua selamat alhamdulillah. . . Pengalaman yang menakutkan.

Insyallah bertemu kita next story...tgu ya semua...

Assalamualaikum. . . . .

Makan <b><b>di kuching</b></b> - Come Sarawak - Come Sarawak

Posted: 08 Jun 2014 07:54 PM PDT

How Taib Family Built Huge Housing Wealth In The Name Of Kuching's Poor

This post is also available in: Iban, Malay

1/2 million ringgit price tags on CMS built homes in Bandar Samariang

1/2 million ringgit price tags on CMS built homes in Bandar Samariang

The Taib family company CMS proudly boasts of its "vast land bank" in its annual reports and has started selling off chunks for tens of millions in Kuching.

Commercial centres and grand housing estates are also being developed in two key areas, Bandar Samariang, where CMS has 5,200 acres, valued around half a billion ringgit, and of course on the Kuching Isthmus, where land is even more expensive.

But, how did CMS acquire all this property and who has benefitted?

Sarawak Report has acquired shocking information about the way Taib and his family members have profited from this land, which was forcibly taken (official term is 'alienated') from local people and state ownership.

We did it to help the poor

The story that the Chief Minister told from the start was that this was land that difficult and expensive to develop, but that his family company was kindly determined to provide housing for poor people.

Back in 2001, he even made out that CMS was doing this supposed favour in Bandar Samariang entirely "for the people's benefit" for "not much profit", because other developers didn't want to get involved in such a loss-making venture!

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud denied yesterday that the development projects implemented in the state had benefited him personally as alleged by some quarters. Stressing that the projects were for the people's benefit, he urged them to think rationally all allegations of nepotism and cronyism which were levelled at him before making any conclusion….he cited as an example the low-cost housing project in Rampangi, Semariang of which he was accused of benefiting personally. Taib.. said the project did not bring much profit to the developer Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd due to the peat soil condition. Not many companies wanted to invest in the project because of the high cost involved to prepare the site for the project, he said. But in the interest of the people, the project had to be carried out to provide housing to the low income group, he said. "We do not want them to remain without houses and live far away from the city. That's why we continued with the project," he said.[Bernama Sunday, April 08, 2001]

Such a kind old fellow!

Chief Executive and key shareholder at the time, Taib brother Onn Mahmud

Chief Executive and key shareholder at the time, Taib brother Onn Mahmud

Interestingly no mention has ever been made again of these poor soil conditions by CMS.  This is probably, not least, because in every other country in the world, developing tropical peat soil has been banned, because of the severe environmental consequences.

To gain a sense of the value of this land handed to CMS in the guise of helping the poor, consider the recent news that the company has decided to sell on a parcel of 500 acres for over RM45million to Sentoria Group to build a theme park.

Suddenly, another developer has been found willing not only to take on the job of developing the land, but to pay big money for the plot.

However, this time of course the money has gone to CMS, not the government or the people from whom the area was 'alienated'.

At the time CMS got this land for free it was largely owned and run by Taib's brother Onn Mahmud, who shortly after passed on his shares to Taib's wife, with the remainder being largely in the hands of the Chief Minister's four children.

No nepotism at all then!

Sucking money out of pensions too

Robert Geneid, the Head of CMS Property Development and husband of Taib's sister Raziah Mahmud.

Robert Geneid, the Head of CMS Property Development and husband of Taib's sister Raziah Mahmud.

But, of course, the Taibs didn't really want to invest their own money in this mission to assist the poor with 'quality low cost housing'.

Far better to use their influence to encourage the government controlled Employee Provident Fund (EPF) to put in the money instead.

After all, this fat milk cow has been used to pour vast sums of money into endless pet projects to benefit BN politicians, meaning public employees can look forward to far lower pensions, despite being forced to pay a quarter of their salaries into the obligatory savings fund controlled by the government.

EPF therefore was dragged into a joint venture with CMS and the investment in the "low cost housing" in Bandar Samariang began.

But, in fact, low cost housing was only ever planned to form a small part of the project from the very start.  The original terms of agreement, as explained in CMS's own annual reports, made clear just 1/3 of the area was to be housing for the less well-off.

Housing for the poor?

Housing for the poor?

The rest of the huge site was to be developed as an ambitious commercial enterprise.

CMS's 1997 Annual Report was certainly not bashful about the profit-driven nature of CMS's latest housing project or the ambitions of its new Property Development Division, headed by the new husband of Taib's sister Raziah, the Lebanese Australian, Robert Geneid.

It also reveals that, thanks to Taib's ability to pull the strings, that the State Housing & Development Commission had already been tasked with buying whatever 'quality low cost housing' CMS Property produced on the site, ensuring a guaranteed profit.

1997 Annual Report

Property Development

"This is a new growth area for the Group, and CMS Properties Sdn Bhd has been set up to develop and manage the Group's vast land bank, with the long-term objective of becoming Sarawak's principal property developer and a major player throughout Malaysia and the ASEAN region. The Group's strategy is based on using the natural synergy between the infrastructure, finance and property divisions….

Bandar Baru Samariang is a joint venture with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and will be the largest low-cost housing project ever undertaken in Sarawak, and the first housing development project undertaken by the Group. 

The 13,500 low cost houses (approximately 36 percent of the project) will be sold to the Housing & Development Commission……The remaining 64 percent of the project will comprise medium-cost homes, commercial centres and ancillary buildings, providing a total of 42,200 housing units on the vast 5,200 acre site just 15 km from Kuching. Phase 1 of the township is currently being implemented, to provide over 4,000 units of low-cost housing, as well as hundreds of other residential and commercial properties."[Ann Rpt 1997]

So, in fact, a mere 4,000 units of the token low cost housing have been included in the first phase of the project, all promoted in the beginning in a blaze of positive publicity, before CMS moved speedily to the much more lucrative "medium cost" housing, where units are currently being sold for the very fancy prices of anything up to half a million ringgit!

Bandar Samariang Phase I Plan

Phase 1 - including 4,000 low cost housing units guaranteed to be purchased by the Housing Committee

Phase 1 – including 4,000 low cost housing units guaranteed to be purchased by the Housing Committee

Of course, the fact that the state has ploughed in major infrastructure, in terms of roads and amenities into the area, has made the development potential of this project ever more lucrative.  Yet, the Chief Minister is still justifying his handing of it all to his family in the name of charity for Kuching's poor!

Presiding over his family's vast profitable land venture.

Presiding over his family's vast profitable land venture.

However, this mother of all land grabs from the Sarawak people is just the start of the story of how the Taib family set about enriching themselves from this project.

In 'Phase 2′ of our investigation we will be looking at how individual members of the Taib inner family circle, set about using the massive housing project to develop profitable businesses for themselves, with disastrous consequences for the very poor people in whose name the Bandar Samariang land grab was executed.

"The new township boasts a myriad of vibrant features such as improved road connectivity between central and South Kuching" Borneo Post

"The new township boasts a myriad of vibrant features such as improved road connectivity between central and South Kuching" Borneo Post