NST Online: StreetsJohor
NST Online: StreetsJohor |
| Posted: 03 Nov 2011 10:30 AM PDT 2011/11/03 Award-winning Eco Greens Community Park strikes a fine balance between modern living and caring for the environment BEFORE the arrival of Eco Greens Community Park, the area was an oil palm estate without modern infrastructure, with a population of less than 1,000. Today, the park, which is part of Setia Eco Gardens, a nature-inspired development with an eco-living theme by SP Setia Bhd Group, is a boon to the residents as well as those living in the surrounding neighbourhoods of Gelang Patah, Ulu Choh and Pontian.
The park complex is open to the public. It features the Eco Shelter, Bird Island, Butterfly Trail, Eco Interactive Fountain, Eco Gallery and Green Wall. The first of its kind in Iskandar Malaysia, the Green Wall serves as extra insulation to absorb carbon dioxide, reduce noise as well as the heat island effect. It is also a habitat for insects such as butterflies, and birds.
SP Setia Bhd Group general manager Hoe Mee Ling said the idea was to develop a park complex that challenged the concept of a community park. "It is a delicate balance of environmental and socio-cultural factors to benefit the community without impairing the ability of resident species to thrive.
"For instance, Bird Island is a man-made island of trees in the middle of the lake designed to provide protection to the birds. It is also there to educate the public on the role played by migratory birds and resident species in the eco-system. "It is hoped that this will help the public to understand the importance of protecting, restoring and enhancing biological diversity," she said Hoe said the site's undulating terrain, natural river (Sungai Pulai) and surrounding forests was the perfect canvas for the eco-living concept. "In-depth studies on eco theme parks and green buildings were made to maintain and enhance bio-diversity, with emphasis on the right species of plants to create butterfly trails and water plants to propagate fish species in the pond and the preservation of flora and fauna," she said. Eco Greens recently won the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Malaysian Chapter award in the category "Purpose-built or specialised project". Eco Greens was also awarded the National Landscape Award 2010 and the Malaysia Landscape Architecture Award 2009. Its green building, Eco Gallery, was awarded the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green mark Gold Award by BCA Singapore in 2010, and named Cityscape Best Office or Commercial (built category) in the Cityscape Real Estate competition in April 2008. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Chinese Muslims forge ties with villagers Posted: 03 Nov 2011 09:54 AM PDT Association members with Kampung Belukar Juling villagers in Endau pose for a photo. — Picture by Ikhwan Muhammad The event, which was held with the cooperation of non-governmental organisation Sahabat Dakwah included activities such as gotong-royong, ceramah, halal slaughtering courses, forums and games. Association chairman Mohd Shaiful Bahri Choo Abdullah, 46, said he hoped the visit would help members, who consist of Muslim converts, ease their transition to Muslims.
"We also want Muslims to conduct welfare programmes at orphanages, hospitals and villages," said Shaiful . He said the association has been active in programmes such as korban and aqiqah (slaughtering and donation of meat) in Cambodia and Indonesia.
Shaiful said the association has been conducting religious classes in Mandarin at its state branch in Taman Desa Cemerlang in Johor Baru. One of the main activities at the visit was sprucing up a Muslim cemetery together with firemen.
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