My friend ask me for the nearest TMpoint in Puchong and I told him there was one near the IOI Sales office in Bandar Puteri. When he got there, they did not offer line disconnection service. Then I found out that there is a new branch in front of IOI mall (near HSBC Puchong). I also noticed that its pretty TMNET listed the Puchong branch under the PJ url. haha

No. 12 & 13
Jalan Kenari 5
Bandar Puchong Jaya
47100 Puchong
Selangor
tel: 03-8071 1906

MONDAY - FRIDAY
8.30am - 5.30pm
CLOSE ON SATURDAY
& SUNDAY

Residents of Taman Wawasan in Pusat Bandar Puchong, Selangor, are bewildered by the sudden change of postcode number in their area.

They claimed that the change in the postcode was made three weeks ago but they were not informed about it.
Puzzling: Kok (third from right) and the Taman Wawasan Puchong residents pointing at the road sign bearing the change in the postcode.

According to Pusat Bandar Puchong Residents Association president Awies Ung, for the last 10 years they have been staying there, the postcode has always been 47100 but the number is now changed to 47160.

“Many residents have complained that the change is very troublesome and inconvenient for them as they have to call up banks and mobile phone companies to update their addresses.

“They are afraid that some letters and bank statements would be delayed or would not reach them,” Ung said.

Ung and several residents have sought the assistance of Selangor senior state executive councillor and Kinrara assemblyman Teresa Kok to resolve the matter.

Teresa believed that the sudden change would make things messy for at least the next few years.

Besides Taman Wawasan, it is said that the postcode changes have also been made in other areas in Puchong.

A Chinese daily has reported recently that a spokesman of the Subang Jaya post office, which oversees the Puchong area, had explained that the change was necessary due to the increasing number of residential estates and the fast development taking place in the booming Puchong township.

Ung said that the new codes should be assigned to the new housing areas and not at the established residential estates.

“The old postcode number is also stated in our identity card addresses, and it will be a hassle for us to change them at the registration department,” he said.

Teresa said she would write to the top management of Pos Malaysia to ask for explanation on the matter.

“Pos Malaysia should reveal on why such changes are being made. I hope its management will explain things to me,” she said.

According to a statement issued by Pos Malaysia, the company has rearranged the postcodes in Puchong under 10 delivery zones.

The company apologised to the residents for the inconvenience cause, saying that the change was necessary.

“Pos Malaysia is now handling a double number of letters in Puchong compared to previously. The postcode change was a measure to make sorting and delivery of letters easier,” it said.

Pos Malaysia has assured the residents that they do not have to worry about missing letters due to the postcode changes.

“Our trained postmen will deliver the letters according to the addresses stated on the envelopes. Senders should include the receivers’ names, unit numbers or block numbers as well as the names of roads and residential areas clearly,” the company statement said.

The company has also advised the residents to inform related government departments, banks, companies or other individuals to update their addresses.

Pos Malaysia said that should residents have any enquiries, they could contact its customer service department at 1300-300-300 during office hours, except the first Saturday of the month.

Oil futures shot above $140 Thursday after OPEC’s president said crude prices could rise well above $150 a barrel this year and Libya said it may cut oil production. The advance raised the likelihood that gasoline prices would also extend their march higher, and that prices of goods and services throughout the economy would also keep rising.

Light, sweet crude crossed the $140 level minutes before the New York Mercantile Exchange closed Thursday, then retreated slightly to settle up $5.09 at a record $139.64. In after-hours electronic trading, prices rose as high as a record $140.39.

Oil’s latest milestone came as Chakib Khelil, president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said he believes oil prices could rise to between $150 and $170 a barrel this summer. Khelil also said prices will decline later in the year, and aren’t likely to reach $200 a barrel.

Khelil joined a long list of forecasters who have made bold oil price predictions this year. Each new forecast — such as Goldman Sachs’ recent prediction that prices could rise as high as $200 — causes a jump in prices as speculative buyers are drawn into the market.

Meanwhile, the head of Libya’s national oil company said the country may cut crude production because the oil market is well supplied, according to news reports.

“Shokri Ghanem, the nation’s top oil official, declined to say when a decision would be made on whether to lower production, or give any indication of the size of the cut under consideration,” said Addison Armstrong, director of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Conn., in a research note.

Oil’s move above $140 a barrel was the first for what’s known as a front-month crude contract, or the contract with the earliest expiration date. But it was not the August contract’s first foray above $140 — August crude futures rose as high as $140.42 a barrel while July futures were still traded as the front-month crude contract. Many other later contracts have also traded above $140.

The previous trading record for a front-month contract was $139.89, set by the July contract on June 16.

The rising price of oil — and the accompanying surge in gasoline prices to a national average above $4 a gallon — has contributed greatly to the growing uneasiness about the economy across the U.S. Consumers forced to pay more for gas and for food and anything else that needs to be transported have been cutting back their spending on non-essentials, and the fear in many quarters is that they will continue to curb their outlays.

IF there was an award for the area with the most number of stalled housing projects in Selangor, Puchong would easily win the dubious honour.

Puchong is littered with stalled or abandoned projects, creating an eyesore for an otherwise booming beautiful township.
Overgrown: Lalang has taken root at Lestari Permai Phase 1A.

Decaying abandoned buildings, unsightly hoardings and idle infrastructure contribute to the degradation of Puchong.

The projects at Lestari Permai, Putra Perdana, Lestari Perdana, Lestari Puchong and Saujana Puchong, to name a few, have been labelled as problematic because construction works ground to a halt a few years ago. Works were then 55% to 90% complete.

Thousands of house buyers are left with nothing but an agonising wait and mounting debts.

In the case of Lestari Permai Phase 1A, the project was nearing completion when work stalled in 2005. The site, within view of the Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya Highway, has been abandoned since and is overgrown with lalang. Signs of decay are setting in.

StarMetro met with house buyer Nor Azmir Ismail at the site on Wednesday and he said all that was left was the external structure.

“My house is 90% complete and all it needs is water, electricity and an access road. I signed my sales and purchase (S&P) agreement in 2003 and was assured of delivery within 24 months,” he said.

Azmir bought his single-storey terrace house with a RM130,000 bank loan.
Problematic: The interiors are also getting damaged due to the abandonment.

“It has been a frustrating wait but what is more disheartening is that house buyers are still being kept in the dark. The developer Europlus Construction Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Talam Corporation Bhd, has not answered our letters,” he said.

Azmir said that following numerous complaints to the Housing and Local Government Ministry, a meeting was arranged with deputy minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin and a few house buyers recently.

“Hamzah has assured us the matter would be settled as soon as possible. We can only wait for the outcome,” Azmir said.

[more...]

I am selling off my brand new iPod Touch 32GB..Its only 2 weeks old and I want cash to buy a new 32 inch LCD TV. So leave me a message on this blog if you want it. I am selling it for RM1700 (normal price RM1999).

I will throw in a free screen protector if you buy it from me. -
Echo - Mirrored Screen Protector (Apple iPod touch) . Normal price RM 70.

Today I was a Petronas station using one of their hoses. After putting in about RM20 of petrol, I noticed the petrol was still coming out of the hose. I guess it was faulty. So I left the hose in and I think I managed to get about 8-9 litres of free petrol. If you want to know which pump and station, please leave me a comment and bank in RM20 to my Maybank. I will give you the details.

Today is a bad day. Petrol will increase by 78 cents at midnight. I wanted to go out to fill my car at 530pm but it was raining hard. Then I went out about 725pm to a Petronas and was the queue long! It took me about 45 mins to complete the transaction. Darn waste of time. So many kiasu people. 41% increase in fuel price is bad. It will signal inflation and increase other costs like food,transport. Be ready to pay more of nasi lemak next week…….I should ask my boss for a raise now!

The new price of premium leaded petrol (ULG 97) is RM2.70 per litre beginning midnight tonight, it was announced a moment ago. The price for ULG 92 petrol per litre went up by 74 sen to RM2.62. Diesel will go up by RM1 per litre to RM2.58. The 78 sen hike or 40 per cent increase for the ULG 97 petrol is still below the antiticpated RM4 per litre price projected earlier and among the cheapest in Asia. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at a news conference.

source

WITH property prices in the developed areas of Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya having appreciated sharply, young families who are keen to own landed properties but face limited budgets are venturing into the Klang Valley’s southern corridor. This is especially in the popular Puchong neighbourhood.

“From standard terrace units and high-rise apartments, Puchong folks have since graduated to high-end homes such as semi-Ds and bungalows set within themed gardens and landscaped environment as well as upmarket condominiums with all the trappings of modern luxury,” SP Setia Bhd group managing director Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin said.

Chan Ai Cheng

He said that as developments moved further away, developers were compelled to stand out from the clutter and market their offerings with value-added features and innovative designs to woo buyers who didn’t mind a slightly longer drive as long as the new development offered more enticing proposition.

Property consultants said rising land prices in central Klang Valley had spurred property buyers to look for better bargains in the southern corridor that still had relatively affordable properties to offer.

“With house prices having climbed in other areas, neighbourhoods like Puchong, Seri Kembangan and other parts of the southern corridor are becoming more popular for those looking for more affordable housing,” said PPC International Sdn Bhd executive director Thiruselvam Arumugam.

SK Brothers Realty (M) Sdn Bhd general manager Chan Ai Cheng said the southern corridor was a good area for developing landed housing units such as double terrace houses, semi-detached units and bungalows for families.

She said transaction prices of property had also shown steady growth over the years.

“People normally buy the properties in Southern Klang Valley for own stay,” she added.

According to Chan, there is a good mix of buyers in the area in terms of race and income.

Double-storey terrace houses in prominent existing projects such as Putra Heights, Bandar Puteri, Bandar Bukit Jalil, Taman Puncak Jalil, Bandar Kinrara and Bandar Puchong Jaya are sold from RM200,000 to RM750,000.

Thiruselvam said the rental for a standard double storey terrace house in these areas ranged from RM400 to RM2,000 per month.

Thiruselvam Arumugam

He said the rental appreciated only by 2% to 3%, whereas capital appreciation for houses was good with prices rising 100% over the past decade.

According to him, Southern Klang Valley units are mainly for residence, rather than bought for speculation or investment.

Reapfield Properties Sdn Bhd president David Ong said the main draw to Southern Klang Valley was affordable house prices although factors such as value investing and property speculation could not be easily discounted.

“Prices of houses have peaked significantly in the central region of the Klang Valley, giving rise to an outward flow of the purchasing population to both the north and south of the Klang Valley,” he said.

Many buyers have sought investment opportunities by purchasing large bungalow plots, bungalows and semi-detached homes in this area on expectation that prices will increase significantly over the course of the next decade.

“While property prices can be said to be affordable or cheaper here than in the prime city areas, the high petrol prices and higher toll rates have started to cause a reverse migration effect,” Ong said.

Many buyers who bought in the fringe or secondary areas of the Klang Valley are starting to drift slowly back to the city as the benefits of lower housing instalments become significantly offset by higher price of fuel and toll rates.

“It now makes sense to some people to buy smaller apartments or flats in strong city locations rather than pay for cheaper houses outside central Klang Valley but end up bearing increased living expenses via higher fuel prices and increasing toll rates,” he said.

The residents of Taman Puchong Hartamas and Pangsapuri Pulai are blaming the developer for some of the issues affecting their housing areas.

Puchong Hartamas Residents Association president Charles van der Slott said earlier in the advertisement it was promised that the inner roads of the housing area would be 50ft wide.

”However, the roads built were definitely less than that,” he said, adding even their request for a higher perimeter fencing in Jalan PH2/5 to prevent burglary was not met.

“The guardhouse at the entrance of our housing area obstructs drivers’ views as we can’t see oncoming cars and I believe the structure was not approved by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ),” he claimed.

Abandoned: The structure that was meant to be a kindergarten at Pangsapuri Pulai.

Adding to the list, Charles claimed that a Hindu temple in the area was pending relocation since the developer had yet to compensate the temple management.

And the road linking Puchong Hartamas and Bandar Puteri Puchong as promised by the developer is nowhere in sight, according to Charles.

Meanwhile, the residents of Pangsapuri Pulai in Puchong Hartamas have a bone to pick with the developers, too.

Lack of maintenance at the children’s kindergarten, missing fire extinguishers, an abandoned structure meant to be a kindergarten and absence of grilles on their windows are some of their complaints.

When asked to comment on the residents’ complaints, MPSJ president Datuk Adnan Md Ikhsan said the residents should check the S&P agreement on the specifications.

“And if the temple matter is true, then we will urge the developer to compensate them,” said Adnan.

A spokesman for the developer said the allegations made by Charles were baseless.

Obstructing view: Some of the Puchong Hartamas residents are not pleased with the location of the guardhouse.

”We got our Certificate of Fitness (CF) in 2004 and it shows we have complied with the necessary rules.

“The guardhouse was approved much earlier by MPSJ in 2003 and the guidelines for Gated and Guarded Community development was only issued earlier this year,” she said.

She added that they were in the process of handing over the guardhouse to the local authority.

“As for the road, it’s an agreement between MPSJ and us that we will finance part of the cost, and the money was paid last June. And we have already compensated the temple folks,” she said.

As for Pangsapuri Pulai, the spokesman said the developer had been working closely with the residents’ association all this while and they had not encountered many issues.

source

THE connecting road between Bandar Puteri and Taman Puchong Hartamas in Puchong will be completed by mid next month.
The developers, IOI Properties Berhad and Capital Land Sdn Bhd, agreed to this deadline during a meeting with Subang Jaya council.

Each party also agreed to bear the cost of construction work, estimated at RM510,000, for their respective stretch, which is 200m for IOI Properties, 100m for Capital Land and 50m for the local council.

The meeting was chaired by council deputy president Mohamad Yusoff Ghazali and overseen by Kinrara assemblyman Teresa Kok.

At a meeting in 2001, it was agreed that both companies would contribute RM250,000 each to the council to build the road. However, only Capital Land paid while IOI Properties refused by referring to the Development Order which specified the construction of the road was the sole responsibility of Capital Land.

Capital Land also refused to build on IOI Properties land and instead built an another access road, Jalan Bakawali.

Sa id Mohamad Yusoff : “We’ve finally reached an amicable settlement that should benefit everybody, especially residents.” Kok, also State Investment, Industry and Commerce Committee chairman, was glad the matter had finally been resolved.

“This is just one of many missing links in Puchong. I hope in the future to find ways to build more interlinking roads between parts of Puchong,” she said.