termites

If you drive around in the villages in Negeri Sembilan, you'll notice that the number of "heritage" houses overgrown by semak belukar (bushes for the lack of a better term) is not small. The reasons for the abandonment are numerous but often it's because nobody bothers about the house or the kampung (household compound).

If you're the adventurous type, I encourage you to check out these houses. Yes check them out. Get out of your car and get close and personal with the houses. You'd be surprised that despite the years of abuse from the weather, the weight of lianas on the walls, roofs and floors, these houses can remain standing.

And maybe you'll notice the bee hives hanging on the beams or the trails of termites on the woods.

Speaking of termites, in Australia these white ants cause more damage to homes than storms and fire combined and this problem is a major concern for the country's Department of Housing.

I wonder if anybody is worried about termites eating up our heritage homes.