"THE Serendah International Orchid Park, perched 300m above the sea level
at the fringe of the Titiwangsa Range in Selangor, was once a popular
tourist destination.
.. for the last three years, the place has become desolate, destitute and
deserted.
The Selangor state government has two viable options...
to regenerate and then provide proper maintenance for the 160ha park or
put it up for sale.
If the state chooses to regenerate and keep the place, it would obviously
be costly.
The park was acclaimed by its developer and hailed by the authorities as
the first of its kind in the country, when work first started on it in the
middle of 2001.
photo : [caption : The Orchid Farm... when it first took shape]
http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/9/23/central/m_02phalaenopsis.jpg
It was developed as part of a privatisation project between the Selangor
Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS) and a private developer which
had been tasked with developing and managing the place.
..
The developer was... quoted as saying at that time that there would be over
500,000 orchids from 100 hybrids and species in the first phase of
development that covers 48ha of the hillslope.
Travel websites, magazines and the media had... promoted the park as an
orchid paradise.
Expectations for the park were high, and there was also a proposal to set
up a research and development centre within it for the purpose of
developing new hybrids and different ways of growing the plants.
There were plans for overnight accommodation, involving the construction of
chalets and apartments and the provision of camping grounds.
photo : [caption : "Not cared for... overgrown orchid plants.]
http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/9/23/central/m_04orchids.jpg
... about four years down the road... the ambitious plans and projected
development efforts for the park turned into an illusion and it has since
been left neglected and almost abandoned.
The project was a... waste of public funds and hence, the six-month-old
Pakatan Rakyat state government decided to do something about the matter.
Two months ago, the state government sent workers to the place to try and
salvage it.
...
a labourious one-hour hike up the... steep slope...
the place looking like a forsaken ghost-town with an abject environment...
The terrace... still intact with its black netting...
only a few flowers blooming in about 100 pots of orchids.
...
The seven workers there said that they did their part by watering the
orchids daily and hoping that it would grow and beautify the park once again.
In response to when the park would be ready for visitors, a worker said
that the park could be opened by January if these orchids are taken care
of, given enough water and manure.
They said that when they first came on board two months back, the place was
entirely covered with grass and shrubs of two metres in height.
...
It took them a month to clear the overgrown bushes, cut down the trees and
make the park looked presentable.
...
n the three years the park was abandoned, a lot of orchids had... died.
During that period of time, visitors would... take advantage to steal the
orchids...
the administration office is currently empty...
Selangor state agriculture, natural resources and entrepreneur development
chairman Yaakob Sapari said that he had two proposals for the state
executive council to decide on
... to regenerate and maintain the park or
to offer it for sale.
"At present, we are carrying out minimum maintenance at the place.
It was not a properly done project and we have engaged a lawyer to study
the terms of the privatisation agreement, as this was a joint venture
during the previous government's administration," he said.
...
state local government, research and studies committee chairman Ronnie Liu
thinks it is pointless to have an orchid park atop a hill in Serendah.
He said the distance would deter people from visiting it.
..
"If the land is used for breeding and selling of orchids, then perhaps it
is still okay.
... So I feel that the Serendah park should be sold, or the state will have
to fork out extra cost to revive it," Liu said.
...
"... I believe that the state government should not be doing this project
alone.
The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) should get corporate bodies to come on
board to sponsor the plants," he said."
URL :
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/9/23/central/2057718&sec=central
************
Regards,
VB
_______________________________________________
the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD)
orchids@orchidguide.com
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