Golden Treasure

The word “Hartamas” (literally, golden treasure) conjures up images of great wealth and prosperity. Looking at it today, one would be inclined to believe that. Yet, for quite sometime, the Sri Hartamas area was quite the boondocks and lagged behind Damansara Heights, which rose to prominence much earlier.

Sri Hartamas was located in more hilly terrain than Damansara Heights or even Bangsar. It was also located at what was then the boondocks. It was at the edge of Kuala Lumpur, and it was surrounded by hills. Access roads then were limited: a small winding kampung road connected it to Segambut; one small road joins Jalan Duta; and another from Jalan Damansara.

(For Google map reference, please log on to http://maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)

Although developers tried to sweeten the deal by building small town bungalows, semi-detached houses and townhouses, and wide roads for street parking, it did not become a runaway success. Perhaps there were many other options for people to choose from. Perhaps it was the location – being difficult to access, having limited amenities and isolated by hilly ranges – that deterred potential buyers. Security was an issue as isolated areas tend to be easy pickings for burglars and thieves.

Things changed as people became more affluent and land within the city boundaries grew scarce. Caught in the so-called rat race, young urban professionals were interested in a modern lifestyle and sought greener living spaces. Not surprisingly, the pressure to develop hill slopes grew, as seen elsewhere in the Klang Valley. Somehow, the idea of living in high-rise condominiums with a majestic view of the cityscape became irresistible.

It is reminiscent of the old Beverly Hillbillies television programme. When “poor” folks strike it rich, they decide to move upmarket to match their stature. While the Clampetts could depend on Texan oil to sustain their lifestyle, we are more concerned that these so-called upper-middle class folks may be living precariously on high-debt.

LONELY TOWN
For a long-time, the main development in Sri Hartamas was Bandar Sri Hartamas. This was developed back in the 1980s.

The boom of the early to mid-1990s saw a revival of interest in Sri Hartamas. Interest grew with the development of Mont Kiara and Desa Sri Hartamas. The area’s growth came in tandem with the development of new highways that strategically connect Sri Hartamas to the rest of the Klang Valley and beyond.

The Sprint Highway created links to Taman Tun Dr Ismail, the Federal Highway and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP). The New Klang Valley Expressway connects residents to Klang and north to the North-South Highway. The recent addition of the Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE) provides direct access to Sentul and Ulu Klang.

Such ease of access helped the area attract many expatriates and families as well. One of the earliest condo projects, Mont Kiara, was very popular with families from Australia, Europe, India and Japan. Condo owners here tend to rent out their units rather than stay there because of the attractive rentals.

The property boom continues to this day, despite a brief hiccup from the economic downturns in 1997/8 and 2008/9. Mont Kiara continues to grow with sister developments. To date, there are more than 14 completed Mont Kiara projects, with 11’Mont Kiara currently under development. Demand has been good.

There are plenty of residents to support businesses and sustain a vibrant nightlife in Desa Sri Hartamas.

GOLDEN COUNTRYSIDE
Desa Sri Hartamas became a big beneficiary of the influx of foreigners as restaurants, bars and clubs began to spring up and enjoy good business. The demographics are good and there are plenty of residents to support businesses and sustain a vibrant nightlife. Today, it rivals nearby Bangsar as a favourite watering hole for foreigners.

Of course, the going will only remain good so long as there is a sustainable demand for the expensive rentals. Economic crises tend to force expatriates home as was seen by the 1997/8 Asian financial crisis. We have no doubt the same happened following the recent global financial meltdown.

On the surface, things look good for Sri Hartamas and it would appear to be headed for continuous good times in the foreseeable future. However on the ground and in pockets here and there, that may not be true. While all businesses go through ups and downs, and some may not be able to survive even in the best of times, could there be an environologic reason behind the fortunes of Sri Hartamas?

Even a cursory glance would reveal that development and progress are not consistently seen throughout the entire area. Some places do well while their neighbours across the road or down the block struggle. Among those that do well, there are varying degrees of success, just as among the strugglers, there are also some that seem to weather the tough times better.

Over the next few articles, we will take a tour of Sri Hartamas and observe the landform of the area. We will see how different parts of extant buildings fare vis-a-vis their terrain, and whether they confirm or disprove our hypothesis based on ancient environology principles. We will also extrapolate how new developments are likely to fare based on the same hypothesis.

HILLY TERRAIN
Sri Hartamas’ hilly ranges create both opportunity and danger to the inhabitants. There is abundant movement of energy here and it is important to find an orientation that suits the occupants. Earth energy constantly moves from highland to low. Fast-moving energy down steep slopes is considered too strong and harmful to people living or doing business there. Slow meandering energy is considered more conducive, and the best is a pool of gentle, homogenous energy.

We all recognise that vibrations can travel through solid matter, and they are a form of energy. We also accept that water flows from a high point to the lowest area it can find. Objects placed on high ground contain potential energy, which can be converted into kinetic, heat and sound energy when they are allowed to fall.

Therefore, it is possible for a form of earth energy to exist and move in the manner we have often described in our articles. The ancient Chinese sages called this “chi” (or breath). They classified “chi” into three forms or having three sources – heavens (the interplanetary bodies), earth and human.

We cannot see it and up to now, we cannot measure it – because no scientist has taken the trouble to study and produce instruments that can do so. However, it does not mean it does not exist. We cannot see the wind, but know it is there by its manifestation – we can feel it and it can move leaves, for example. We cannot see electricity – to date, no one has ever seen an electron – but we infer it is there by looking at its manifestation, such as making a bulb glow, or turn a motor.

When earth energy flows from the mountains, it moves along the surface in a vortex (similar to how water in a river flows). Its path, shape and strength are affected by the constituents of the ground. Generally, properties should not face high land because they will stand in the path of oncoming energy. Imagine standing neck-deep and facing upstream in a rushing river.

THAT DROWNING FEELING
You may not drown immediately, but you will be feeling very tense and uncomfortable staying in that position for long! Thus, occupants in such properties will not be feeling right and this can affect their relationships with each other, health, ability to make or keep money and make progress in their careers.

On the other hand, if you are in the same river but now face downstream, you will most likely feel better as the back of your head is shielding you from the rushing water (watch out for flotsam and jetsam that may still knock into you, though!).

The best scenario would be to face a river, as earth energy tends to lose much of its force when it reaches a body of water, which has a different rigidity. The energy is reflected and deflected, collecting in a pool if the riverbank curves to embrace the land. Think of a parabolic dish.

If the hill or mountain range forms a “U” to surround a piece of property, and an embracing river runs across the opening of this “claw”, that property is considered to be the most conducive. It traps the energy within a confined space and is gentle enough to attract life and success.

All life is naturally attracted to such places, and ancient sages often sought out such places to site towns and buildings.

Bandar Sri Hartamas has several small ranges that run parallel to each other, like fingers in a hand. There is no enclosure on either end to stop or collect the energy. Hence, the energy moves along the valley and exits. This is probably one of the reasons why it is lagging behind neighbouring Damansara Heights.

Taking the high ground: good alternative to Golden Triangle

Damansara Heights is not just touted as a prime location for upmarket homes – though it is a misconception, as there are also many modest-sized and once modestly-priced houses here, too – it is also considered to be an attractive alternative to Kuala Lumpur’s congested Golden Triangle.

Its proximity to the city centre, relatively cheaper rentals and accessibility to various highways, old and new, make it an ideal location. However, available land for development is scarce and thus most of the office buildings are located in a cluster off Jalan Semantan. In our previous articles, we discussed the other commercial enclaves at Jalan Damanlela and Medan Setia.

One of the earliest office buildings in Damansara Heights is Wisma Damansara, built in 1970 by Selangor Properties which held large tracts of land in this area. It was an unmistakable landmark for commuters along Jalan Semantan. (For Google map reference, please log on to http://maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)

This was followed by the Damansara Office Complex on Jalan Dungun. The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange was located here at one time, before it became Bursa Malaysia and moved to its own headquarters in the city. This complex also includes Wisma UN, the local office of the United Nations and the Damansara Cooperative Office.

Today, there are many more buildings here, such as Wisma UOA Damansara, Wisma Socfin, Wisma MBSB, Wisma Antah and Clearwater Residence, Wisma Chase Perdana, Wisma KPMG, Bangunan SPPK and Wisma Perintis. Travellers coming from Petaling Jaya will not miss the gigantic advertisements on Wisma PSMB Beringin either. Apparently there are about 25 purpose-built office buildings within the Damansara Heights commercial enclave.

Judging by CIMB’s current growth as a banking power, it would seem that it enjoys good landform energies.

EASY ACCESS
Access to this area is quite easy, if you discount the typical rush hour jams that clog up all major roads anyway. The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), Sprint and Duke are all within easy reach, not to mention Jalan Duta and Jalan Maarof which lead to the city centre.

The commercial buildings are located mostly along Jalan Dungun and Lorong Dungun, Jalan Gelenggang and Jalan Semantan. Beyond these office buildings, there are also some residential properties. There are several small bungalows here, some dating back to the early days when Damansara Heights was first developed. A number of them are empty and dilapidated. Some are still occupied but poorly maintained.

Perhaps the vacant homes were already sold to property developers for redevelopment. Plans to erect yet another tower could have been thwarted by the refusal of other homeowners to sell their parcels or simply from strong protestations against the construction of yet another office block or condominium – there are already a few here.

Who knows? One even wonders why anyone would want to live so close to these commercial buildings since the traffic is often heavy and the narrow roads here are constantly blocked by parked cars, even illegally parked ones. Then, come night-time, the whole place is dark and deserted like a ghost town, though some enterprising people have set up some restaurants in converted bungalows here.

From a landform perspective, this section of Damansara Heights offers opportunities and challenges. The terrain here is hilly. A small mountain range, from Batu Caves and Segambut, threads through the area and towards Federal Hill and Bangsar. There is a ridge near Wisma UOA as Jalan Semantan crests and then descends to Jalan Duta.

JALAN SEMANTAN VALLEY
The stretch of Jalan Semantan between this crest and Jalan Duta is actually a valley. The land rises on both sides. On the northern side of the road, there are several buildings such as Bangunan CIMB and Wisma Amanah Raya, while on the other side; there are 10 Semantan, Peninsula Residence All-Suite Hotel, Menara TSH, and Damansara Villa Apartment. In fact, there are a lot more high-end housing developments, encroaching into Federal Hill.

Mountainous terrain needs to be handled carefully as the earth energy movement is still strong. They are not ideal places to build offices and buildings for civilian use. Government buildings or centres of authority can be placed on high ground but even then, they should sit at the north-west, relative to the rest of the town or city. We will discuss that in later articles.

Places of worship are also suitable for high land. The air is clean. The scenery is tranquil. And God – whatever name you call him – does not require earth energy to succeed. He made the laws and nature abides by him, not the other way round. Thus in practically all cultures, buildings on mountaintops that seem to stand the test of time are monasteries, temples, mosques and churches.

For humans, though, it is a different proposition. Like all other life forms, we are drawn to pools of conducive energy. These are places where we feel at ease and ready to work and prosper. Some homes have that “feel” that it is warm, welcoming and pleasant. Some homes feel odd. It is the same with offices, shops or any other building, for that matter.

This is what draws us to or repels us from a certain place. There are places we like to revisit often and there are places we just hate going to. It is not just due to the distance of the location, or the quality of service we receive. There is just this innate feeling.

ENERGY FLOWS
We believe it has a lot to do with “chi” (force or energy). Our articles cover the aspect of energy from the earth, and at times we touch on the human energy element as well, as they are all interconnected.

Mountainous terrain has unstable energy, constantly flowing from high land to low – a valley, river, lake or sea. Along the way, it passes through many types of ground, each with its own unique properties. Some will be reshaped by the energy if the latter is stronger, some will divert the path and shape of the energy if the ground is solid enough.

Some energy will collect in little bowl valleys, some will slow down as it meets another wave of energy from the opposite direction. An environologist needs to study this landform and the movement of energy before planning how to best tap into it. Fast moving energy is not conducive, while gentle homogenous pools of it are highly desirable.

This is why we often cannot provide detailed answers to queries from our readers. Looking at a map or even googling it does not give the full picture. A proper on-site audit is strongly recommended here. Do not get us wrong: we are not soliciting for business here. We are more concerned that wrong advice given based on inaccurate information may actually cause more harm than good.

We heard once of a gentleman who attended a talk on feng shui and promptly rearranged his bedroom to suit what he believed was the right sector and directions for him. Apparently he lost his job soon after. Then he restored his furniture to their original positions and not long after, his old company called on him and rehired him!

What are the odds of that happening? A pure coincidence? Who knows, but we dare not risk your well-being, happiness and livelihood. Therefore, we urge all interested readers to please get a proper audit done by a professional feng shui master before doing anything.

FACE DOWN
Back to the commercial buildings in Damansara Heights, the best direction to face is downhill towards a river. They should have a mountain or high ground at their back, and even better if they are surrounded at the back and sides by high land, with a river in front.

With Jalan Dungun, the high land is on the east, so the best direction to face is west, towards Pusat Bandar Damansara. It is also very obvious as one enters this road. Those on the east side (facing west) are busier and have a higher profile, compared to their counterparts opposite the road.

The Damansara Office Complex faces a slope and in some cases, the buildings face higher land, which explains its lower profile. Wisma UN, for example, faces an inclining Jalan Semantan and its back is lower. Could this be a reason why the presence and influence of the United Nations in Malaysia are quite small?

When Malaysia was formed, Tunku Abdul Rahman was very proud of this association of nations and he wanted Malaysia to be a significant player and contributor to the UN. We named a road in Kuala Lumpur after secretary-general U Thant. We sent many peacekeeping troops in the early days. Yet over time, the UN seems to have fallen in our country’s list of priorities.

After crossing the ridge near Wisma UOA, Jalan Semantan sharply descends towards Jalan Duta. Here, it forms part of a valley. Thus, ideal directions for buildings here to face would be towards the main road itself. In this valley, everyone should do well, but relatively speaking, those facing the valley will fare much better.

Here, there are several buildings that fit the bill: Bangunan Dewan Perniagaan Melayu Kuala Lumpur, Wisma CIMB, Wisma Institut Bank-Bank Malaysia and Commerce Square CIMB. Further down the road, there is also Bangunan Amanah Raya. They should do exceedingly well. Judging by CIMB’s current growth as a banking power, both locally and internationally, we would say that it enjoys good landform energies.

Technically speaking, all will not be smooth-sailing as Jalan Semantan is still raised, compared to the somewhat narrow frontage of these buildings. However, the hills behind compensate for this.

Wisma Damansara nearby sits on and faces a slope, rather than the valley. Therefore, it does not get to enjoy the energy pool. A better orientation would be to face east towards the valley.

Evaluation of land form

From a Feng Shui point of view, an evaluation of landforms concerns four parameters: the mountains from which energy originates; the presence of rivers; the location of meridian points; and the presence of protective barriers across the rivers. We are specifically describing the practice of Chinese geomancy, although it is likely that other branches of geomancy would have similar yet different approaches.

Mountain – Enter the dragon
In Feng Shui term, mountain ranges are often described as dragons. It is not difficult to see how an undulating highland resembles a mythical dragon. Thus, Feng Shui practitioners would look for the ‘dragon’ when they evaluated a piece of property.

Why the ancient eastern society called the mountain ranges the ‘dragon’? There is a difference in between the ancient eastern and western society when we discuss about dragon. The ancient eastern society thought dragon is a powerful, energetic and a creature from heaven; the western thought it is a fearful and abominable to them. The eastern look worship the dragon, but the western always want to kill it.

Ideally, the mountains should branch out to form embracing arms. These arms generally have different lengths, and from high up in space, one will probably observe that it looks more like a thumb and forefinger encircling a flat piece of land.

Embracing arms have the tendency to act like a parabolic dish of some kind and pool energy in the middle. They also shield the area from strong winds that can dissipate this energy pool.

Rivers
Dragon energy flow non-stop until it hits a medium of different rigidity, in this case, water. Thus, in selecting a favourable location for dwelling, there must be a body of water present, be it a river or sea. The location and shape of the waterfront have the ability to deflect, reflect, disperse or gather this energy.

A meandering and winding river that curves inwards as if embracing the land is considered good. Such a river also bears a resemblance to that of a dragon. Hence, a C-shaped curve is sometimes referred to as a dragon looking back longingly, as it moves towards the sea.

Meridian Points
An area embracing by mountains and rivers is considered good. However, there are variations in the strength of good energy within it. These are very precise points, the subject of careful scrutiny when it comes to choosing the living or burial site.

If we consider the grasping thumb and finger as an analogy, it is clear that the strongest point anatomically is the joint at the base of the thumb. It serves as a support point or anchor for the thumb to exert pressure on objects in its grasp. Interestingly enough, the equivalent location in a similarly shaped landform is a also a meridian point.

The ancient sages used different methods to measure and locate this point, and they are in close agreement with one another. This point, in relation to the overall dimension and proportion, conforms to the golden ratio of Fibonacci numbers. Fibonacci numbers form a sequence comprising numbers made up from adding two numbers previous to it. For example, 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 and so on.

Although attributed to Leonardo of Pisa (also known as Fibonacci), it was described much earlier in India as “the mountain of cadence” around 450-500 BC. This golden ratio can be seen in many instances of nature, and even the stock market moves very closely according to Fibonacci numbers!

Thus, the use of this in Feng Shui and other geomancy sciences is not surprising. It was not the invention of a mathematical human mind, but rather a natural and common occurrence. The ancient sages merely observed and recorded it, some of whom may not even be aware of such a formula’s existence.

Meridian points vary based on the energy form. The energy itself takes on the shape of the landform that collects it, much like how water takes on the shape of the vessel. Ancient sages used many terms to describe these shapes, because they are easier to describe and remember.

Thus, just because a landform is said to be dragon-like or turtle-like, it does not mean that an actual dragon or turtle was trapped within, or some mythical beast died there and its remains got transformed into a mountain or island!

The nomenclature for these shapes is very deliberate and specific. The chosen object has to have characteristics that match the landform or energy’s shape. So it is not just based on a passing resemblance as one would use when they identify cloud formations.

For example, a tiger is characterised as nurturing and protective when it is feeding its cubs. So, a landform where the energy shape is like a lying tiger nursing its cubs, is called as such. There would be eight meridian points, precisely where the teats of the female tiger would be. There should be little boulders (or small rocky protrusions) in that vicinity, too, representing the cubs. A Feng Shui expert would also look for forms that resemble bushes that camouflage and shield the cubs. Is this just a coincidence, or a conformation to nature?

Dragons are characterised by a long flowing body with claws. Mountain ranges have side branches which are very claw-like. A mythical dragon flies in a zigzag fashion, thus creating convex and concave sides like a meandering river. These offer many sites for meridian points, which are determined by analysing individual segments and sides.

A turtle-like formation is unique, too. At the point where the “head” is located, it should not protrude too far out, as it is prone to get chopped off. Naturally, that is not a favourable location! A “turtle” can be good or bad. Just look at the rear. We’re looking for eggs which signify prosperity.

These could be islands or boulders. Even the “flippers” of this formation bear interest. It could be drawing forward to build up energy (a favourable position) or it could have expended its energy after paddling (not so favourable).

The descriptions are not confined to animals. There are also forms known as “armchairs”, “tables” and so on, each exhibiting the unique characteristics of the object they are named after.

Screen – Protective Barrier

The final element a Feng Shui master looks for is the presence of smaller land formations across the river. These serve as a barrier that keeps the energy in and protects it from harsh elements coming from the other side of the river. They can also trap and retain energy that traverses under the river.

So, the mountains generate energy. The energy is blocked and reflected by a river. Think of this as a tent with the river as its opening. The tent walls protect the occupants and the opening provides access while keeping the heat in. There are certain spots within the tent where the temperature may be cooler or hotter.

To provide further protection from strong winds and rain, we can erect a screen in front of the opening. That is essentially what we look for: protective screens, barriers or shields. These are lesser formations, considerably smaller than mountains. They are considered “forms” and not “forces” which means they can influence energy by their shape and size but are not considerable enough to exert or emanate energy on their own.

These screens could comprise one or many pieces of boulders, small hills or even islands. They can come in many shapes and sizes. Again, they are given names based on the objects they resemble and emulate in character. For example, boulders that form the shape of a simple brush-rest is given the name “scholar” as it somehow tends to nurture the development of scholars in its vicinity.

Some very clear examples of these shields can be found in the case of ports. To date, no ports have ever been successful without the presence of shields or barriers. It also makes geologic sense: these barriers keep the port safe from strong winds and typhoons. Port Klang enjoys the cover of several islands: Pulau Klang, Pulau Indah, Pulau Che Mat Zin, Pulau Ketam, Pulau Tengah, Pulau Selat Kering and Pulau Pintu Gedung.

Harmony through environology

IN landform environology (feng shui), the impact of earth’s natural features is assessed when selecting a site or constructing a building. At the most fundamental level, we look for the mountains and rivers. All other considerations, such as a person’s birth date and Gua number (derived from said date), are secondary.

This is because the earth exerts energy, and its pattern can either enhance or diminish the conduciveness of a location. Regardless of whether a person is born under a lucky star or is experiencing a period of good fortune in his life, if he lives or works in a non-conducive environment, he is likely to suffer from it.

Our tour of the Klang Valley has not been to pass judgement and declare if such-and-such a place is bad.We observe the landform and make comparisons between what environology principles say would happen, and the actual reality.

OBSERVATIONS, NOT PREDICTIONS
We observe facts to confirm or disprove our hypothesis. Where we come to a new property development, we offer conjectures based on the landform, and are not making predictions. Time will tell if we are on or off the mark.

For a more complete analysis of a property’s compatibility with the occupant, a proper audit is required. But be careful of unscrupulous people masquerading as feng shui masters. Unfortunately, there is presently no regulatory body that is responsible for accreditation or certification of feng shui practitioners.

The Malaysian Institute of Geomancy Sciences is a non-profit organisation committed to setting up such an accreditation standard and institute a regulatory framework. The practice of environology must first be recognised as a science before it can take the next step.

Professional bodies in Malaysia— lawyers, architects, accountants and so forth—are regulated either by law or their respective associations and rightly so because their work impact the lives of others. They must be held to a high standard.

The same must be done in environology. We hope to create sufficient awareness and dispel the misconceptions of the public to the point where town planners and architects become mindful of environologic forces when designing properties so that they are in harmony with nature.

In landform environology, we first look for the mountains or high land for that is where earth energy originates. It starts from the highest point and flows down to the lowest. Along the way, it may travel up and over smaller hills. The energy moves in a swirling vortex. At and near its point of origin, it is very powerful and some of its energy was probably expended to shape the land and create some of the present-day formations of mountains, hills and ranges.

Town planners and architects should be mindful of environologic forces when designing properties so that they are in harmony with nature. -Filepic

It gets progressively weaker as it moves further from its point of origin. It in turn is shaped and altered by the landform at this point.

The next thing we look for is the river or any other large bodies of water.Water has a different rigidity to land and does not allow the transfer of earth energy. Thus, the energy is reflected and deflected back from the riverbank. This rebound energy is gentle and homogenous, unlike the original oncoming energy. It is considered conducive for success.

Properties that are constructed to face pools of such energy will tap into them to generate an environment that is harmonious and beneficial. Properties with their backs to the river experience the opposite because they cannot tap into that beneficial pool and they face the more powerful overwhelming oncoming earth energy from the high land. The effect is more pronounced on uphill-facing properties built on slopes.

Environology principles also state that a good alternative to facing the river is for properties to follow the direction of the river’s flow. The logic is that this direction eventually leads to a bigger body of water – the ocean. Another reason is that such a direction shields the property from “detritus” flowing downstream.

OLD KLANG ROAD
In our tour of Old Klang Road, we look again for the high land and the river. The road runs along the eastern bank of the Klang River (and subsequently south, when the river turns westward). (For Google map reference, please log on to http:// maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)

The high land is found further east in the form of smaller hills and ranges extending from Ampang and Cheras. At this point, the earth’s energy has been significantly expended and thus the hills are rather low compared to Ampang and Cheras.

Old Klang Road starts from Seputeh. Further down this road is Petaling Lama.

Between the river and road, there are several blocks of shop-offices. Due to their orientation—facing Old Klang Road and Bukit Desa, with their backs to the river—these properties are not considered ideal or conducive. The occupants may not fare as well as their counterparts on the opposite side. Properties on the other side ought to fare better, as they generally face west toward the river. The Intec College, a relative newcomer, has a very eye-catching facade. The BHP and Shell petrol stations and Bangunan Tan Lai Kim also share this ideal orientation.

However relatively speaking, the Shell station is likely to fare better because the BHP is located on a slight elbow of Old Klang Road. The convex shape of the road tends to deflect and disperse earth energy. So, although the BHP is strategically located before Shell, motorists may still opt to patronise the latter more. Of course, it could also be due to Shell’s marketing and branding.

Behind this row of properties, the land climbs up quite steeply and yet, there are several houses built here along roads such as Jalan Meru, Jugra and Morib, Many of these branch into dead-end roads. Houses that face west are likely to do better than their east- and uphill-facing neighbours.

Even then, dead-end roads are considered undesirable in environology for the lack of circulating traffic somehow causes the energy to stagnate. Therefore, the overall conditions here would be somewhat suppressed and depressed.

Further down the road, we come to Taman Shanghai, which also share similar traits –hill slope and dead-end roads.

Feng Shui: The Klang Valley and Parliament

As mentioned in our previous articles, Sri Petaling has benefited tremendously from the construction of the National Sports Complex, closure of the rubbish landfill, Light Rapid Transit (LRT) station, the Kesas Highway and Endah Parade shopping mall. (For Google map reference, please log on to http://maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)

We have also covered a few of the condominiums, apartments and low-cost flats in the vicinity. Within section 149b (roads with the suffix 149b), there are the Endah Villa Condominium, Sri Endah Apartment and 14 blocks of flats. Two schools - primary and secondary – and a community hall are also found here. To the west, there are rows of houses along roads with the suffix 149d.

The terrain in this roughly rectangular area is quite flat. The hills and highland are found further north, east and south (beyond the Kesas Highway). The west is also raised, thanks to the KL-Putrajaya Highway. Thus, we find a small bowl-like valley here that can collect earth energy.

There is a big monsoon drain at the south, parallel to Jalan 4/149b, just before the Kesas Highway. It eventually joins the Kuyoh River and move on to Klang. Smaller monsoon drains channel rain water perpendicularly into it from the north.

Modern-day rivers
Monsoon drains or similar large drainage systems can be considered rivers in this day and age. Gone are natural rivers which carve their own paths to the oceans. Property developers in this country tend to change the entire landform to suit their needs.

This is the most straightforward way to develop land and maximise its utility. It is much harder and less profitable to design towns and properties that suit the land’s natural forms. Only very high-end and expensive developments offer this luxury.

Rivers and mountains play important roles in environology. Earth energy emanates from the top of mountains and flows downhill to valleys, plains, rivers and eventually, the ocean. In the big picture, the central focus from which earth energy comes is Mount Everest.

The energy radiates outward and downward through the mountain ranges. One of these ranges extends into the Malay Peninsula. We call this the Main Range or Titiwangsa. At Bukit Tinggi, two smaller ranges branch out and form a claw that embraces what we now call the Klang Valley.

This is a very conducive formation and is likely to explain why the Klang Valley is the most prosperous area in the whole country. Yes, you can say that the state of Selangor is the most prosperous but if you look carefully, most of this prosperity is centred in the Klang Valley.

Klang Valley prosperity

The powers-that-be should consider environology factors if they are thinking of moving the seat of government to the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).

You could say tin played an important role in spurring the Klang Valley’s growth but Ipoh and the Kinta Valley were similarly rich in tin. In fact, Ipoh was the first administrative centre in Malaya for the British, having established a beachhead there during the Residency days. J.W.W. Birch, the first resident in Malaya, was assigned to Perak, not Selangor.

The centre of administration, business and finance eventually shifted to the Klang Valley because, in our opinion, of the attractive energy pool created within the Klang Valley.

This also suggests that our nation’s capital – be it financial, economic or political – should remain within the Klang Valley. Relocating it outside the valley could lead to a decline in our country’s affairs.

Sometime ago, we covered Parliament House in our tour and noted how our nation’s history very closely followed a series of changes predicted by the I-Ching’s hexagrams. If Parliament House is relocated, the powers-that-be must carefully consider the environology factors instead of just cost, logistics and convenience.

The seat of government should always be on higher ground. This is a position of authority. The present Parliament House fits this criterion. The proposed new site – the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) – also sits on high ground and therefore fulfils the criterion, too.

Seat of power
The seat of power should also be located at the north-west sector of the city, which represents the patriarch or master. In this regard, neither the present nor the proposed location fits the bill. This could explain the difficulty Tunku Abdul Rahman had in keeping Malaysia together. Singapore seceded soon after and Tunku left office following the May 13 tragedy.

In any case, we urge caution about the PICC. Putrajaya is not located within the Klang Valley and therefore does not enjoy the same pool of conducive earth energy found in the latter. Even within the township, the PICC is not in the north-west sector. It is found in the south.

The fact that the PICC is under-utilised, as reported in the press, should be a warning sign. Of course, one can assign many “obvious” reasons for that. Putrajaya is too far away from Kuala Lumpur. The management company was not aggressive or creative enough to attract events.

Putrajaya is the nation’s administrative capital and with that comes plenty of clout. It is also next door to Cyberjaya, the centre of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). Surely something can be done to increase its usefulness and usage.

Perhaps then, there is another reason for the PICC’s situation. Perhaps it is not conducive from an environological point of view. If that is so, relocating Parliament to this complex may also create more woes for our nation’s lawmakers, and by extension, our country itself. Interesting food for thought, is it not?

Earth, wind, water
But we digress. We were saying rivers and mountains could affect earth energy. Water has a different rigidity from solid ground. Earth energy cannot penetrate water. Thus, when it flows down from the peak of a mountain or hill, it is deflected and reflected by the river. This reflected energy is gentle and homogenous, which are desirable traits.

When a river is curved to embrace the land, the rebounding energy is concentrated like a parabolic dish. Properties built to face this pool are likely to do well. If a river forms an outer elbow, the angle of deflection is such that the energy is dispersed, and properties here tend to do poorly.

The condos, apartments and flats in 149b of Sri Petaling are sitting in a bowl-like valley where earth energy tends to accumulate. This is attractive to life. However, this is also often associated with vice activities: gambling, protection racket, gangsterism and prostitution.

Roads with suffixes 149d and 149j are very close to the elevated KL-Putrajaya Highway. This poses a slight challenge as the highway becomes an artificial mountain that impacts the earth energy pattern. Furthermore, wind turbulence from the highway’s traffic can disperse the energy. Thus, properties which are too close to the highway are likely to do more poorly than those further away on the other end of each row. This will happen naturally anyway, due to higher amounts of noise and air pollution.

There are two rows of shophouses here - one along Jalan 1/149d and the other along Jalan 1/149j. The land is mostly flat but there is actually a gentle slope from north to south. Furthermore, there is a river running in a north-south direction to the east.

All these point to one thing - the best direction to face is south. This follows the slope and is also parallel to the river’s direction. Since the shophouses here have been operating for a few years now, the effect is quite apparent. Those along 1/149d seem to do better than 1/149j. Of course, a logical explanation could also be that 1/149d has a higher visibility from the main roads than the other. We leave it to you to decide.

Feng Shui: Semi-circular road

Our tour of the Klang Valley takes us to Jalan Utara in Petaling Jaya. This is a curved road north of the city’s administrative centre and the Federal Highway. There are several houses located within the semi-circle formed by Jalan Utara and the highway, along with several commercial and residential buildings. (For Google map reference, please log on to http://maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)

Apart from the Bukit Bintang Boys School also located here which appears to be doing all right, the other properties do not seem to be doing too well. Perhaps this can be attributed to the landform.

Jalan Utara is generally higher than the semi-circle it embraces. Thus, the semi-circle is like one-half of a bowl-shaped valley with the road acting as the rim. The only exception would be at the beginning of Lorong Utara Kecil where the Church of St Paul sits on a hillock.

The bowl is also “broken” by a valley and a monsoon drain at the north-east. This valley is formed by mountain ridges on Jalan Bukit and Jalan 12/14. The monsoon drain runs between the Crystal Crown Hotel and the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Building, until it reaches the Astaka field. Here it is diverted along the boundaries of the field and joins the Federal Highway’s drainage system. This “river” is then channelled below the highway and continues its course behind Wisma Thrifty.

When properties are built along a river or road, it is always good to place them within the embrace of the river. This formation has the ability to collect gentle homogenous earth energy like a parabolic dish. The land on the other side is not as conducive as the outer edge or convex side is a shape that deflects and disperses earth energy.

No beneficial energy
By this token, properties along the outer edge of Jalan Utara do not enjoy any beneficial earth energy. On the positive side, they generally have a high back and a low front, and face a direction which is parallel to the river’s flow. These are good orientations that help mitigate the convex landform. This means that the occupants of the houses here would experience a roller-coaster of ups and downs.

There will be good times mixed with wildly dipping bad times. The occupants’ ability to capitalise on the good times and weather the bad would depend on other factors, such as their Gua number, the location of their house’s entrance, kitchen and master bedroom, and their personal Life Profile. When they are in a good period, things would go very well but when they enter a down phase, the bad may get the better of them. Overall, not an ideal place to stay long-term unless appropriate changes are made to mitigate matters.

Properties within the embrace of Jalan Utara benefit from the pool of homogenous earth energy collected by the road’s parabolic curve. However, that is the only good point here. Most of these properties also face high land, and some are counter to the river’s flow direction. These are considered to be poor orientations in landform Environology.

Earth energy originates from the peak of high land and flows down to sea level. In its original form, it is powerful and properties should not be oriented to face this energy head-on. Properties that face uphill or high land would be bombarded by this powerful energy and their occupants would be overwhelmed.

When it comes to rivers, properties should face the embracing curve of a river, or at least face the direction of the river flow. Those that face upstream tend to gather detritus flowing down the river. This would create mental stress for the occupant.

Worse roller-coaster
Therefore, properties along Jalan Utara within its embrace are likely to experience a more acute roller-coaster ride than their neighbours across the road. Though they may collect conducive gentle earth energy, the energy is also mixed with powerful force coming directly from high land.

Furthermore, properties facing north or north-east are also facing upstream, which can cloud their judgement. If this happens during good times, it simply means missed opportunities. What do you think would happen if their thoughts are garbled during the bad times?

Could this explain why the Crystal Crown Hotel somehow could not match the popularity and success of the PJ Hilton nearby? With the exception of the Singgahsana and Shah’s Village Motel, there are not many other choices in this area for business travellers to stay.

The Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Building seems to attract only tenants linked to medical conditions, such as associations for breast cancer welfare, lupus and previously, spastic children. Perhaps it is stated in the management company’s charter to provide low rent premises for such organisations, or perhaps they could not attract a different type of clientele as tenants.

Filem Negara seems to have taken a step back as many promotional clips by various government ministries and agencies now go to private companies with a more commercial flair.

Jalan Utara is generally higher than the semi-circle it embraces.

Lorong Utara
Lorong Utara is a small loop that extends off Jalan Utara. Bungalows are located both within and outside this road. Again, it is amazing how different these properties are in terms of their appearance and upkeep. There is a house at the end of a T-junction that is positively run down. Properties on the outer elbow of the road as it curves don’t seem to be in good shape.

The degree of upkeep or deterioration appears to commensurate with the number of good and bad landform factors. Properties facing uphill and the elbow of the road are the worst off. Properties with high backs and low fronts fare better especially if they are in the embrace of the road. Overall, properties facing south-west have the best orientation and do far better than their neighbours.

The Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital faces south. This is good because the land slopes downhill from north to south. This may explain its continued progress and expansion. The Gurdwara Sahib shares the same orientation as the hospital, and enjoys good Environology, too.

We will look at the other properties of Jalan Utara – the Bukit Bintang Boys School, V-Square and more – in our next issue.

Feng Shui Tale
Two men with a perplexing problem at their dangdut karaoke lounge came to see the writer. Workers heard music and singing in empty rooms, and rumours of the lounge being haunted were affecting business. The owners sent a despatch clerk to Indonesia to visit a bomoh for help. He returned with an envelope.

That night, the owners called a staff meeting and opened the envelope with everyone present. It turned out to be a slip of paper containing six numbers. There was nothing else – no instructions, no cure, nothing!

The owners were frustrated – they asked for a way to cleanse their premises, not numbers for betting. Nonetheless, the staff decided not to waste this opportunity. “This could be the winning numbers for tomorrow’s Toto draw,” someone suggested.

So, the staff members pooled together RM20 and sent the despatch clerk to place a bet at the shop. The next day, someone bought the papers to work and they checked the results of the draw. All six numbers came out: they had won RM2 million!

However, the despatch clerk did not show up for work and was nowhere to be found. Did he abscond with their money, they wondered. They finally found him – in a police lockup. Muslims are prohibited from gambling and he was arrested at the betting shop when he tried to place the bet. Although he tried to explain he was just running an errand, the authorities would hear none of it. Thus, he was locked up and did not manage to buy the winning ticket after all!

Go local
This bit of bad luck still did not solve the original problem of the haunted karaoke lounge. The owners then invited a local bomoh to handle the case.

The bomoh performed his rituals with incantations, nails, lemons and needles, and found something peculiar about a flower pot in one corner of the lounge. He said someone who was jealous of them had buried an object in the pot to bewitch them. True enough, they found two human figurines buried in the soil.

The bomoh then wrapped up the figurines in an envelope and instructed that it be thrown into a dustbin across the road. However, the despatch clerk who went to Indonesia refused to do it.

The owners finally sent another person to throw the figurines away. As he crossed the road, he was knocked down by a car and died on the spot!

This was when they finally came to the writer for help. Although told that he was a Feng Shui master and not a ghostbuster, they kept asking for help. The writer finally agreed to take a look and see if there was anything he could do. He warned them that if it concerned ghosts and spirits, they would have to get someone else.

Find out what the writer discovered 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

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