Goh Tong Mountain.

Today 31 March 1969, two months before May 13, the Alliance or Kapal Layar awarded Lim Goh Tong a mountain. The foundation stone of Genting Highland was laid witnessed by the late Tan Sri Noh, the grandfather of Najib and Hishamuddin. It is now the biggest casino in South East Asia and located in a so call Muslim nation of Malaysia. However, Malaysian Muslims cannot gamble in this casino but Muslims from other nations are permitted. In Islam all form of gambling is not permitted whether he/she is from Timbuktu or Iceland. It is a universal law but at Genting Highland there is exception.

I had gambled at Genting during those early years, no denial ( zaman jahiliah) before the ban on Malaysian Muslims but that is not the real message I am going to relate here. Nizar the Menteri Besar of Perak awarded housing plot to poor Chinaman in Chinese New Village in Perak, the whole UMNO members protested and labeled Nazri as a puppet to a Chinese majority base political party, the DAP. How about Genting Highland given to Lim Goh Tong? How about the land at Pulau Tioman, given to Vincent Tan of Berjaya Group? Who was the Menteri Besar of Pahang, then? The land awarded was by far larger than Nizar had awarded.

I am a Malay and the only plot of land I have in Malaysia, my own country is where my existing double storey terrace house is. Since I have laid tiles at the small garden, I don’t even own an inch of land anymore. Politicians….with a stroke of a pen can get timber concessions as if this country belongs to their father. You scratch my back and I scratch yours and I know what to do in return. Thank Allah, my grandparents taught me about heaven and hell.

Genting is where people spend money whether it is hard earn or dirty money. It is also a hideout and heaven for young couples. There are thousand of rooms and apartments available, even the authorities can lose their way. It is also a headache for parents who take their young kids up there. The children would not budge from the amusement park. The parents can only feel the heat and pinch when descending the winding road.

Genting Highland is revenue to the government coffer but an eventual burden to the hard core who patronize the place. I have not met a millionaire descended from the place but I have met a few who had to seek the service of Ah Long. I had a friend who sold off his car to contra his damages. My advice, if you want to feel the cool weather go to Cameron or Frasers instead.