Lands for Sale in Janda Baik

1. 2 acres near Elektrisola's residential area at Jalan Damai 3, Janda Baik. RM200,000.00 for 2 acres.

2. 1-1/4 acres rubber estate at Kg Cheringing, Janda Baik. Asking for RM200,000.00 for the whole land.

3. 1 acre also at Kg Cheringing - near a river. RM250,000.00.

Interested please e-mail to me or call me at 09-221 5141 (09:00 am - 5:00 pm only). All the above are Malay reserved lands.

If you are good in asset management, it's worth your money to invest in buying a land in Janda Baik. Land in Janda Baik would be a precious asset for you because the value is not going to drop. Last time, I had confirmed with a landlord to buy a piece of land at RM135,000.00 for 1.2 acres. But before I could pay an earnest money, somebody had offered the landlord RM180,000.00 for that land! So, there it goes my dream to build a house near a stream... I guess, for those who are good in asset management, will not say that buying a land in Janda Baik will be a waste. Do your asset management properly, you'll make a big profit.

Tips to buy a land and build a house in Janda Baik

What I'm going to tell you here is from my own experience. If you want to buy a land in Janda Baik, it's better for you to come and see the whole area first. Check it carefully. Land in Janda Baik are mostly hilly and slopping. If you did not see carefully, you could be deceive, hidden by the jungle - you might think that the land is quite flat. Later on, you may find it will be very costly to do the earthwork for your house construction. But it is difficult to say though... we could never really see the actual condition of the land until we have done the clearance - cut down all big trees, clear the bushes etc. But the weather could be very tempting for you to buy a land in Janda Baik. Just look at the picture... it looks very cooling and inviting for those who love nature.

If the land that you are buying has a title with more than one name on it, then the process to transfer the ownership will take some times. First it has to include your name on the title, then the sub-division of the land has to be done. For a Malay reserved land, sub-division can only be done to a land which is not less than one acre if it's under 'agriculture land'. You will need a land surveyor to mark the border of the land. Once the transfer of ownership is done, the surveyor will put the demarcation (batu sempadan) of the land. All these things will cost us a few thousands ringgit.

If you want to take a bank loan for the land and your house construction, you will need to provide the following documents to the bank, besides the normal copy of NRIC, fill up the application form etc:

1) S & P of the land
2) Approved plan of the house
3) Construction agreement with your contractor

To get the house plan will also take some times. The best thing is if you can prepare your plan even before you buy the land. But you have to make sure you buy a land that suits with the plan. Example, my land is only 70' width but it's 700' long. So I have to build a house that can fit in the 70' width. Don't forget that we have to leave 10' clearance on the left and right side of the house. But if you are not taking any bank loan, then I guess you won't have much problem. Just build as you please, as long as it's within your own land. But in another two years time, Majlis Perbandaran Bentong will implement the city council law in Janda Baik - that's what I was informed by the Assistant District Officer.

To get someone to draw your house plan is also another problem to consider. Architect fee will be expensive. It could be about 10% of the estimated cost of the house. A draughtsman can also draw a house plan at a cheaper rate, but the draughtsman will need to get the plan endorsed by an architect. But he will settle it, it will already include in the fee that he will charge us for the drawing and submission of the plan to City Council until we the approval.

But make sure you understand how to read the scale of the drawing. If you are from the old school like me who doesn't understand the metric scale, then make sure that your draughtsman will also put a note for you in feet. Please stress on that - otherwise, you'll pay for a plan for nothing! I have made that mistake. I have paid RM2,500.00 for a plan which I cannot even use. The fee was only for the drawing, not including submission and getting the approval from City Council. When I asked the guy to amend it for me (because the house is too big), he said I have to pay for amendment fee because I had earlier approved the plan. I approved the plan blindly because I overlooked about the size of the house. When I realized and asked him about the size, I was shocked that the house is too big - almost 4,000 sqf! It will be too costly for me - I can't afford to build that house. But he still insisted that I pay him in full because according to him he has completed his work. When I requested for a discount of RM500.00, he refused it. He said he would help me to amend the drawing at no charge. But what he did was, just cut some part of the house, and the plan looks like "T". What kind of a house will it be? So, I paid for something that I cannot use and wasted about 3 months waiting for the plan. I have to get someone else to draw another plan. That's why it takes a long time for me to submit all documents to the bank to process my loan. It has delayed everything... But I guess it's worth waiting for another plan. If I go ahead and build something which I don't like, I'll live with anger in the house for my whole life. This will be the only house that I can build, so I better make it something that I like and I can live happily with my Mom in the house.

So you better be careful when you ask someone to draw your house plan. Make sure he understands what you want, and sincere enough to make you understand the plan and the scale. I was so frustrated in my case because at the very first discussion, I have told him that I need to know the total build up area in sqf. Furthermore, I have given him a plan, which I just would like to add one more small room to it. But he said it's not possible to add the room, it might disturb the structure of the house, the house might collapse. I really didn't understand at that time. I thought it's really that we cannot change the structure of the house in the plan. But why is it not possible, the house is not built yet, why can't we change the drawing? I still continue with him working on my house plan eventhough I was not very happy already at that point. In the end, after I've paid him in full, and I asked him again why is it not possible to add one more room to the drawing which I've showed him; he said he didn't know how to do it! If from the beginning he said he can't do it because he didn't know how to do it - that will be much easier for me - I could just stop the project with him and find someone else to draw my house plan! Really, really frustrated! Wasting time and money for nothing!

What the expatriates say about Janda Baik

I'm waiting for some feedback from expatriates who work with Elektrisola Malaysia and have stayed in Janda Baik for a few years. There are 9 expatriates who live at the company residential area at Jalan Damai 3. They are Germans, Italian, Japanese, Portugese and Swiss. One is even married to a local Chinese.

Carlos has given his comments. Please see at my latest update.

Where to stay in Janda Baik

You can come to Janda Baik just for a day trip, a picnic at the river or a jungle tracking and camping. But if you prefer a more comfortable place to spend the weekend in Janda Baik, there are more chalets and resorts around. To name a few that I know:

1. D'Ark Training & Resort Sdn Bhd
Ashida Villa, Lot 5303
Pulau Santap
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +609-233 0031
Fax: +609-235 1282

2. Seri Dinar Training Services Sdn Bhd
8299 Sungai Panjang
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +609-235 1223/1293
Fax: +609-235 1267
E-mail : sdretreat@po.jaring.my @ seridinar@po.jaring.my


3. Pulau Santap Chalet Enterprise
Lot 2575 Kg Pulau Santap
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +6019-988 9830

4. Latto Charok Chalet
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +6019-347 0772

5. Tanarimba
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +609-233 0655
e-mail: sitrac@po.jaring.my

6. Seri Pengantin Resort
Lot 686 Kg Sum Sum Hilir
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +6019-615 2150 0r
KL Tel: +603-4270 1700
E-mail : rsvp@seripengantinresort.com.my
www.seripengantinresort.com.my

7. Pondok Impian => photo on the right (when it was not ready yet)
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +6012-313 3224


8. Sailor's Rest
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +014-3685892 (Hashim)
e-mail: sailorest.jandabaik@gmail.com
www.sailorest.com

9. Seri Aman Chalet
Sum-sum Hilir
28750 Janda Baik
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +609-

10. Chalet Tuk Tuk
Tel: +6012-625 3440 (Idris)

11. KLCC (??/ It's Kuala Lurau Camping Centre!); camping site on this right photo
Tel: +6019-933 7380 CikGu Saad

I'll try to get all the correct contact numbers. Or you may also contact me at: norliajaafar3@gmail.com. The photos on the map above are the property of Idayu, Norlia and Ita. We have done this work for our t-shirts sold under our office sports club - KSSE. We still have some stocks left - black and maroon color only.

Community Activities in Janda Baik

Visit to orphanage - Rumah Kebajikan dan Anak-Anak Yatim Nur Zaharah at Kg Sum Sum Hilir.

On the evening of 12/10/2006 at 6.15 pm, in the holy month of Ramadhan, KSSE (Kelab Sukan & Sosial Elektrisola) organized a breaking fast activity together with the orphans at Rumah Kebajikan Nur Zaharah (Orphanage) in Janda Baik. Altogether 20 members from EM participated in this activity to spent and cherish a memorable evening with the orphans. Even though there were not many orphans but however we were touched by their simple life. A part of their building was still under construction. The Orphanage Manager gave a short briefing about the orphans and we were reminded not to ask the orphans anything sensitive related to their personal life. After breaking fast, all of us went for the congregation prayer, read the ‘Yassin’ and did the ‘terawih’ prayer. At 10:00pm we left the orphanage with mixed feelings; sad and grateful that we are not orphans… yet.

To those who would like to contribute some donation can directly contact the Manager of Rumah Kebajikan Nur Zaharah at this address:

RUMAH KEBAJIKAN NUR ZAHARAH
No. 13, Kg Sum-Sum Hilir
Janda Baik
28750 Bentong
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel : 012-6271549 - En. Yahya bin Yusof (Pengurus)

Article written by: Rozita Abdul Razak
www.maskahwin.com/index.php?ref=ibuqimi
Edited by: Norlia Jaafar

EM COMMITMENT TOWARDS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Another community activity done by Elektrisola Malaysia (EM) staff is to help upgrading the Bukit Tinggi police station.

On December 4, 2006, a cheque presentation of RM1,000.00 was held in a simple ceremony to the Head of Bukit Tinggi Police Station, S/Insp. Tuan Mohd Saad Bin Haji Osman, as part of EM contribution in upgrading the Bukit Tinggi Police Station. Besides than the cheque, we also supplied flowers and plants for landscaping, paints and together with EM contractors, EM sponsored some of the building works and repairing materials.

It is our aim to make EM to be part of the local community and together contributing and building for the betterment of everyone in Janda Baik and Bukit Tinggi.

Article and photo from: Azleena Ismail

Janda Baik Voluntary Fire Fighting and Rescue Squad

The Janda Baik voluntary Fire Fighting and Rescue Squad (FFRS) is organizing a program to introduce its team and to attract the local community to join the team, besides providing the people with an understanding of the fire prevention aspect.

This program will be launched by the year end 2006, sponsored by the ADUN of Ketari / MP Bentong. Elektrisola (Malaysia) as the patron of the Janda Baik voluntary FFRS has sponsored 100 T-shirts to be used for this program.

Contribution of T-shirts was delivered by Dr. Ivo Cicolini as the Management representative to the Chairman of Janda Baik Voluntary FFRS, Tuan Haji Abd Karim Mohamed.

Original article in Malay written by: Hamdan Alias
Translated to English by: Norlia Jaafar

What I think of Janda Baik

It's "winter" time in Janda Baik since last weekend! It's really cold. It's even colder in the office because of the aircond. In the house without aircond also I have to wear sweater. This is what I like best about Janda Baik! Even though Janda Baik is very close to Kuala Lumpur, but when we are in the village, we could feel as if this place is too far from development. I have been here from 1999, the only changed I have seen is the main road has been widen.

The only public transport to Janda Baik is the bus from Bentong to Janda Baik. But the bus schedule is only 4 times a day. Taxi to Janda Baik could be expensive, I don't know how much. But from KLIA to Janda Baik is RM150 previously. For this year I guess it would be more expensive. The limousine would be RM300! The last bus to leave Janda Baik is at 7:00 pm. So, people in Janda Baik cannot really rely on public transport. Most of the people who live in Janda Baik have a car or at least a motorcycle.

But this village has power and water supply. Nevertheless, the villagers still prefers to have their water supply direct from the natural water from the hill. They just make their own piping and get their free water supply! Because natural water supply is so rich here, may be that's why many houses in the village have their own fishing ponds. Many ponds are even open for public, with some small fee though.

Another unique feature of the Janda Baik is many of the houses here are given names. But mostly the houses belongs to the VIPs who build their holiday homes in Janda Baik. Among others that I know are: Selindung, Harmoni, Seri Cempaka, Villa Kashro, Janda Hias, Janda Kaya, etc.

Places of interest in Janda Baik

There are many places of interest in Janda Baik. Other than the chalets and resorts mentioned earlier, there is Gunung Nuang - for those who enjoy mountain hiking, there are also Kepala Gua and Ulu Tampit for jungle tracking and camping. We can do some fishing at the river. You can get some small fish.

I have been to Kepala Gua once - a trip organized by our sports club. About 20 members went together. We gathered at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Janda Baik. Then we rented a 4-WD to send us till the last part of the road where the car can go in. We have to enter through the land belongs to UIA (University Islam Antarabangsa) and stopped at the river. We have to cross the river. Luckily it was not deep. We had a picnic at a nice river inside the jungle. We cooked rice in bamboo - the Orang Asli style. We grilled some fishes which we caught by fishing at the river. Though the fishes were small, but it was nice!

Not long ago Idayu had taken some friends from our China plant (who were at Elektrisola Malaysia for training) to have a good picnic at Ulu Tampit. They were all so happy and excited to see the waterfall.

Ulu Tampit waterfall located in Janda Baik is the one that I like most at the moment. I had been to other waterfalls such as Lata Kinjang Waterfall in Perak, Kota Tinggi Waterfall in Johor, Lata Iskandar Waterfall on the way to Cameron Highlands, Fraser Hill waterfall, Gunung Ledang waterfall and others. Yet I found that Ulu Tampit waterfall is the most enjoyable one!

There are seven floors of waterfall and floor 4, 5 and 7 are the most common floors people go to visit. My favorite floors are floor 7 and 5. It only takes about 45 minutes of light trekking and hiking through the jungle to get to the top floor. During raining season it is not advisable to go there because first of all the water is not clear, secondly many ‘pacat’ or leeches and lastly you may fall down during the hiking because of slippery.

At floor 5 the waterfall is so beautiful but at floor 7 is the best to dip into the water! The water is so cold and so deep, yet you will not be carried away by the current. It is one of the safest waterfalls to plunge into the water. Kids enjoy it the most at floor 5.

How to get there? Unfortunately the visit the waterfall is only allowed if you are accompanied by the guide. The guide is available at Latto Carok 019-3470772 (Jafri Jais).

It is recommended to visit the waterfall if you are visiting Janda Baik. For those who are looking for something tougher, it is recommended to go hiking to Gunung Nuang through Janda Baik. It takes 10 hours of trekking to go up and down. Good luck!

Article written by: Idayu Mohd Nor

Happy New Year 2007!

It's already 1 January 2007 in Malaysia! Happy New Year to everyone! May all of us will leave happily and always be blessed with the good things in life. Being in Janda Baik is already a great gift from Allah!

Let's start the new year 2007 with a rose for everybody. The picture was taken at Pak Habib's place - another attraction in Janda Baik. The place is open for public to visit. Normally, many buses will come during the weekend to Pak Habib's place. It's got a name too - Wadi Hussein (not so sure about the spelling).

Pak Habib is so lucky to have found a very nice place with this nice stream along the side of his land. For those who have purchased land in Janda Baik much earlier, it was not so expensive then. But now Janda Baik has become an elite village - so many VIPs have their holiday homes in Janda Baik - the price of the land has increased so much! They only talk about RM100K+ per acre. There was even a case where a land sold at RM1.2 million for 3 acres of Malay reserved agriculture land! What's so special about Janda Baik?

To name a few VIP houses in Janda Baik: Dato' Kadir Sheikh Fadzil (the house was featured in the Malay movie "Suara Kekasih"), Dato' Shahrizat, Dato' Shahril Samad, Dato' Yahya, the famous actress Datin Rosnani Jamil (Mak Nani), the drama actor Den Wahab owns the Pondok Impian; and many more. May be one day Datuk K and Dato' Siti Nurhaliza also might built their holiday home in Janda Baik?