Mee Kolok at Dapur Sarawak

Kolok Mee is a type of noodle found in Sarawak. It is served for breakfast, lunch or even supper, blanched in water and served in a light sauce with some condiments like shredded chicken or beef. It is similar to the Wantan Mee but Kolok Mee is not drenched in dark soya sauce.

Sarawakian living in Wangsa Maju might want to know that there is a restaurant in Gombak serving Mee Kolok near Diamond Square. This is a halal restaurant operated by a Malay from Sarawak. It is called Dapur Sarawak or Sarawak's Kitchen (picture above). Among stuff found in Sarawak you can get here include the famous three-layer-tea served with apong (or palm) sugar. There is also free Wi-Fi here.

The mee kolok with its tangy black sauce and soup.

The Mee Kolok specialities on the menu, among others.

Who Switched Off Chong Hwa Traffic Lights?

Since the road widening and the building of the overheard bridge near Chong Hwa School in Jalan Gombak, someone switched off the traffic lights there. This stretch, which is quite dark at night, is highly dangerous and several times already, we have noted, that there were near misses. Cars speeding along the thoroughfare fail to see cars turning into Jalan Chong Hwa. Can City Hall be kind enough to put back the traffic lights so that no life is lost?

Instant Trees

There you have it. Instant trees. This one is on the divider along the now widened Jalan Gombak. God knows what species is this or if it is planted for aesthetics or for shade. The base area is certainly too small for comfort and should the tree survive, dont you think the roots might surface and damage the road? Think about it.

Bridges Too Far

If you have been travelling via Jalan Gombak, I am sure you will see many bridges being built with the road expansion. There is one near Ong Tai Kim, one near Chong Hwa school and one near the Fourth Mile surau. While all are done with good intention, has City Hall thought of the old folks who might be using them to cross the now widened road? Can any climb without breaking their kneecaps?



One of the bridges seen being hoisted up recently.

Fire Razes Shop in Jalan Gombak

A fire broke out at about 6:20am today, razing a shop/several shops in Jalan Gombak opposite the mosque at Batu 3-3/4. Firemen arrived at about 6:40am to bring the fire under control by 7am. These are the photos capture barely moments ago.

Do You Know Where Kampung Kuantan Is?

Drive with care - traffic can be a little crazy in the mornings in this area.

If you think that Kampung Kuantan is located near Jalan Kuantan, you could not have been mistaken more.
No, it is actually located in Gombak 4rd Mile, specifically, at the back of the 13-storey Teratai Mewah low-cost flats at the end of Setapak Garden.
There is a morning market here and things, according to locals, are pretty cheap. From breakfast to market produce, you can practically get all sorts of things here.
If you are driving by this area, go slow. Old ladies walk and children dart across the roads like they own them. Drive with care.

Whose Are These Godowns?

Along Jalan Gombak lies these two godowns. If you have passed the road often, you would have noticed them. The lie nextdoor to the BHP station.

According to stories residents shared with me, these godowns date back to the time of the Japanese invasion. they were used to store goods such as foodstuff. No one knows for sure.

But if the tales were to be believed, then Gombak would have had historical buildings that worth preserving - but the effort would have been a little too late considering the facade had been completely demolished.

Gombak Road Expansion On Its Way

One side of the road has been scraped and tarring would have begun in a few days. (Note: The rubbish bags being left on the new road area. This is one filthy habit Gombak residents cannot do without. You will find garbage in bags strewn by the road or hung on lampposts. Now you wont be amazed if they call Gombak people 'Ulu')

After months of waiting, the road expansion at Jalan Gombak finally is on its way. The tarring of one side has begun, after the divider have been constructed. The lampposts have been moved and this is a good sign.

From what we have observed, from Gombak 5th Mile onwards to the junction to Sentul, one side of the road has been tarred.

Work is also being undertaken from there to Chong Hwa school.

Hopefully, the roadwork will end when school reopens.

I will keep you posted.

Gombak Road Widening - Updates

Tarring of the trunk road leading from Setapak to the upper reaches of Jalan Gombak has begun downstream from Gombak Fifth Mile (Pasaraya Ong Tai Kim). The road shoulders have been tarred sporadically, and this presents an even more dangerous situation for bikers. Loose gravel and uneven road shoulders are a fatal combination should the biker hits the dirt at high speed. Let's hope the contractors will complete the road fast before Chinese New Year!

Big Buses Should Not Use Forlong Short Cut

If you know the roads in Wangsa Maju like I do, there are plenty of short-cuts that can take you from Wangsa Maju to the otherside of the world, such as Gombak and Sentul or Gurney Road quite easily. Cuts travelling time and saves petrol. Yes, even with the drop in price announced, it's still expensive, but what the heck, it's another matter altogether.

I will introduce you the Forlong Shortcut, which connects Jalan Gombak at Diamond Square to Taman Forlong near P. Ramlee's house or more appropriately, the Mun Yee Chinese Secondary School. This short cut has been here since the early 2000 and I suspect it could even be as early as the late 1990s.

Of course, cars were not allowed those days as the tiny lane could only take one vehicle and getting through takes a lot of give and take. Now it still is although two cars can comfortably squeeze through.

However, of late, buses like the behemoths featured here have been using the lane and damaging the roads in the name of cutting travelling time, sometimes almost running down or squeezing smaller incoming vehicles.

This writer thinks the residents nearby this bottleneck should put up a height-barrier and prevent these buses from going through before tragedy happens one day.

A pedestrian walking through here might easily be run over by big buses travelling through this poorly lit stretch as can be seen from these pictures taken by us early one morning following complaints from motorists and pedestrians using the road.
Look at the sequential shots below.


This monster takes a turn into Diamond Square at Jalan Gombak. Buses should in fact use Jalan Gombak-Jalan Pahang Left Turn to get into Genting Kelang. This driver apparently do not give a damn and use this Forlong Shortcut.


The driver approaches the Forlong Apartments when the road becomes a squeeze. This is the beginning of the danger - the poorly-lit lane which is also used by pedestrians and cyclists. If the driver is sleepy and do not see them, one might end up in the drain (look below, from the yellow signboard) at the side of the road and it won't be the bus driver.


See the oncoming Kancil? The driver had to reverse quickly or risk being swept off the road and possibly run over by this bus.