www.ipohecho.com.my IPOH Your Community Newspaper echoechoServing the people of Ipoh, Chemor, Sg.Siput,Taiping, Kuala Kangsar, Gopeng, Kampar, Batu Gajah, Air Tawar, Sitiawan, Lumut and Teluk Intan. FREE for collection from our office and selected outlets, on 1st & 16th of the month. ISSUE PP 14252/10/2008(007226) July 1 - 15, 2008 30 sen for delivery to your house by news vendors within Perak. 53 RM 1 prepaid postage for mailing within Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. They came from near and far for a very special occasion Their presence represented the most formidable Fathol Zaman Bukhari’s report - page 2 gathering of its kind ever witnessed in Perak Photographs by Rosli Mansor 2 IPOH ECHO July 1 - 15, 2008 Your Community Newspaper They were days for remembrance And events that themselves will never be forgotten By Fathol Zaman Bukhari The central group last year. However, it was were all members of a first in Ipoh for John and the National Malayan Maria although they have and Borneo Veterans been to Malaysia on sev- Association Australia eral previous occasions. (NMBVA). There were Stan, as it happened, 55 of them, including lost an item of luggage spouses and children. filled with mementos They represented the meant for their Malaysian biggest contingent of its counterparts in Ipoh. It kind ever to set foot in went missing on the trolley Ipoh. he was pushing at KLIA. They came to How unfortunate it was for commemorate the 60th in the bag was his jacket anniversary of the and his service medals. start of the Malayan “The thief will be very dis- Emergency and, naturally, appointed with the loot,” to pay respects to fallen he laughed. comrades. They were accommo- Ages ranged between dated at the Syuen Hotel 59 and 82. The oldest, although a few had picked Tom Turnbull, served the Royal Ipoh Club out of God’s Little Acre at Batu Gajah. The last post sounds as British veterans dip the association flag. with the Police Force here nostalgia. Placing them un- when the Emergency der one main roof allowed one at the Taiping Lakes ployed in Johore, Sarawak the second Saturday of while Brian Selby did so was declared on June 18, for better supervision by Garden. “I will raise this and Sabah to prevent intru- each June is organised by for NMBVA. 1948. The youngest in local organisers. matter with the Australian sions by Indonesian irregu- the Malaysian Palm Oil From Batu Gajah the the gathering, 59 year-old High Commissioner, Mrs. lars and regulars. Association. This year it visitors’ next stop was Steve Toon, was formerly A WEEK’S Penny Williams, and re- was held on Saturday, June Kem Syed Putra (Tambun with Britain’s famous PROGRAMME quest that the Australian SPECIAL 14. Camp). Coldstream Guards. Government takes over up- SIGNIFICANCE Several wreaths were He served in Sarawak The NMBVA’s com- keep of the cemetery from laid to honour the fallen REMEMBERING THE during Konfrontasi, 1963- plete programme covered the Commonwealth War The Remembrance heroes. The OCPD Batu GURKHAS 65. a full week from Tuesday, Graves Commission,” said Day service at God’s Little Gajah, representing the Then, of course, there June 10 to Monday, June Brian. Acre in Batu Gajah had its Royal Malaysian Police, In the camp is an al- were the many senior 16. Transportation to des- The involvement of own special significance. laid the first wreath most-forgotten Gurkha diplomatic representatives tinations of interest was Australian troops in the Lay buried in this well pre- followed by the High cemetery where the remains from Britain, Australia, provided by two 42-seater Malayan Emergency began served cemetery are numer- Commissioners of the of over a hundred Gurkha New Zealand, India and buses. in 1950 by way of Royal ous planters and policemen, United Kingdom, Australia, soldiers and dependents are Nepal, not to mention the First stop for the Australian Air Force air- foreign and local, killed India and Nepal. Lt-Col buried. They came from military attachees. programme came on craft and personnel based during the Emergency. Fridaus Abdullah laid one The NMBVA is an Thursday, June 12 - the in Singapore. Dakota air- The service, observed on on behalf of the military continued page 9 The memorial service at Taiping led by Brian Selby and honouring The sons of well know expatriate planter, Dato Carl Bek-Nielsen, lay wreaths fallen serviceman Pte Ben Hallard in tribute to planters who died during the Emergency Adelaide, South Australia, Kamunting Christian craft were used to ferry based organisation with Cemetery. Here some 38 troops, drop supplies and branches in all Australian Australian soldiers killed leaflets. states. It is an integral part during the Emergency are As the Emergency pro- the Returned Services interred. The Association gressed so did their roles. League of Australia. The had picked one grave to In 1955, troops from 2 Association’s President, honour with a wreath. Royal Australian Regiment Brian (Snowy) Selby, “Our choice this year took part in search and de- Secretary, John Plenty and is Pte Ben Hallard from stroy missions alongside Treasurer, Stan Pjangka Perth. He served with 2 local and Commonwealth were present along with RAR and was killed on infantrymen. wives. All three men June 24, 1957. We dedi- The Indonesian served with the Australian cate the wreath to his Confrontation began with Artillery Regiment in the niece,” said Brian after a the Brunei Revolt in 1962, early 1960s and were sta- simple ceremony at Ben’s two years after the end of tioned at Terendak Camp, graveside. the Emergency, and ended Malacca. The cemetery was a in 1966 when President John Plenty, inci- little unkempt with over- Sukarno was ousted by dentally, is married to a grown lallang and grass. General Suharto. Malaccan lass, Maria. It does not reflect a true Australian and Com- Brian and Stan were here war cemetery like the monwealth troops were de- Gurkha Pipers from Brunei prepare to play the lament at Batu Gajah Your Community Newspaper IPOH ECHO July 1 - 15, 2008 3 www.ipohecho.com From the Editor’s Desk IPOH echo By Fathol Zaman Bukhari Your Community Newspaper CLOSING IN ON 100 DAYS Our MB calls a press conference It’s most disheartening ing the Chief Ministerial when your predecessor, post. “We have to spend besides refusing to ac- less,” he said. He had done knowledge defeat, refuses away with new staff cars to hand over his job as although approval for re- well. Taking on the re- placements had been given sponsibility as CEO of a by predecessor Tajol Rosli. state once considered the “Even if the cars are old we richest in the country can can still get to our destina- be a daunting task if you tions, a little slow though.” lack support and empa- He expressed hopes thy. What you require is that the media would treat determination, not ideal- his administration with ism. fairness. These are the difficul- “They don’t highlight ties faced by newly minted our good points. I seldom Menteri Besar of Perak, see pictures of me giv- Dato’ Seri Mohamad Nizar ing aids to the poor,” he Jamaluddin. He made this sighed. Inadequate cover- revelation to reporters dur- age had forced him and YEAR-LONG MAIL DELIVERY ing an interview in the run- his executive councillors up to his first 100 days in to give ceramah at night in OF THE IPOH ECHO office. reveal the details on July the previous govenment. the kampongs. You can have the Ipoh Echo mailed directly to your house The meeting, at his of- 7, the date that marks the “They have to go under Perhaps the media or place of work. All you need to do is deposit RM24 with fice, on Tuesday, June 17 state government’s 100 and above the counter to and those who still doubt us and we will do the rest. The amount is postage fee for was devoid of officialdom days in power.” get their deals through,” Nizar’s sincerity should the delivery of 24 copies of Ipoh Echo for a year. Those normally associated with Investors had shown said Nizar. have a better look at them- interested please call our office at 05-2495936 or 016-553 1092 for more details. the former administration. interests in the tourism, Reducing the RM40 selves before commenting. A number of deals with manufacturing and petro- million budget deficit Ipoh Echo, as always, When posting a cheque, it should be made out to investors had been made. leum sectors. The same incurred over the years will exercise impartiality ‘Ipoh Echo Sdn Bhd’ and posted to No 1, Jalan However, the details were investors were turned off was one of the promises and objectivity in its re- Lasam, 30450 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. kept under wraps. “We’ll by the “hanky panky” of Nizar made upon assum- porting. SINGAPORE ON LINE By Andrew Symon IPOH – A CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION There are many good reasons for a local campus Ipoh as a university city? tion. There can be no bet- lation and religious diver- Should this be the vision ter way of rejuvenating the sity and tolerance. Ipoh it- for Ipoh in the decades centre than having a cam- self would provide a good ahead? For some years pus and student housing in part of student demand in now local people have its heart. its own right. wrestled with the critical Ipoh geographically If you are introduced question as to how Ipoh is very well placed. It is to Malaysians - doctors, might be revitalised.