a fleeting stay ...

I will not reveal the location of Pasar Karat -- the market for tacky and not-so-tacky trash. Until this morning I wasn't aware of its existence. Many people know about it but the street vendors don't want any publicity. I promised these hard-working individuals -- both locals and foreigners -- that I would not make trouble for them. They readily admit that they are unlicensed traders. Kuala Lumpur City Hall has denied them business permits despite repeated pleas. But the mart has been around for nearly 50 years, according to some old-timers, and 35 to others. Meanwhile, real bargain hunters join the throng in narrow alleys and pavements regularly. Somehow they are able to separate the worthless items from the valuable ones. The less discerning consumers visit the bustling bazaar to get cheap things. As I discovered during this morning's walkabout, there is something for everyone here. Daily trading begins at 5.30am and ends before 10am when entrepreneurs in the area sta...

See also this report. More here .

“Early this morning, 27 April 2012, Nayati Shamelin Moodliar was abducted a short distance from the Mont’Kiara International School . A police report has been filed, but his whereabouts are still unknown. If you have seen this child, please call the Malaysian Police on 999, or the school on 03 2093 8604. Please spread the message.” Update: “In the abduction of student Nayati Shamelin Moodliar in Mont’Kiara, the auto used was a black Proton Gen 2. The tag number is WNH 1356. There were two Indian male occupants."

Journalist and guest blogger Jehan Mohd was recently in Kuantan for the kick off of the fifth season of the RHB New Straits Times National Spell-It-Right Challenge. On the last day there, she took a trip to Telok Chempedak to catch the sunrise. Little did she expect to see an entire colony of monekys playing on the deserted beach. Her account and photos below. I've always had an affinity for the beach and the sea. Being based in landlocked Kuala Lumpur, I tend to go a little nuts whenever I do get to go to a beach. So when I was assigned to cover the SIR Challenge in Kuantan, I immediately thought that the beach was a definite stop I had to make. And that's how I came to be at Telok Chempedak at sunrise on my last morning in Kuantan. Sunrise at the main beach at Telok Chempedak A glimpse of the more secluded beach The more secluded beach has more rocks Sea shell, sea shell on the seashore Rocky terrain of the more secluded beach Awe-inspiring beauty...

A stray kitty enjoying the one of life's best luxuries - a catnap! - Picture by Jehan Mohd   This cat was spotted just a few doors down from Hillside Corner, a lovely little eatery in Bukit Antarabangsa in Ampang, Selangor , Malaysia . We were heading for a dinner party at the famous Hillside Corner when journalist Jehan Mohd noticed this stray cat sleeping soundly just a few doors away from the restaurant. Being a photography freak and having a new camera phone (more on this in another post) that she wanted to try out, she stopped to snap this picture. She says: "It just looked so peaceful and cute that I couldn't help myself. I thought that it would make a good picture because of its surroundings." This cat seems quite at home in the area - aside from a delicious menu that includes fantastic carrot cake and the most delicious nachos, Hillside Corner is also a haven for all sorts of cat-themed decorations from paintings and figurines to calendars and car...

The water in this stream, called Sungai Meru near Taman Meru, Ipoh, Perak, looks cool and inviting. These teenagers, who live nearby, often spend the afternoon after school swimming or just splashing around. It is nice to know that in the age of the computer youngsters still enjoy the outdoors.