Paya Paya: River Cottage Langkawi-style!

The greenhouse at Paya Paya

For those of you who missed my posts on them on our Facebook page, here are some snippets on Paya Paya - a mission of love for two individuals who truly believe in what they are doing.  I've met several people now who, inspired by the River Cottage series on television, have aspired to live the country lifestyle and cultivate their own farm.

Well folks, there are people here in Malaysia already beginning to live the dream :-)

Elain and I were first acquainted in high school.  Since then, we've kept in touch over the years and even worked together on several projects in our professional capacities.

Over time, I've discovered that we are actually fairly like-minded, in our frustrations with KL corporate life and its shenannigans, the politics and wheeling and dealing.  So much that she, like I, decided to pursue a personal passion that coincidentally takes root in Langkawi.

Chances are, you've never heard about Paya Paya.  The project, a labour of love for Elain and her husband Kyri is just off a quiet road in Langkawi.  Spread over a couple of acres of ex-paddy fields, Paya Paya in its current initial phase is an experiment in sustainable farming.

I had the privilege of visiting them recently and Kyri very graciously showed us around.  The extent of progress they have made is testament to how much individuals can achieve on their own volition - without the help of Government or big businesses.

Walking around the property, Kyri pointed out how they have incorporated several ecologically-oriented elements into their cultivation process.  Compost made from waste materials that are collected from various sources around the island (including a famous coffee chain!), harvested rain water for irrigating their vegetable beds, and solar panels for some of their power needs.

Although their current yield is small, what I saw was attractive!  At the moment, according to Kyri, most of the produce is sold locally on the island, with proceeds going to charity.  So if you ever stop by there, do buy their vegetables.

Just look at the size of them chillies!

And if you DO visit, here's a small piece of trivia for those of us who harbour Coyote Ugly-esque ambitions - the lovely, long wooden benches scattered around the property used to be bar tops!  So if like me, you've always wondered what it felt to dance on one....

Photo courtesy of Mia Farriza (www.miafarrizza.com)

To learn more about Paya Paya, visit their Facebook page.

Your help needed: Building Lobong-Lobong's First Library

The Lobong-Lobong community center where the library will be housed

Remember Aida Rahman?  She was one of the people instrumental in helping us secure our plot of fairy magic where La Pari-Pari will eventually be situated.

A KL-ite who transplanted her self to Langkawi, Aida is now well on her way of pursuing her own dream of setting up operations in Sabah.  At the core of her vision is a village called Lobong-Lobong, en route to the Mount Kinabalu headquarters.

She posted a plea recently for books to help set up Lobong-Lobong's community library.  For those who can help, please do.  On top of the fact that it's for a good cause, Aida is someone I have complete faith in to ensure your contributions are used in the best possible way.

Here's the message from Aida.

PLEASE SEND US BOOKS!!



Dear friends,

The time has come for me to make a plea on behalf of the children and
villagers of Kampung Lobong-Lobong. Remember my first ever note on FB?
I have a wish to empower these able people and I found that many
friends and acquaintances also share my wish. So the first step we are
taking is to create the village’s own resource centre and library!
Hence today, I would like to ask you to send us books to help us
furnish it. The centre will be housed in an existing building within
the village.

On the weekend of the 18th-19th December a few friends and I are going
to fix shelves in the building shown below & convert it into a
resource centre cum library for the villagers to use freely.. so
please feel free to send books, magazines (if possible nature
related), dictionaries, pictionaries etc. that you think can benefit
this community. For those who are able to join us that very weekend,
you are also welcomed :)

A bit on demographics of the village...

There are roughly about 90 households in the Lobong-Lobong village.
Each household has an average of 3 to 5 children whose ages spans
between 3 to 25 years… there is a primary school in Kuang village
which is about 25mins walk away, whilst in order to attend secondary
school these youngsters will either attend boarding schools near
Ranau i.e. SMK Lohan or SMK Narinang but they will usually come home
to the village in the weekends to help tend the farms and fields.

We have good feedbacks from the locals wanting to learn and pick up
languages, mainly English, so we hope in the near future we can also
organize short English classes for all age groups. I have plans to
invite friends and contacts to contribute their time in training these
villagers in skills that would help them improve their livelihood… if
you have skills and knowledge to share please also get in touch :)



A dear friend had agreed to be the collection centre for this project
so please send your donated books to:

“Lobong-Lobong Community Drive: Resource Centre & Library”

c/o : DR. Izety Shezlinda Noran

Room no. 40, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Clinic,

Hospital Queen Elizabeth I,

Karung Berkunci No 2029

88586 Kota Kinabalu

Sabah


p/s: it would also be nice for you to write a note stating your
name(s) & where/who the book donation is from etc. Perhaps also some
encouraging words to the readers :)

Soldiering On

I realise that for some time now, you have all not heard a lot about La Pari-Pari.  Many are wondering if we are still pursuing the project.

The answer is YES!

Since we completed our design work last year, we've been down proverbial back alleys and up winding staircases to nowhere with regards to obtaining approvals for our development from the authorities.  The truth is, in Langkawi at least, most don't bother.  Most, build first, pay fines and legalise later.

We tried doing things the right way, but have found that it doesn't result in any real progress.

So, we've had to re-strategise.  Re-think our options.  The upshot of which is that we are still pursuing our target of opening next year.  But it also involves re-thinking the way we are going to run the business and staff it, finance it and prep it for operations.

With some luck, and some money, we should be able to reach our goal.

It's a big IF, but I remain optimistic.  And part of the reason why is all of you - the silent and not-so-silent supporters who continue to keep one eye out for us and our cause.  The friends and acquaintances who never, never fail to ask me how La Pari-Pari is going whenever you see me.  Even if I don't have much to report on in terms of progress at the moment, your curiosity and interest continue to spur me on.

Sometimes, there are things you embark on in life that just seem right.  Despite the delays, when progress is made, it happens almost serendipitously.  People come in and out of your life and their purposes are all too clear.

There have been too many of such moments in my life since La Pari-Pari was first conceived as an idea. So many that I know I will get there soon.

Earlier this year, I experienced perhaps one of the biggest setbacks one can on a project like this - the loss of a business partner.  While it was regrettable, looking back, I now think it was inevitable.  Since her departure, the spaces she has vacated have been filled ten-thousand fold.

On my last trip to Langkawi, three of the dearest people in my life today accompanied me.  To keep me company.  To help me re-build my memories and associations with the island I so love so that I may once more see its beauty.  Not that I had forgotten, but perhaps due to several incidents, my perspective of the island had changed a little in the last year.

You will be introduced to them over the course of the next couple of weeks.  They are the ones who have helped me create new, happier and more hopeful memories that I can fall back on when the going gets tough.

The one thing I can say with absolute certainty is this - in all my conversations with people close and not-so-close to me, those who have prodded or offered advice out of mere interest in either my well-being or the project's, I have not uncovered any new insights.  Every spanner thrown at me by devil's advocates are those I am already familiar with and have examined in my own time and thoughts.

What it means to me is that I have really thought about this.  And internalised the life changes that this project will require of me.

It won't be easy, I know.  But beyond just repeating that as a mantra, I know it won't be easy down to the minutest detail.  The things I may have to sacrifice or let go, the sweat, frustration and impatience I will have to temper.  And the joy I know I will find in facing these challenges.  Because they will ultimately lead to me leading the life I want to lead, and enable me to make the changes I believe I can make as an individual.

This will be my imprint on the world.  No matter how small it is, it will be there.

Thank you for staying the course with us.

Beneath The Sheen

It has been a challenging first five months of the year, during which most of our efforts have been focused on stabilising things and getting them back on an even keel.

La Pari-Pari experienced a change in management at the beginning of this year.  While it was a trying experience for me, I am glad to say that I believe things have worked out for the better.  I am now the sole driver of the business, backed by a new partner, my brother who is assisting me in the background with financial and administrative advisory matters.

The last few months have been mainly spent getting administrative matters in order.  Trademarking of our logo is now almost complete and our financial house is now in order.

Some of you may recall that we began the process of submitting our papers to the Langkawi town council some eight months ago, for the purpose of obtaining a development order that will enable us to construct the resort.  In March, the town council came back to us requesting instead that we submit papers seeking permission to convert our piece of land from its current agricultural status to a commercial one.  While this was something we had on the cards for a later stage, the town council has apparently changed the rules and is asking all developers to submit conversion requests before they release any development orders.

Now, technically, this sort of control mechanism is a good thing.  Many developers in Langkawi are well-known not to adhere to the conversion requirement and develop land arbitrarily.  So, we did the necessary and complied.

A week ago, we received a letter saying that our conversion request had been temporarily rejected as we had not obtained our development order!

Upon further investigation we have now been told the letter was a 'clerical error'.

The level of incompetence we have encountered in acquiring basic services in Langkawi and in relation to both private and public sector providers there has been appalling.  Of course, this presents opportunities for enterprising folk - so if any of you out there are reading this and want to move there - they need all sorts of efficient people - accountants, lawyers, contractors, etc.

What concerns me is how the inefficiencies we have witnessed will impact the further development of the island's tourism sector and indeed its economy as a whole.  Without reliable service providers and a more efficient government, the island cannot prosper.

In other news, one of loyal supporters, Aida has now left Langkawi in pursuit of a new career in Sabah.  While we will miss her presence on the island, I am truly happy for her.  So if any of you are thinking of a spot to go to in East Malaysia, drop by Mantanani Island, off the coast of Kota Belud.  

Thank you for continuing to support us.  Remotely or not, your presence among us and positive thoughts  have been very helpful on days when we just want to throw in the towel.

We will get there eventually.  It make take some time, but we will get there :-)