Real jungle adventure in city centre | Lifestyle & Entertainment |

KUALA LUMPUR, (DPA) - Bordered by an overhead railway on one side and busy roads on three other corners, Malaysia’s Bukit Nanas forest reserve is perhaps the only virgin forest in the world that sits in the centre of a city. The 9.4-hectare jungle is just about 400 metres away from the Kuala Lumpur Commercial Centre (KLCC), the main business and shopping hub in the Malaysian capital.
Bukit Nanas, which was first known as the Weld Hill Forest Reserve, was gazetted as a permanent reserved forest in 1906 by the British colonial government in the peninsula to keep some land free of the unbridled development of the city at that time.
Its original land area was 11 hectares, but in 1996 the government built the Menara KL observation tower at its highest peak. The 421-metre tower has since become a major tourist attraction with a revolving restaurant and a view deck overlooking the capital.
The reserve, which used to be home to the now nearly extinct Malaysian tiger species, hosts centuries-old towering trees and exotic flora and fauna.
Within the reserve, the deafening sound of roaring cars and other rushing vehicles sounds far away, muted by the rustling of the leaves and the incessant whistling of the crickets and cacophony of birds chirping.
A flock of birds may suddenly burst out of the trees, jolted by the screams of monkeys as they chase each other through the trees.
The reserve consists of a hillock with intermediate peaks varying between 58 metres and 94 metres above sea level, with slopes between 40 degrees and 55 degrees.
The forest department said Bukit Nanas has more than 200 dipterocarp and non-dipterocarp tree species, more than 30 fern species, 100 medicinal plant species and 6 bamboo species.
Bukit Nanas is temporarily closed to the public until September this year while the government carries out a 1-million-dollar programme to rehabilitate and improve the amenities in the jungle.
Visitors in the know who plan to drop in to Kuala Lumpur late in 2013 already have the re-opening in their diaries.
“If you want to go trekking in the jungle but you are short on budget or you do not have the time travelling outside Kuala Lumpur, then Bukit Nanas is the place for you,” forest officer Norwati Sidek told dpa.
Even before the makeover, the mid-city strip of green was popular with tourists able to pretend they could not hear the buzz of traffic noise, she said.
“There were some foreigners who could hike for hours in the forest, just enjoying nature,” she added. There was a designated camping site for those who wanted to stay overnight in the forest and an area for bird-watching.
“Malaysia’s land surface was once almost entirely covered with forest,” the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) says. Today, forests still cover 60 per cent of the country’s total land area.
“However, deforestation is a major concern as the country is still rapidly developing. In the 20 years from 1983 to 2003, there was a reduction of about 4.9 million hectare of forest cover in Malaysia. This is about 4 times the size of Singapore.
“An average of 250,000 hectares of forest is being lost annually,” WWF-Malaysia said. “Apart from deforestation, the remaining forests face threats from unsustainable logging, illegal removal of forest products and encroachment.”
Fateh Naseha Hussain, a Malaysian university student and environment advocate, expressed hope the integrity of Bukit Nanas would be maintained during the upgrading and that there would be no more large-scale construction within the reserve.
“I hope the building of Menara KL will be the last encroachment on Bukit Nanas,” the 22-year-old student said. “Malaysia should be proud to keep a small virgin forest right smack in the middle of the city.”
Fateh, who did a survey of visitors and their impressions of Bukit Nanas as part of her academic requirements, lamented that eight out of 10 visitors to the reserve before the closure had been foreigners.
“During the three months I did my research, I only met a few Malaysians down the trail,” she said. “Maybe the Malaysians are taking for granted the uniqueness of Bukit Nanas. I hope more of my countrymen will take time to enjoy the forest.”
Mitsuo Noguchi, 40, a Japanese IT consultant who regularly jogged for almost an hour along the forest’s trail after work late in the afternoon, said he found the exercise rejuvenating and sorely misses it.
“I live in a condominium two streets away,” he said. “Bukit Nanas is a refuge to me. If I get bored staying in the house or if I want some time to be alone, I usually hit the trail. Every time I hike, there’s always something new to see.”
Noguchi, who has been staying in Kuala Lumpur for the past six years, said he never heard of any accident that occurred in the reserve.
“It’s very safe. But during rainy season the trail becomes slippery so one must be careful when hiking,” he said.
Noguchi said he was looking forward to the re-opening of the forest to the public so he can resume his regular adventure to the real urban jungle at the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

“Right now, I content myself jogging around the sprawling park in KLCC and its manicured gardens,” he said. “It lacks the character of Bukit Nanas.”

Harimau Malaya kembali mengaum

BUKIT JALIL, (D5) - Perebutan slot ke separuh akhir Piala Suzuki AFF 2012 menjadi semakin menarik, apabila Sabtu ini bakal menjadi penentuan buat empat buah pasukan menentukan takdir mereka sendiri.
Peminat negara kembali ceria selepas pasukan Malaysia memulihkan semula maruah selepas diaibkan dalam perlawanan pembukaan dengan mengatasi Laos 4-1 di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil.
Datuk K. Rajagobal melakukan empat pertukaran selepas tewas Singapura, dengan menggantikan Farizal Marlias di posisi penjaga gol, Wan Zack Hailkal Wan Noor di bahagian sayap kanan, Shakir Shaari (tengah) dan Mahali Jasuli sebagai bek kanan.
Perubahan itu membuatkan gerakan dari tengah lebih tersusun apabila Shakir Shaari lebih bijak melakukan hantaran ke hadapan.
Begitupun, Malaysia mengalami detik sukar apabila menamatkan 45 minit pertama dengan kedudukan seri 1-1.
Amat berbeza sekali semangat para pemain Malaysia dan mereka tidak perlu menunggu lama untuk berada di hadapan, pada minit ke-15 sepakan percuma Safiq Rahim ke sebelah kiri menggegar gawang Laos menceriakan penyokong.
Kegagalan barisan serangan Harimau Malaya memanfaatkan peluang kemudian dihukum Laos yang menyamakan kedudukan 1-1 selepas cubaan Khonesavanh Sihavong terkena Aidl Zafuan Abd Razak lalu menerjah jaringan.
Pasukan Malaysia yang tiada pilihan selain daripada menggandakan asakan tetapi terus buntu dengan ketumpulan jentera serangan.
Bagaikan bangkit daripada tidur, Harimau Malaya bangkit mempamerkan persembahan bertenaga selepas Safee Sali membuka akaunnya dalam pertandingan ini, penyerang Pelita Jaya itu mudah menolak masuk hantaran Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor pada minit ke-67.
Pada minit ke-72, Wan Zack meletakkan Harimau Malaya dalam situasi selesa dengan gol ketiga.
Hanya selepas lima minit dimasukkan, Khyril Muhymeen yang masuk menggantikan Safee Sali pada minit ke-73 melakukan larian solo untuk menjadikan kedudukan 4-0.
Rajagobal bagaikan tidak puas dengan jumlah jaringan besar kemudian memasukkan Baddrol Bakhtiar bagi menggantikan Norshahrul Idlan Talaha namun keputusan kekal sehingga wisel penamat.

Men’s Secret: Why They Go After The ‘Most Wanted’ Women

One ‘ordinary’ woman has 10 men queuing up for her while the others have none. What’s with men and most wanted girls?




There is always this one girl, since school days and now in the office, that somehow always have a group of men surrounding her. She could be your standard drop-dead-gorgeous babe with sexy curls and full bosom, but she could also be a plain Jane. A lot of women wonder about these women who seem to spread pheromone to the Adams. She is a natural queen bee.
Take a look at both Marilyn Monroe and Barbra Streisand. The former was the symbol of sexiness throughout time – luscious lips, full bosom, hourglass figure. Combine that with flirtatious charm and slight insecurity, and you get the ultimate sex bomb.
The latter is not your typical babe, with a crooked nose that once cost her her self esteem after her parents called her ‘the ugly duckling’. But later in life, the public couldn’t get enough of her, and many men including Bill Clinton fancied her. The list of Barbra’s fanboys also included: Dodi Fayed, Warren Beatty, Liam Neeson, Kris Kristofferson, Omar Sharif, Steve McQueen, Richard Gere, Ryan O’Neal, Jon Voight, Andre Agassi and Pierre Trudeau.
Two different sides of the beauty spectrums, one thing in common: the man magnet. We investigate this unique phenomenon in the hope of revealing the men-mystery.

1. It’s the way she moves

Women act a certain way when they are around a man who tickles their fancy. The head toss, the sideway glance over raised shoulder, the pelvic tilt, and the leg twine are among subconscious gestures women commit around THE man (source: The Book of Body Language, Westside Toastmaster). While at it, other men might be attracted by these acts and sees her in a different light – sexually. In simpler words, when a woman sends signals to a man, other men might catch them too.

2. The male ego

This is a no-brainer, many men want the exact same thing his peers are lusting after; for the sake of hunting thrill. Take the Diablo III case for example. Men literally compete with other men to lay their hands on the game first, and are determined to conquer it before other guys do. The same goes in the game of love, whereby a man sees a woman as more of a catch now that 15 other men are after her.

3. She’s not desperate

‘Stop looking and you will find the man of your dream’. Heard that advice before? It is true in a sense that when you are not desperate, and you focus more on yourself rather than hinting at men – you look more attractive. ’Men want to commit to women who exude confidence and are in control of their lives’ – Sherry Argov (Why Men Marry Bitches: A Woman’s Guide to Winning Her Man’s Heart). It rings true in The Barbra Effect – once she gave up her wish to undergo rhinoplasty and learned to love herself, that’s when the men started flocking.

4. Men have a thing for ‘Ms. Average’

Men dig flaws and think women are attractive during the moments where we feel the ugliest: without makeup, down with flu, or all sweaty. A study done by New Scientist in Australia revealed that most men rate women of size 14 as ideal. More surprisingly, average mothers with girl-next-door qualities are more appealing than high-profile women namely Victoria Beckham. This explains why ‘flawed’ model like Lara Stone is many men’s fetish and Jenifer Aniston is still the people’s choice over Angelina Jolie.

5. She’s a ‘man’ at heart

“I find it cool when she has chipped nails filled with glue trails after a night of working on a project,” a guy friend confessed. The same reason as to why men think we are beautiful when we fix computer bugs, change the bulbs, and lift heavy things without whining. More than a lover, men long for a friend; hence their attempt in finding our ‘boyish’ qualities beyond the delicate appearance.

Suri punca Tom Cruise dan Katie bercerai?

  

NEW YORK: Kebimbangan Katie Holmes terhadap anak perempuannya, Suri menjadi pengikut Saintologi menjadi punca di sebalik berakhirnya perkahwinannya dengan bintang Hollywood, Tom Cruise.

Aktres itu dikatakan yakin suaminya bercadang menghantar Suri, enam, ke organisasi Sea cabang Saintologi yang ditubuhkan pada 1968 oleh L Ron Hubbard, penulis sains fiksyen dan pengasas ajaran itu.

Adakah pertelingkahan mereka berkaitan dengan masa depan suri?

Organisasi Sea adalah tempat peringkat tertinggi ajaran itu diajar dan kanak-kanak semuda lima tahun dihantar untuk menetap di situ tanpa kehadiran ibu bapa mereka.

Organisasi itu sering dibandingkan dengan kem tentera dan beberapa bekas ahli Saintologi, termasuk pemenang anugerah Oscar, Paul Haggis, adalah orang yang lantang bersuara menentang keadaannya yang sama seperti kem tentera.
Diwujudkan di laut pada asalnya, tradisi marin masih wujud hingga hari ini, walaupun ia cawangan organisasi itu yang berpangkalan di darat. Satu sumber memberitahu TMZ, Cruise adalah peminat utamanya. Laman web itu mendakwa Cruise dan Katie sering bertelingkah mengenai memberi ajaran Saintologi kepada Suri dan nampaknya kisah mengenai dia menyertai Organisasi Sea akan berakhir. Kapal Saintologi yang besar The Freewinds yang menjadi lokasi parti hari jadi popular Cruise pada 2004 semuanya dikendalikan anggota Organisasi Sea. Ketaksuban bintang Hollywood itu terhadap Saintologi akan dibangkitkan, menurut sumber mahkamah di New York, kerana kepercayaan agama Cruise akan menjadi isu pokok dalam perceraiannya dengan Katie.

“Tak mungkin penasihat Katie akan mengenepikan Saintologi sebagai isu utama dalam perceraian ini,” kata penasihat selebriti ternama di New York, Mike Paul.

     

Katie bimbang mengenai kebajikan anaknya, Suri
Punca perceraian adalah mengenai pertelingkahan untuk kebajikan jiwa Suri. “Satu-satunya sebab untuk Katie memfailkan perceraian ialah kerana dia bimbang terhadap emosi dan kebajikan anaknya.
“Suri berada pada usia dia akan lebih terbabit dengan kepercayaan agama dan Katie jelas mahukan kebebasan untuk anaknya sebelum Suri terbabit lebih jauh dengan Saintologi,” kata Paul.

España hace historia / Spain makes history

Sepanyol mudah mempertahankan gelaran mereka sebagai juara Eropah apabila menang besar 4-0 ke atas Itali dalam aksi final Euro 2012 di Stadium Olimpik, Kiev.

Sepanyol mengharungi malam ajaib dengan melakar sejarah tersendiri dengan menjadi pasukan pertama yang mengekalkan Kejuaraan Eropah.

Di awal permainan sudah tergambar permainan berat sebelah dengan Azzuri dikerah dibahagian pertahanan kerana Sepanyol lebih agresif.

Gol-gol Sepanyol dijaringkan oleh David Silva dan Jordi Alba pada separuh masa pertama, manakala Fernando Torres dan Juan Mata pula melengkapkan kejayaan La Roja pada 10 minit terakhir.

Silva membuka jaringan untuk Sepanyol seawal minit ke-14 setelah menerima hantaran silang Cesc Fabregas, yang membawa bola hingga ke hujung garisan sebelum melintangkan bola lalu mudah buat pemain Manchester City menanduk masuk ke dalam gawang yang kosong.

Itali cuba membalas serta merta apabila Mario Balotelli dijatuhkan di luar kotak penalti, namun sepakan percuma Andrea Pirlo gagal menemui sasaran namun Itali terus mengasak kubu Sepanyol.

Pertahanan Itali menerima tamparan hebat apabila terpaksa mengeluarkan Giorgio Chiellini pada minit ke-20 kerana kecederaan hamstring, lalu digantikan dengan Federico Balzaretti.

Perlahanan-lahan tempo perlawanan mula berubah dengan anak buah Cesare Prandelli mula memperkemaskan hantaran mereka

Antonio Cassano cuba menguji penjaga gol Sepanyol, Iker Casillas pada minit ke-28 namun rembatan leretnya terus ke dalam dakapan Casillas pada ketika hantaran silang akan lebih membuahkan hasil buat Itali.

Alba kemudian menambah derita buat Itali apabila menggandakan kelebihan Sepanyol pada minit ke-41 hasil larian menakjubkan dari tengah padang untuk menerima hantaran Xavi Hernandez, lalu melorongkan bola melepasi Gianluigi Buffon.

Separuh masa kedua menyaksikan Itali cuba bangkit untuk memberikan cabaran menerusi Antonio di Natale, yang menggantikan Antonio Cassano, namun tandukan pemain Udinese itu melewati palang gol.

Derita Itali terus bertambah apabila Thiago Motta, yang baru sahaja empat minit dimasukkan menggantikan Silva, turut mengalami kecederaan hamstring. Ini menyebabkan Itali terpaksa beraksi dengan hanya 10 pemain setelah menggunakan kesemua pertukaran mereka.

Malapetaka sebenar Azzuri bermula pada minit ke-60 sebaik Thiago Motta ditimpa kecederaan hamstring. Pemain tengah itu hanya sempat bertahan selepas tiga minit di atas padang sebaik menggantikan Riccardo Motta dan memaksa juara 1968 itu berjuang dengan 10 pemain.

Sepanyol terus menggunakan kelebihan pemain tersebut untuk mendominasi Azzurri, memaksa anak-anak buah Cesare Prandelli bermain secara bertahan menyerap asakan Sepanyol.

Penguasaan mereka akhirnya membuahkan hasil pada minit ke-83 apabila Xavi sekali lagi memecahkan benteng Itali dengan hantaran tepat buat penyerang gantian, Fernando Torres yang mudah menewaskan Buffon.

Torres kemudian menjadi arkitek apabila pada minit ke-88 dia melorongkan bola kepada seorang lagi pemain gantian, Juan Mata yang mudah menolak bola ke dalam gawang yang telah ditinggalkan oleh Buffon.

Sergio Ramos hampir-hampir menjadikan kedudukan 5-0 pada minit-minit kecederaan apabila menggunakan tumit untuk menolak masuk bola hantaran Torres namun Buffon berjaya mengawal keadaan.

Kejayaan Sepanyol itu menyaksikan mereka mencatat sejarah sebagai pasukan Eropah pertama memenangi tiga kejohanan utama antarabangsa berturut-turut.