Properties from a Feng Shui perspective: Part 172
By David Koh and Joe Choo | Dec 31, 2010
Feng Shui: Highs and lows of PJ New Town
Petaling Jaya’s administrative centre, the so-called New Town, is connected to the Federal Highway by two main roads called Jalan Timur (East Road) and Jalan Barat (West Road). Jalan Timur is well known for several landmarks, namely the Jalan Timur Field, A&W Restaurant and Amcorp Mall. Jalan Barat is a much shorter road and certainly more congested. This is largely due to its high concentration of commercial properties on both sides of the road. Jalan Barat is also the locus for some proposed redevelopment, which we touched on a few weeks back. The project involving land belonging to PKNS is currently in limbo due to several controversies that arose from its apparent secrecy.
Another storm that stirred recently was over the proposal to rename Jalan Barat to Jalan V. David, the late unionist and parliamentarian. Dr David served as the secretary-general for the Transport Workers Union (TWU) for almost 40 years, from 1958 to 1995. He was also the secretary-general for the umbrella body, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) from 1976 to 1992. Dr David was instrumental in the construction of the Transport Workers Union building located at Jalan Barat. This is where Victoria Station is currently located. So the name change is quite apt.
Among the objections to the change, was that Jalan Barat represents a directional indicator relative to New Town – if that was the case, whatever happened to Jalan Selatan? There is no historical significance to the original name. Many roads have been changed in Kuala Lumpur, including the conversion of Jalan Gurney (who was a major figure in the Emergency) into Jalan Semarak.
To assuage the protesters, the Mentri Besar postponed the renaming exercise, citing plans to redevelop the area. With the development, Jalan Barat (among other roads) will be realigned and thus, becomes a “new road” that shall be called Jalan V. David. To the left of the TWU building, there is a new mega-development, the PJ8, while on the right sits the more modest Wisma Thrifty followed by a row of shops and restaurants. Of these, the KFC is one of the older fixtures.
Clear river
There is a river running behind these buildings leading to the totally incongruous Jalan Sungai Jernih which means “clear river road”. High land is located to the east, at the other side of Jalan Barat. That means the properties on this road are facing the wrong direction. According to Environology principles, properties should have high land on their backs and face a valley or river. Thus, properties on the east side of Jalan Barat do very well while those on the west are likely to struggle. Wisma Thrifty used to have a popular supermarket called Thrifty’s Supermarket. The supermarket went through difficult times during economic recessions and closed down. The building is now occupied by Courts furniture store and the Giant supermarket.
PJ8
The back of Wisma Thrifty and the neighbouring buildings are lower than the front, and the river runs at the back. Such properties, as we observed throughout our tour of the Klang Valley, tend not to thrive. Success is difficult to attain and maintain. Even at the TWU building, the Victoria Station was preceded by several Chinese restaurants. PJ8 is the latest addition to Jalan Barat. It sits at the interchange with the Federal Highway. Its site used to be the Cycle & Carriage showroom. PJ8 comprises a 38-storey serviced apartment suite, a 12-storey office block and two office towers. It has all the markings of a success story: it has high visibility and easy access to the Federal Highway; it is close to several restaurants and hotels. Bus stations and the LRT are minutes away. However, the entrances to this complex are very “odd”, given the tight space available for access and exit. Thus, the energy infusion into the complex is also complicated. Furthermore, by adopting an easterly and north-easterly front, the complex faces high land and has a low back which are considered not so conducive. It would be interesting to see how it fares over time.
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Facing the Federal Highway, the PJ 8 development is highly visible. Jalan Barat: The proposed name change is a bone of contention.
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8 Avenue
Across the river, off Jalan Sungai Jernih is the 8 Avenue, which comprises four blocks of four-storey shops. This used to be a light industrial area with many automobile mechanics plying their trade. The spare parts shops found at Lorong 8/1D, E and other lanes nearby flourished due to the presence of the repair shops. With their departure, it was a matter of time before the spare parts shops follow suit. In terms of landform, the shops at 8 Avenue that face the river – generally, east and southeast – will do well. The general orientation of the site, however, is south-west or west in line with the main road. This is not considered conducive. Lorong 8/1E is flanked by rows of shops. Those that face north-west are good because of the high land behind them and the river in front. There is a relatively new block of shop-offices built on this side of the road and they are likely to fare better than their opposite neighbours.
With this instalment, we take our leave of New Town. Next week, we will move westward toward the industrial park in Penchala.
Feng Shui Tale
Ministers of Fujian
There was a kind and generous old lady. Every morning, she would prepare 300 buns and place them on a tray in front of her house. Everyone was welcome to have the buns. She soon won the praise and admiration of the whole village. A Taoist priest came to hear of this. Sceptical, he disguised himself as an old man and visited the house. Each time he went, he would take 10 buns instead of one. After 10 days of doing this, he approached the old lady and asked if she remembered him.
She replied, “Sir, if you want the buns, please help yourself to as many as you want. I don’t mind.”
The priest was convinced of her sincerity and decided to reward her since he knew Feng Shui.
“I observed the landform of your house and noticed there is a spot behind your house that is unique. If a person is buried there, his descendants will become ministers,” he said.
He offered to help her re-bury her husband’s remains in that spot so that her two sons could become ministers.
The old lady replied, “Why should my two sons be the only ones to benefit from this? If you can make ministers, why not make more so that the whole village can benefit?”
Touched by her magnanimity, the priest agreed to her request. He told her there will be as many ministers from the village as there are sesame seeds in a mug. However, there were only so many high-level positions in government.
Hence, in the whole of China, Fujian came to be known as a province that produced lots of ministers, albeit low-ranking ones.
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
Other articles on Feng Shui by Master David Koh and Joe Choo:
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