Art to Architecture

Brancusi’s “Endless Column” sometime called the ‘ The column of infinity” in some ways describes Malaysia’s economic success and infrastructure development since the 70’s and into the future.

It is progressing at a meteoric space and into infinite possibilities.  Kuala Lumpur has become a city of buildings among thick lush greenery and a very comfortable one at that to live in.

Lunch can cost as little as 1 British pound and the cost of transport for buses and the rail system that crisscrosses the city at a fraction of a pound for each journey. A transport system not unlike that of London but new and modern, taking the best from its former partner Britain and discarding the aspects of the United Kingdom that don’t work. Recently as London announces the starting of selling Islamic bonds to rival Dubai, Malaysia has offered to play a part in its beginnings just as Britain had in the past for Malaysia. Perhaps in the future the 2 countries that were once related could soon be working closely together again in all aspects of each others life’s.

The above railway station was completed in 1910 and located in the previous “Victory Avenue” which has since been renamed.  As the city develops new flyovers and roads, the buildings threatening to hide its domes as the city keeps the old and builds the new around it.

Development is relentless where new building sites are constantly cleared for construction. The first tall building in Kuala Lumpur was completed in 1984 – called Dayabumi.. In 30 years since Dayabumi it has gone to what Malaysia is today which in that timespan the country’s development included the building of the twin towers once the tallest building in the world.

1984 to to 2013

There is also some chit chat about the Klang river that runs through Kuala Lumpur to be filtered clean and developed not very different from the San Antonio Riverwalk.

Below is the Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk.

more pics of Riverwalk in San Antonio

Malaysia has got its beautiful beaches with Port Dickson being only under an hour away from Kuala Lumpur.  Port Dickson is also getting a makeover with Starbucks overlooking the sea in the town center.  Have a burger in “McDonalds” while staring out into the horizon or “PappaRich” for local food – all with the sea by your side.

Then there is Penang an island in the north west of the country made famous by Wickers World in a 1976 episode called: PENANG: I HAVEN’T TAKEN MY OWN SHOES OFF FOR 45 YEARS…!  The title came about because: “Then there is the Scottish doctor who still lives in the style of the British Raj, surrounded by white-uniformed servants, happily declaring ‘I haven’t taken my own shoes off for forty five years’.  And as it is today more and more people are coming in from the west for what they find alluring here in the far east.

So it is either New York, London, Paris for high Art and high fashion, the pinnacle of the extreme living  and more so also London, Malaysia, Sri Lanka – for an alternative lifestyle as the west starts to experience its tipping point in their ever increasing standard of living. Malaysia’s plan for a deadline of 2020 for the economic plan for the country hopefully will find a balance not for evermore increasing of more than what you already have but rather a balance of comfortable living standards with further economic savings to only maintain infrastructure and the comforts of its population. But the country seem to be one step behind the west learning from mistakes made and not adopted and embedded into its own development finally finding its best by 2020. London hopefully will play a crucial role in being the umbilical to the west from the far east with the Conservatives in British society playing a crucial role, where the past togetherness meets the future once again.

Last Sunday’s newspapers front page reads, “Nothing Like Home”, “Malaysia a good place to raise children, says parents” and “Country becoming prosperous” all backed up by the London based, Legatum Prosperity Index of 2013.  The country’s rank for economy up 10 places to 8 due mainly to the decrease of inflation rates.

A recent partnership sealed by the Weir Group PLC, United Kingdom and the prime minister of Malaysia, witnessed by David Cameron. Old friends coming together again.

Malaysia, its population is about 28 million in a 2010 census.

Malays at about 67.4%, Chinese 24.6% and Indians 7.3%.

It takes some doing for different races and cultures and religions to come together to exists in harmony and the process has found its balance today in Malaysia. It will improve as time progresses towards 2020 and beyond. Malaysia will be a beacon to others of how perhaps the world will unify in the future.

Today’s Malaysia is prosperous and comfortable for most people living in the country. Its economic development and modern infrastructure possibly has some part to play in all of this. You get the sense that all of Asia exists in this one country. And the food: take your pick: Malay food, Chinese, OK, maybe an Indian Curry, what about some Mexican food, ice kachang, eh, maybe some chendol or AW Root Beer float and the fruits: what you want? a whole chilled coconut? What? Kentucky Fried Chicken!

If you happen to be in London catch a flavour of Malaysia at “Makan”, a Malaysian restaurant at Portobello Market

Prime Minister David Cameron call me.

Gallery

Welcome to Malaysia

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