Many visit Selayang hot springs for health benefits

THIRTY-two-year-old Daphne Beh has been visiting the Selayang hot springs in Jalan Ipoh for about six months now and is already reaping the benefits of the geothermal-heated groundwater.

Beh, who lives in Kepong, said the water from the hot springs had made her hair softer, skin smoother and also improved her blood circulation.

Some of visitors at Selayang hot spring

She visits the hot springs four times a month and spends two to three hours each time by soaking her feet in a pail of hot water and wiping her body with a soaked towel.

She usually visits the place between 6pm and 8pm when there are many people because it is more enjoyable and relaxing and she can also interact with them.

 Healing treatment: A man with a mud mask spread on is body washing himself in the spring water.

Recently, she has also managed to convince her friend Annie Chong, 32, to go along with her.

“I find the water has healing properties and I am lucky that I live not far from here. I love hot springs from the time I was in Japan,” said Beh.

Distance is not an issue for Wong Yoon Hee, 63, who also goes to the hot springs at least once a week.

Before discovering the Selayang hot springs, Wong travelled to the Sungkai hot springs once a week. However, when she heard of the spot in Selayang, she comes here instead.

“I have been coming here for four to five months now and my knee pain has improved a lot.

Popular spot: Visitors bathing using buckets of water scooped up from the pool at the Selayang Hot Springs.

“It is also good for skin problems,” said Wong, adding that people of all races, including foreigners such Koreans and Japanese come to the hot springs.

Norazizah Yusuf, 44, who delivered a month ago, washes her baby’s head with the water to improve blood circulation.

“I always felt good when I wash with the water and that is why we brought our baby here,” said Norazizah from Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur.

Ganesh Kumar, 36, who used to frequent the hot spot 20 years ago with his friends, said the place was popular even back then when there were no facilities.

Toilet for visitors

“Today there are facilities such as toilets and a cemented flooring at the spring area,” he said.

However, many people feel the hot springs needs maintenance and upgrading.

Beh and Chong feel the toilet needs much improvement as it was dirty and the overall area could be spruced up.

Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) public relations and corporate planning director Mohamad Zain Masoad said the development of the hot springs was still pending.

The Selayang hot spring location

He said there was a proposed development plan for the area which only left one fourth of an acre for the hot springs.

“This idea does not appeal to the current councillors and they are insisting on maintaining the hot springs as a tourist attraction,” he added.

Mohamad Zain said the council and the developer had yet to come to a conclusion on the scale of development.

Council president Datuk Zainal Abidin Aala said MPS was planning to gazette the hot springs as a recreational spot and was studying its details.

“We will submit the plan to the state committee as the project will be funded by the Selangor government,” said Zainal, adding that the hot springs, which is managed by Selayang Municipal Council Cooperative Union, would be taken over by the council soon.

p/s : I remembered that's all MPS councillors since 1994 said the same thing "MPS was planning to gazette the hot springs as a recreational spot and was studying its details". We could described them as:

 NATO (No Action, Talk Only)