Feng Shui: Quiet Millennium

Our Environology tour of the Klang Valley takes us to the last segment of Petaling Jaya’s Section 14 that we have yet to cover. This comprises an area west of Sungai Penchala and the southern edges of Section 14. (For Google map reference, please log on to http://maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)

In our previous article, we mentioned Millennium Square and Menara Jaya condominium as the latest additions to Section 14. Their location can be considered very strategic because of their proximity to Jalan Utara and the Federal Highway. Furthermore, it is situated close to the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) with the Asia Jaya station within walking distance.

However, the often-used mantra of “location, location, location” does not seem to work well here as properties here are not thriving as expected. Except for a few shops on the ground floor and a handful upstairs, the retail area of Millennium Square is largely vacant.

We suppose the partial closure of Jalan Dato Jamil Rais is to blame. The segment near Jalan Semangat is closed due to the demolition of Jaya Shopping Complex and traffic is forced to make a detour via Jalan 14/17 or through the backlanes of Lorong 14/2B.

Nevertheless that cannot be the main reason because there is still easy access via Jalan 51A/223. If access was the problem, then perhaps the location was not very good after all. Let us not forget also that this area is serviced by a nearby LRT station, well within walking distance.

High density
By all accounts, Millennium Square shops should do well because they service a relatively high population density from its integrated condominiums and the nearby Menara Jaya. Yet, the only business that seems to be thriving is the Piccadilly and its sister restaurant Bangkok Masala.

From an Environology standpoint, this makes perfect sense. The high ground is located to the north, tapering south and west. To the immediate west, there is Sungai Penchala flowing south. Given this landform, earth energy is flowing down from north towards south and the west.

The best orientation is therefore south, followed by west. South is best because it follows the terrain and the river’s flow. The Millennium Square is practically sitting on the riverbank and facing away from it. Hence, businesses facing Jalan 14/1 (including the building itself) are oriented poorly.

The thriving restaurants on the other side happen to face the river and are relatively better off. However, the river curves away and forms an elbow at this point. This is not a very conducive shape as it disperses earth energy. Over time, the effects will become more obvious – the restaurants may experience a roller coaster of ups and downs and eventually deteriorate, or the wealth may only last for one generation.

Menara Jaya is better off because it is situated on the opposite side of Jalan 14/1 and thus, faces south.

LRT and power cables
However, properties along Jalan 14/1 are not likely to do well in the long term because of its proximity to the LRT and high-tension power cables that run parallel to it. Trains generate an air cannon effect that disperses beneficial earth energy while high-tension cables create instability due to the electromagnetic field that emanates from them.

To the west of Sungai Penchala, there is a parcel of land comprising bungalows. They represent the upper-crust of the early population. These properties flank Jalan Dato Abdul Aziz on both sides.

Jalan 14/30, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 sit in a flat valley. Thankfully, these roads are not dead-end roads. Therefore there is no stagnation of energy as traffic is permitted to move freely. The even-numbered roads are generally oriented in a north-south direction, parallel to the river.

Properties on these even-numbered roads that face east to the river are in a good location. They will fare better than their opposite neighbours who have their backs to the river. The odd-numbered roads are perpendicular to the even-numbered ones. Of these, houses that face south fare better than north-facing ones.

On the other side of Jalan Dato Abdul Aziz, the terrain rises toward Paramount Garden and Tasik Aman to the north-west and west, respectively. Properties facing downhill (facing east along Jalan 14/40, 44 and 46) will thus do better than uphill ones.

Jaya Shopping Center at Section 14, Petaling Jaya

Elbowed out
However, Jalan Dato Abdul Aziz bends to form an elbow against these properties. The earth energy is dispersed somewhat and therefore houses at these elbows, though they face the river, are not likely to do well either. Their opposite neighbours will not fare any better as their backs are to the river.

In a somewhat incongruous manner, Section 14 extends in a sliver between Section 51A and 22, right up to Jalan 222 (now Persiaran PP Narayanan). Here, we can find more houses, a secondary girls school and some shoplots.

There is a public park surrounding Tasik Aman, adjacent to SMK (P) Sri Aman. The all-girls school was set up in 1971 as SMJK (I) Section 14. A number of students and teachers were transferred over from the Petaling Garden girls school to get it going.

To its credit, the school grew to become one of Petaling Jaya’s most-sought after schools, having established a reputation for excellence. It won the Ministry of Education’s Cluster School of Excellence award and is ranked by the ministry as one of Malaysia’s top 20 schools.

The Environology factors for the school are excellent. The school sits on a plain at the southern foot of Paramount Garden’s hills. The terrain dips gently south again toward Jalan 222. The buildings are oriented correctly to the south.

Green surroundings
The lush forest of the hills and the tranquillity of Tasik Aman also help to create a conducive and peaceful atmosphere for studying. It is also a good thing the school somehow avoided the moniker of “Jungle School”, which went to its counterpart in Petaling Garden!

We are concerned by the proximity of the LRT line which runs behind the school. In the long term, it may have a deleterious effect on the school and its performance. Nonetheless, we suspect the effects are buffered somewhat by Lorong 14/47A which is located in between the two. There are trees and houses to provide a buffer against the LRT’s effects.

Alas, properties along Lorong 14/47A will likely bear the brunt. Furthermore, this is a cul-de-sac, which exacerbates the situation. There are quite a few dead-end roads in this vicinity – mostly the “Lorong”. Properties there will experience stagnating energy to varying degrees due to their immediate landform. Some of them sit within an embracing bend (they will do relatively better) while their opposite neighbours sit at the elbow (they will do much worse); and some face lower ground (good) while others face hills (bad), and so forth.

Further to the south as the road reaches Jalan 222, the land slopes downhill. Thankfully, there are fewer cul-de-sacs here. Thus properties facing south will likely do better than ones facing north.

Next, we will explore Section 16. Why skip a numeral, you ask? Because there is no Section 15! Perhaps some clerk made an error and wrote 51 instead!

Quack advice
Our columnist once visited a client’s house and was surprised to find figurines of mandarin ducks everywhere. As she was an interior designer, the columnist thought she had a fondness for mandarin ducks in decorating the house.

It turned out it was no such thing. The client wanted to settle down but somehow had trouble finding Mr Right. She was in her late 30s and keen to settle down. Although she was comely, she had no luck with men.

Four years before the meeting, she visited a Feng Shui paraphernalia shop and asked for advice. The shopkeeper confidently recommended that she purchase a pair of mandarin duck figurines.

Mandarin ducks are attractive birds with a distinctive plumage. The shopkeeper said that mandarin ducks are a symbol for marital bliss and powerful Feng Shui tools for attracting a lifelong mate.

Eight months later, she returned to the shop for advice – Mr Right was still nowhere in sight. The shopkeeper suggested she needed more ducks to enhance her “mate-attracting” power and she bought seven more pairs! She was instructed to line the ducks up from her door to her bedroom to “guide” the energy in.

Two years later, still no luck!

Again, she was advised to get more mandarin ducks. She ended up with 20 pairs and still no ideal mate.

I decided it was time to apply some real Feng Shui to solve the problem. Find out more next week.

This series on Feng Shui and real estate appears courtesy of the Malaysia Institute of Geomancy Sciences (MINGS). Koh is the founder of MINGS and has been a Feng Shui master and teacher for the past 36 years.You can e-mail questions on Feng Shui and properties to Prof David Koh at davidkoh618@yahoo.com