The Great Heritage Project: Let's Get To It!

Every time I travel to other parts of the country, I usually rant about the same thing (actually, even to downtown KL): How our old, pre-war buildings are not well taken care of. 

These buildings are historically and culturally important and should be preserved and appreciated. But usually, you'll see them rotting away OR refurbished to look gaudy and unappealing. 

Recently, we took the trunk road from Tanjung Malim to Ipoh and we got to see all the towns in between, each with their own identity, their own set of beautiful old buildings. Happy to see that some have been maintained well, but others left much to be desired. 

Pls refer to pictures attached.

I know that most of these buildings are privately owned and not protected by the relevant laws, but speaking as a lay person, would love to see this become the priority of local governments. There should be more engagement with the owners too, and a masterplan to get everyone's buy-in, even the rakyat. (Do let me know if this is all being done.)

But yes, I am happy and encouraged to see this initiative by DBKL and CGB Consultants in KL! (Refer to pics below). 

Let’s also widen the scope so budgets could be allocated for even non-heritage sites. 

Come on, let's get this done folks!

My 7 Favourite Skyscrapers

I'm not a fan of heights, but I AM a fan of super structures and skyscrapers. And in conjunction with The Rock's latest film, here's the list of my favourite skyscrapers (that I've been to):


The Empire State Building, New York
Spent a few hours in New York City back in 2000, and this was the first thing I did after getting off the Greyhound bus. Didn't have much time, so I just admired it from the ground and asked some random mat salleh to snap my pic (fanny pack and all, haha).

Taipei IOI, Taipei
It was a rainy afternoon when I arrived in Taipei that day in 2003, but I was in awe when I first saw the building from inside the cab. It was near the hotel where I stayed , so took the chance to get up close and personal as well. I remember a similar shopping mall to KLCC there but not much more.

Eiffel Tower, Paris
My first visit was in 2010, but it was more memorable when I brought along the fam a year later. We stayed near the Gare du Nord and took the City Sightseeing Bus. I remember the bus taking a turn somewhere, and voila! - the Eiffel Tower was in our sights. Waaaahhh, was pretty much how we reacted : )

The Shard, London
There was a (short) period of time in my life when I would open the window every morning, and I could see this 72-storey magnificent structure.

Eureka Skydeck, Melbourne
Went up the 300-m Eureka Skydeck back in 2012. A great way to see most of Melbourne, definitely.

The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur
Yes, of course. Even after all these years, you still can't get your eyes off it. Especially when it's all lit up at night. Sayangi Malaysiaku!

Burj Khalifa, Dubai
Ah, the tallest building in the world! And we went right up to the 124th floor this past January. It's really an awesome experience! You get a cool guided tour on the ground floor, and it actually takes only ONE MINUTE on the super-fast elevator to get to the top! And what a view from there! Totally worth the experience : )

Hey Look, I'm On Radio!

I've done radio interviews a few times in my lifetime, and each time I'd think, "Damn, this is no easy thing." Even after I've done 'live' TV hosting, especially with "Malaysia Hari Ini", and also those Steve Jobs-style product launches, I have always maintained that radio would still be the hardest for me. 

BUT that didn't stop me from taking up the opportunity given by Mr Radio himself, Halim Othman.

Halim is currently presenting on Suria FM for the sports-based program Grandstand. And since the end of last year, he had wanted me to be his partner! But it only came to fruition a couple of months ago, and now I'm a regular guest presenter on Grandstand!

I never felt comfortable sitting in a radio conti before. I felt like it was just too cramped, and you're basically isolated from everyone else. Unlike TV where the set is usually bigger and you have a crew fussing over everything, I always felt like it was a tougher proposition to conjure up the energy sitting all alone, or even with a partner.

But yeah, I took up the challenge. For one, I know Halim really well, and we are pretty much on the same wavelength. Our conversations have always been interesting, if I may say so myself. Haha. But this was also a challenge for him. He took this an opportunity for HIM to learn what he wants in a co-presenter, and so he's been guiding and coaching me accordingly.

And yeah, so far I've enjoyed the journey tremendously! The show is on every Sunday 10am to 12pm, and in that two hours we jam for 7-8 talksets. It's a mix between planned conversations and what come up spontaneously. Of course it helps that it's a sports show, and personally I have a LOT to say every time lah : ) What more with the World Cup now!

Not sure how long I will be doing this gig, but it's been an awesome ride so far. Only this past weekend we had someone saying, "Buat radio ni macam relax je kan?" Well, if only! I mean on TV, you might get away with things cos it's a visual medium, but your words obviously come out clearer on radio. Not that you are not allowed any mistakes tho.

So, do tune in to Grandstand! If you're not in your car, it's also online or just download the Suria app!

5 Things My Late Mother Taught Me..

5 things my late mum taught me:

1. Don’t swear (so I still feel guilty when I do it now sometimes)

2. Be kind, but fight back against bullies

3. Say “Please” and “Thank you”

4. Never EVER hit a woman

5. Always come home before Maghrib

(In my heart and mind every single day since she left us)

3 Days In JB

Yup, it had to happen lah. A vlog on my own beloved hometown, JB : )