Rambutan looks like longan and lychee, and taste almost similar to longan and many other tropical fruits.
Sweet, mildly tangy, and watery. It is not as strongly flavoured as lychee, which is very sweet. It is more like longan.
The sweet is bitter, and annoyingly attached to the fruit flesh, and you kind of have to “scrape" the bits attached to the seed.
It is relatively very easy to peel, and the flesh is pretty dry on the outside, so it is a very tidy eating experience.
What makes the fruit distinct is the rich tropical aroma: a very faint mango aroma, some vanilla, and wrapped in a very non offending palate (almost no taste besides very mild sweetness on your tongue).
But my favourite rambutan variant called the “gula batu” rambutan. It’s super sweet, odourless and the flesh can be easily detached from the seed simply by chewing it in a certain manner. The flesh is also hard enough you can even grate them with your teeth then eating them in really thin slices to appreciate its distinct texture which can never be experienced from any other fruits including other rambutan variants.- ck
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IN welcoming the class suite by affected residents of the Putra Heights gas pipeline tragedy, Siti Kasim wants them to seek compensation in the form of new homes a safe distance away outside their destroyed or partially damaged dwellings.
As many residents are reportedly reluctant to return to their homes yesterday (April 3) despite 85 homes declared safe by the Selangor state government with and utilities having been restored, the human rights activist and lawyer described as “raw deal” the intention of the former and PETRONAS to merely repair damage homes.
“This is necessary because the risk will not diminish as there are still gas pipelines buried underground,” she counselled in her latest YouTube rant.
“The solution shouldn’t be merely to repair damaged homes or to dish out compensation so the residents can return home but total evacuation to a safer location which is 500 metres or more away from any gas pipelines.
“It’s should be either this or relocation of the gas pipelines … in fact, there are many gas pipelines that run through residential estates throughout the entire country, hence the need for every homeowner to be sensitive if their properties are sitting on top of the pipelines or located close to them.”
Editor’s Note: Malaysia’s gas pipeline network which originates in Kerteh, Terengganu has been reported to extend through northern and southern regions, including Johor, Singapore and Kedah, covering 800km – and commonly passes through residential areas.
As safety measure, designated buffer zones are earmarked to prevent unauthorised access to the pipeline reserves.
Why involved taxpayers’ money?
Against the backdrop that property value of the affected homes and those in the surrounding areas “must have nosedived”, Siti Kasim further demanded that the Selangor state government be held responsible for having erred in issuing the permit to build houses close to the gas pipelines despite the obvious danger
“Why must we use taxpayers’ money to compensate the affected residents when this could be the fault of the state government and PETRONAS?” wondered the Orang Asli advocate.
Editor’s Note:Families affected by the recent gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights will begin receiving financial aid from Monday (April 7) as part of the Selangor state government’s recovery efforts, according to Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Previously, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that both the government and Petronas would provide compensation for affected residents.
PETRONAS with federal support will allocate RM5,000 to homeowners whose houses were completely destroyed for temporary lodging while those with partially damaged homes will receive RM2,500 in financial relief.
Echoing the sentiments raised by Siti Kasim is fellow human rights activist and lawyer Charles Hector who opined that PETRONAS “must be held solely responsible for the damage caused by its pipeline fire”, hence taxpayers’ money should not be involved.
Below is his WhatsApp text to FocusM which insinuates the element of corrupt practice:
Apparently the victims are returning home. Remember that this is not about the fire per se but severe heat that caused cars and children’s playground items to melt, not burn. This happened up to 200-300 metres from the gas pipeline.
Thus, the question is how these houses and buildings got the approval to be built when they were so close to the gas pipeline. To be safe, no homes or buildings should be built within 500 meters from gas pipelines. So, was there corruption here?
If the houses/buildings existed before the pipeline was laid, again a hint of corruption arises – be it at the local government, state government or Federal government level – with total disregard for citizen’s safety and well-being.
Charles Hector
GAS pipeline fires are a known risk with the fire/heat risk could have been calculated. If there is a leak and fire, what is the range of danger/fire/heat? Hence, approvals given by the relevant authorities are questionable.
The affected residents are not flood victims – the gas pipeline will still be there when they return home. And the high-risk returns.
So, the solution here is a total relocation to a safe area – maybe 500 meters or more from any gas pipelines. Or a relocation of the gas pipelines.
Fire and heat are not the only risks. What about gas poisoning? Gasses can travel far and here we are also talking about highly inflammable gasses.
Are the homes and buildings here ‘illegal’ given reasonably no such buildings should have been approved or built at least 500 metres from a pipeline that supplies gas to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and other IPPs (independent power producers) for use in electricity generation.
Providing alternative safe homes of equal value to the victims would be an ideal solution. And prosecute the MB (Menteri Besar), mayor, local council and government personnel who approved homes so close to this dangerous gas pipelines. – Focus Malaysia
IPOH: About 50 houses in several Perak districts were hit by flash floods following heavy rainfall that lasted more than two hours.
According to the Perak Civil Defence Force (APM), the affected areas included Tronoh, Sitiawan, Pangkor, Lumut and Trong.
An APM spokesman said 12 houses in Kampung Nala, Tronoh, were hit at about 1.45am on Friday (April 4).
He said a senior citizen was found trapped in her house but declined to be relocated as the water started to recede at about 9am.
"From our observations, Sungai Bangkong became swollen and overflowed at 1.45am.
"The drain culverts along Jalan Siputeh-Parit are not big enough to handle a large amount of spillover water from the river, and we also found rubbish in the culvert," he said in a statement.
In Sitiawan, the spokesman said, 10 houses at Taman Hijau and 21 homes in Taman Sri Mawar were affected.
He said the flash flood hit around midnight but the water has since receded.
"In Lumut, only two houses in Kampung Padang Tembak were affected, but no relief centres were required.
"In Pangkor, 15 houses in Kampung Teluk Kechil, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Sungai Pinang Besar and Taman Pangkor Indah were impacted," he said.
"There are 22 people seeking shelter at the Kampung Teluk Raja Bayang Mosque while 17 others have been moved to the Al-Amir Surau in Kampung Teluk Kecil.
"Water has receded and temporary relief centres are not needed," he added.
He said that in Segari, four houses in Kampung Batu 3 and five in Kampung Batu 5 were affected by the flash flood.
He also said Jalan Lumut-Pantai Remis was flooded and impassable to traffic.
In Trong, an orphanage in Sungai Nyior was also affected because of a damaged bund.
"A relief centre was not required because the residents returned to their respective hometowns a day before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations," the spokesman said.
According to the Fire and Rescue Department, a 70-year-old disabled man was rescued from his house in Kampung Salak Trong at 12.15am.
"The man's house was inundated, with the water rising to 0.8m," a department spokesman said, adding that the man was then brought to his family members. - Star
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to approve another extension - his third since taking office - for Azam Baki to continue serving as the head of MACC, according to financial news outlet Bloomberg.
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Citing sources familiar with the matter who requested anonymity, Bloomberg reported that Azam (above, right), 62, is set to receive a six-month extension following the end of his current term in May.
“The announcement is likely to be made in early May, the people said, adding the plan may change.
“Anwar has discussed with officials that giving Azam a full-year extension may fuel criticism of the government, one of the people said,” read the report, noting that Azam and MACC have come under intense criticism from various quarters
The article also highlighted that under Azam’s leadership, the MACC has taken action against political adversaries of Anwar, including the family of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.
However, it noted that the commission did not act on a complaint made by a politician regarding share purchases involving one of Anwar’s allies.
‘Quid pro quo’
“Four people familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential matters, said at the time that both MACC officials and political allies of the prime minister were under the impression that the two men had reached an understanding - Azam would have his term extended as MACC chief commissioner in return for taking action against Anwar’s opponents.
“Azam and Anwar denied they had an understanding and said the MACC operates independently of the prime minister,” it added.
Bloomberg said that the Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to queries regarding the potential extension, while the MACC declined to comment.
In the lead-up to the last general election, Anwar and other Pakatan Harapan leaders had frequently criticised Azam.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli
Among them was Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, who pledged to haul up Azam if the then-opposition coalition won the polls.
The PKR deputy president had accused Azam of perpetrating what he called political persecution after it raided his data firm, Invoke Solutions Sdn Bhd twice.
Azam has also come under fire from his predecessor Latheefa Koya over his handling of the Sabah corruption scandal. - Mkini
